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)
That didn’t mean Ash’s pep talk had gone into one ear and out the other. I just wasn’t getting a grip yet. I would before we met with the Shadowlands gods.
Thinking about that caused a small spike of anxiety as I turned. A thin line of light between the balcony door’s curtains caught my attention. I started toward them as I sensed the presence of another drawing near. A god but not…
A series of quiet knocks jerked my head toward the chamber doors. Knowing Ash wasn’t who I’d felt and that he wouldn’t do that when entering his own chambers, I hesitated as I wrapped my hand around the door handle.
“Sera?” A soft, muffled voice came from the hallway. “It’s Aios.”
Now, I understood what I had felt. Aios wasn’t just a goddess, nor was she a risen Primal. She was somewhere in between since I’d brought her back.
I yanked the door open, half-surprised that I didn’t tear it right off its hinges. Whatever I had been about to say vanished as I came face-to-face with the fiery, red-haired goddess. For a moment, I was struck speechless. The last time I’d seen her, she’d been so terribly wounded, drenched in blood, dead. And then…not dead. I knew she lived, but seeing her standing here, healthy and whole, sent a shudder of relief through me.
“Your eyes,” Aios rasped, her once-citrine and now pearly silver eyes widening as she stared at me. A hand flew to her throat—to the delicate silver chain Rhain had returned to her.
Swallowing, I tore my gaze from the necklace before everything that involved the piece of jewelry took center stage. “I assume they’re still silver and green?”
Aios blinked. “They…most definitely are.” Her stare lingered on mine for a fraction longer, and then she crossed the threshold, throwing her arms around me.
Unused to such a physical expression from anyone outside of Ash, I returned the embrace with stiff, awkward arms.
Gods, why did I have to be so damn weird?
“I’m sorry,” she said, her arms tightening around me. “I know I should greet you a certain way now, and I have this impression that you’re as fond of hugs as Bele, but I couldn’t help myself.”
“I can’t picture Bele hugging anything.” Inhaling the vanilla scent clinging to Aios’s hair, my arms finally relaxed. “Not even a cute, cuddly kitten.”
Her laugh was shaky as I closed my eyes and let myself soak in her embrace. Besides Nektas—and gods, Ector—Aios had been one of the few to warm up to me when I first arrived in the Shadowlands. I’d thought we might actually become friends, but when she learned that I’d originally believed I had to kill Ash to save my kingdom, she hadn’t been angry. No, it was worse. She had been saddened and disappointed. And, gods, I’d rather be on the receiving end of her anger than that. Her disappointment cut far deeper. So, this hug? It made all the awkwardness more than worth it.
“You saved my life,” Aios whispered hoarsely. “I wish there was something better than these two words, but…thank you.”
“Those two words aren’t even necessary.” My throat thickened as I thought about what I’d done. “I should be apologizing—”
“What?” Aios drew back, sliding her hands to mine. “Why would you think that?”
“When I brought you back, I did it without considering whether you wanted that. I don’t regret doing it,” I quickly added. “But I should’ve stopped and thought about it.”
“You did the right thing. Just like you did for Bele.”
“That was different. She died right before our eyes.” Not that Aios needed the reminder. “But you were…” I trailed off. I had no idea how much time had passed for Aios by the time I brought her back, and the idea that I could’ve ripped her away from peace had haunted the back of my mind ever since. “I didn’t know if your soul had passed on or not.”
“If it did, I don’t remember it,” she said. “And that doesn’t matter. I wasn’t ready to die. And I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for you, so yes, you did the right thing. And a thank you is necessary.” She squeezed my hands before letting go. “Okay?”
I couldn’t shake the feeling that her soul had crossed over to Arcadia, a realm of peace very much like the Vale, or had been in the process of doing so. But hearing her say what she had lessened that concern for me. Letting out a ragged breath, I nodded.
“Good.” Her glistening lashes fluttered as she cleared her throat. “I ran into Nyktos downstairs. He got sidetracked by Theon. He just returned from the Bonelands.”
The Bonelands was a stretch of uninhabited land between the mountainous Carcers and the Skotos Mountains where the mortals had fought alongside the gods and Primals against the Ancients. The draken believed it was sacred given the bones of the fallen that remained unseen but were still there. Theon had been stationed there with several ships and soldiers.