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)
He was truly a monster now.
Kolis wouldn’t bow out. He thrived on ultimate power and authority. Got off on it. Without it, what did he have? Bitter truths and tainted memories?
But I knew Kolis wanted to avoid war. That was what I’d been about to tell Ash before the young draken arrived. Kolis wasn’t completely irrational. He knew what was at stake. He also didn’t want to fight in a war he believed he could lose.
And if we got the majority of the Primals to back us? Would he back down then? Maybe a little. Perhaps just enough to give us a chance to take him down.
Ash’s shoulder brushed mine as he sat beside me. Jadis was passed out against his chest, one of her scaled cheeks resting just above his heart. I lifted a brow as I saw that the little draken was all but swaddled in what appeared to be one of Ash’s sweaters.
“Just in case she decides to shift into her mortal form. It’s been happening less and less, but I don’t think she’s quite grown out of it,” Ash said, his voice low as Jadis wiggled in her sleep, managing to poke one clawed foot free of Ash’s sweater as he glanced down at Reaver. “How he was earlier? I haven’t seen him like that since his parents died.”
My attention shifted back to Reaver’s sharp features and the slight parting of his lips. “I promised him we would all remain safe,” I admitted.
“We will.”
I nodded as I smoothed my hand over the crown of Reaver’s head, but I knew I shouldn’t have made any promises.
There would be a fight.
Would it only be between us and Kolis, or would it become the war Attes spoke of and Kolis swore he wanted to avoid?
Either way, lives would be lost.
And we wouldn’t be able to keep everyone safe.
“You just missed Ash,” I said, holding the bedchamber door open for Nektas. “He took Jadis and Reaver to the chamber they normally sleep in.”
“Ah,” he murmured, glancing down the hall. “I’m guessing they were still asleep?”
“They were when they left, which kind of surprised me,” I admitted, having figured one of them would’ve woken when Ash draped them over his shoulders.
His head tilted. “Younglings are deep sleepers. Once they fall asleep, they’re out until morning.”
“Huh.” From what I knew, that was the complete opposite of mortal children.
His attention shifted back to me. “I hope you got some rest after your eventful night.”
My thoughts flashed to the hours spent in bed with Ash. There had been some rest involved. “I did.”
“That’s good to hear,” he said. “You may feel stronger than ever.”
“But I’m a baby Primal and, therefore, need lots of nap time,” I said, eyeing him. “Why do I suspect that you knew exactly where your daughter and Reaver were?”
A faint smile tugged at Nektas’s lips. “Am I that transparent?”
“Yes.” I stepped aside. “Would you like to come in?”
His chuckle was low and raspy as he walked in. “This is unexpected.”
“What is?” I asked as I closed the door.
“This,” he answered with a sweep of his arm.
I scanned the chamber and winced at the bed in complete disarray and the leftover food and clothing scattered about. “The place is a bit of a mess, isn’t it? We had just finished dinner when Reaver and Jadis came by.”
“A mess?” Nektas surveyed the space. “It actually looks lived in.” He bent, picking up a napkin that had fallen to the floor. “You remember what it looked like before.”
Cold. Neat. Almost empty and devoid of…life.
“It is actually a relief to see such a mess.” He placed the napkin on the table. “There is a warmth to it.”
A mix of emotions surfaced as I fiddled with one of the buttons on my robe. I was at once glad that there was life here and sad that there hadn’t been before.
That Ash hadn’t been able to allow that.
“I hate Kolis,” I whispered as a surge of essence rippled through me.
Nektas turned his head to me. “For what he has done to Ash and to you.”
My breath snagged. What he’d said hadn’t been posed as a question. It was a statement of fact. “Yeah.” I swallowed thickly. “By the way, I heard Jadis tonight through the te’lepe.”
Crossing his arms, he faced me. “I believe we were right in our assumptions regarding the maturity of the embers.”
I nodded.
“I did come here for a reason,” he said after a moment. “I wanted to apologize for tonight’s interruption. Both Jadis and Reaver were told to give you and Ash space.”
“Oh, gods. Please don’t apologize. I was glad to see them. I missed them, and I think they needed to see us to know we’re okay. Especially Reaver. And I needed to see them. There was a time I didn’t think I would see them again.” Avoiding Nektas’s gaze, I cleared my throat and then did what I had already done more than once this evening. I changed the subject. “Ash and I discussed Kolis,” I said, giving him a brief rundown of what we’d planned.