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)
His head fell back, and he exhaled heavily. “No, she doesn’t deserve this.”
I let the spark of hope grow a little. “Will you be able to live with this?”
“I can live with whatever brings you happiness.”
“Ash, I’m being serious.”
“So am I.” His chin lowered. “You’re the most important thing to me. Your happiness is everything, and if that means keeping that fucker alive but entombed and us doing everything to keep him that way for you not to carry the guilt of forcing Sotoria to be reborn, then I can easily deal.”
My breath snagged. “Truly?”
He smoothed his thumb over my bottom lip. “Truly.”
“I think I’m going to cry.”
“Please, don’t.” He pressed his forehead to mine. “I want to burn things when you cry.”
“But they’re happy tears.”
“Tears are tears.”
I laughed shakily. “Okay. I won’t cry.” I cradled his cheeks. “I love you.”
He kissed me softly, so tenderly my chest swelled. “I suggest we not leave this open for debate,” he said, leaning back. “Most of the Primals don’t even know about her. We should keep it that way.”
I nodded. “I want to tell Attes, though. He will support this.”
“I don’t doubt it.” He slipped his hand from my cheek and moved it to the nape of my neck. “We need to run this past the others.”
My stomach dropped a little. “Okay,” I said, and his eyes narrowed immediately. I sighed. “You’re reading me.”
He didn’t even deny it. “What about meeting with the others made you anxious when summoning the Primals didn’t?”
“I…” I pressed my lips together to give myself a moment. “What if they think of me differently because of what I did? What if they’re scared of me?” I tensed. “That…that would hurt because they…they are the only family I have now.”
“Oh, liessa, they’ve always known who you are at your core.” His gaze met mine. “While it may have been rough in the beginning…”
I snorted.
A grin appeared. “They accepted you. Just like I did. They will not think of you differently because they know you.”
The breath I exhaled, while not free of guilt or shame, was lighter. “Thank you for reminding me.”
“I will always remind you of that.” He kissed me again, and I felt like I could float right up to the ceiling. “Before I get everyone in here, I need to know one thing. Are you going to be okay with all of this when it’s over? Even the harsh parts?”
I knew what he was talking about. The deaths that would be at both of our hands. “This is different than me losing control, but it will bother me. It’ll haunt you. Both of us. But I have to be okay with it, and…and I will be.”
“So, we’re in agreement, then?” Ash asked, his fingers tapping softly against the wood. “We summon the Primals today and then proceed accordingly.”
Holding the fork with a slice of melon for the little draken in my lap, I smiled faintly as Jadis took the fruit without staring the fork down for five minutes.
Progress.
She held on to my hand without digging her claws in when I speared another piece of fruit. Reaver was at our side in his draken form, and I didn’t think he’d taken his eyes off either of us since everyone arrived.
I glanced up as Jadis guided my hand, and therefore the fork, toward her mouth. There were nods of agreement.
Everyone was here.
Despite Ash’s assurances, seeing all of them had been hard at first. I wasn’t just worried that they would think of me differently or be scared of me. I’d also feared they’d feel pity because there was no way that those within the palace had not heard me rage screaming last night.
But while their eyes and words had been compassionate, none of them had acted strangely. Well, except for Bele. She’d patted the top of my head when she passed.
My gaze swept past Nektas to Attes. Drinks had been brought in, but he hadn’t touched the coffee or gone for one of the decanters of whiskey or sherry. Sure, it was early, but I doubted that would’ve stopped him in the past. He also hadn’t said much.
I cleared my throat. “I know our plan is…brutal and not at all what I originally wanted, but this is the only way we believe we can lessen the impact on the mortal realm.”
“Doesn’t sound brutal to me,” Bele said, tucking a strand of dark hair behind her ear. “Sounds like a good time.”
Lailah and Aios frowned at Bele. “It’s not brutal. It’s actually smart,” Lailah said. And it was. It was what we should’ve done at the beginning. “If we can pull this off, we will have the upper hand when it comes to Kolis.”
“Agreed,” Rhain said, rising. “If you will excuse me, I should go ahead and begin preparing for the Primal summonses.”