Total pages in book: 362
Estimated words: 347293 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1736(@200wpm)___ 1389(@250wpm)___ 1158(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 347293 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1736(@200wpm)___ 1389(@250wpm)___ 1158(@300wpm)
“You would.” Callum’s steps slowed as the hall curved. “I knew you were lying the whole time.”
I said nothing as we passed more statues of Kolis.
“My sister…” His chest rose with a deep breath as stale air flowed in through an open window. “She had everything you will never have, starting with class.”
“And yet, Kolis sought to dress her in a manner that exposed every part of her body?” I replied. “So classy.”
Callum’s jaw flexed. “Perhaps, deep down, he knew the truth.”
“Ah, yes. That’s exactly why.” Anger pulsed. “He would never treat her that way. Never mind the fact that he sought to hold her captive again and force himself upon her.”
Aydun’s brows rose.
“You have no idea what you’re talking about,” Callum shot back, the veneer of civility cracking.
Just like before, disbelief rose. “I will never understand how you can justify Kolis’s actions toward someone you clearly loved.”
Callum went quiet.
“Then again, I will never understand how you can stand by while Kolis collects his favorites in an attempt to replace her, either.”
“They were all sad attempts. Especially you. You were the saddest of them all.” Callum’s smile was sharper as he glanced at me. “Guess what I heard?” His voice lowered as if he were sharing a juicy secret. “Kolis is already building another cage.”
My skin heated from the inside.
Callum chuckled as a rounded archway appeared, leading to a hall I recognized as the one we’d entered before. “Wonder who he plans to put in this one. You?”
My fingers twitched.
“Perhaps his nephew. Yes, it will likely be Nyktos.” Callum nodded. “We know what will happen to you.” He winked. “It’s all Kyn can talk about.”
The control I had on my temper snapped as we passed another fucking statue of Kolis. I pictured it doing exactly what I wanted to do to Callum and Kyn.
The statue shattered with a clap of thunder. Callum jumped as the Ancient jerked to a stop.
Slowly, both turned to look at me. “What?”
“You know what?” Callum spat. “That was disrespectful.”
“Was it?” I angled my body toward Callum’s.
“It was.” A faint glow of eather appeared behind his pupils. “But not nearly as disrespectful as lying about Sotoria.”
“Did I lie?”
“You’re really going to try that route again?” Callum laughed. “It won’t protect you.”
I met his stare as my muscles loosened. “It wasn’t your fault, you know. What happened to Sotoria was Kolis’s fault and his alone. I wish you knew that. You likely would’ve led a normal life and passed on to the Vale. But everything done to her beyond that? You’re just as complicit.” I lowered my voice as he had. “And she feels the same as I do when it comes to you. She feels sorry for you, but she really fucking hates you.”
Callum jerked his head back as if my words were a slap.
“That rule you spoke of,” I said to the Ancient. “Does it apply to everyone?”
Aydun’s lips actually curved up. “No, it does not.”
“Good.” I snapped forward, wrapping my hands around the grip of Callum’s dagger.
His eyes widened as he twisted, grabbing for me, but I was faster than he was even before I Ascended.
And I was way faster now.
I yanked the dagger free and grabbed a fistful of his hair, jerking his head back so I could thrust the shadowstone blade through the underside of his jaw.
Callum was dead before I even tore the blade free.
“Gods,” I said, watching him hit the floor like a sack of potatoes. “That felt good.”
“What a strange thing for the true Primal of Life to say,” Aydun stated dryly, glancing down at the crumpled form. An eyebrow rose. “And do.”
“He had it coming.” Kneeling, I quickly wiped the blade clean on his tunic. “And he’ll come back.”
“Unfortunately.”
I looked at him as I rose. “Do the Ancients not approve of Kolis’s creations?”
Aydun glanced down at the Revenant. “It’s kept the balance.”
I shoved the dagger into the back of my pants in case I needed it. “That’s not an answer.”
His gaze met mine. “What has kept the balance is a mockery of life. Reanimated flesh and bone and little else. This one is something more.”
Yeah, he was.
I glanced through the door, past the shadowy alcoves to the golden curtains at the end of the hall. “What of the Ascended?”
“They are only a slight improvement,” he answered. “They have souls.”
My gaze flew back to his. I wasn’t expecting him to say that.
“But neither were enough to keep the balance once you were born,” he continued. “If you had died during your Ascension, taking the last true embers of life with you, what Nyktos saw in his vision would’ve come to fruition.”
A chill broke out across my skin.
“He would’ve caused the Ancients in all the lands, both here and beyond the Primal Veil, to awaken,” Aydun said. “Between him, his father, and his uncle, Nyktos is the one who came the closest to destroying the realms.”