Total pages in book: 222
Estimated words: 213974 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1070(@200wpm)___ 856(@250wpm)___ 713(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 213974 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1070(@200wpm)___ 856(@250wpm)___ 713(@300wpm)
By the time the bucket that had hit the floor earlier had been refilled and added to the water in the tub, the embers in my chest had finally calmed. Callum locked the cage door as the last Chosen left the chamber. The approach of heavier footsteps drew my attention.
A dark-haired guard appeared in the hall, crossing the room in his knee-length, white tunic and gold greaves. The bright light of the chandelier reflected off the sigil engraved on the golden armor: a circle with a slash through it. His face was painted the same as Callum’s.
But I recognized him.
It was the guard who’d been with the draken, the one who’d knocked me out.
As he neared the fallen Chosen, his head lifted just a bit. Amber eyes lit by the glow of eather glanced over me as he lifted the body. Then, without saying a word, he left. The guard was a god, yet he’d used none of his godly abilities against me yesterday.
Neither had any other guards, and the draken had only appeared close to attacking me once I hit him with that bolt of eather.
The reason was suddenly clear to me in light of Callum’s actions. It was likely the guards and Kolis’s loyalists had been warned not to harm me. I could exploit that.
To a point.
Because Callum had shown exactly how he would ensure my cooperation.
“Make use of your bath,” Callum said, drawing my attention to him. “If you do not do so, I will bring another Chosen in here, and they will meet the same fate as the other.”
I turned to where he once more stood before the cage. “I’m going to kill you,” I promised.
Callum laughed softly. “I suggest you bathe and change. Kolis will be most displeased if he finds you in this state.”
“Fuck Kolis,” I snarled, once more losing control of my temper.
“He would enjoy that, I’m sure.” Callum winked. “Your bath water is growing cold.”
Whatever caustic response I had died on my tongue as Callum bowed and turned. I stared numbly as he left, the wide, heavy doors swinging shut behind him. The click of several locks followed.
Callum hadn’t touched those doors.
Either that was something the doors did on their own, or Revenants had some of the same abilities as a god.
An unkillable god.
That potentially made the Revenants as dangerous as a Primal, and that was yet another problem.
Worry gnawed at me. Kolis could return at any moment, but I still hesitated at the tub, my hand pressed lightly to the base of my throat. Just the sight of it full of water caused a knot to swell in my chest.
Having been nearly choked to death in a bathtub had kind of tainted what used to be a luxury I enjoyed.
Even to this day, I still felt the sash coming around my throat from behind, cutting off my airway before I even realized I’d taken my last breath. Damn, the memory was even fresher now.
I didn’t want to get into the tub, but it was too deep for me to dunk my head like I had been doing in the Shadowlands until Ash noticed I wasn’t using the tub to bathe. Instead of making me feel foolish, he’d understood the trauma and sought to work around it. He’d brought me into his chambers and stood guard in his quarters so I felt comfortable bathing.
That wasn’t the only thing he’d done. My skin briefly warmed at the memory of him climbing into the tub, leathers and all…
But Ash wasn’t here to have my back and help me feel safe.
I had to do it for myself and had a lifetime of practice doing just that. Today would be no different. At least, that was what I told myself.
A tremor started in my legs as I shifted from foot to foot. I needed to get over this. No one would choke me. Hopefully. What would happen was retaliation from Callum if I didn’t bathe.
I was a quick learner—contrary to what my mother believed. It had only taken once with Callum. I disobeyed, and someone died.
I peeked around the screen and gave the chamber beyond the cage a hard scan. I knew no one was there, but I needed the reminder. Once I had it, I hurried behind the screen again and peeled off the bloody gown, wishing I could set fire to it as tiny bumps appeared all over my body. The feeling of hundreds of unseen gazes pressed upon my flesh.
“Stop it,” I hissed. No one was watching me.
That I knew of, anyway.
I rolled my eyes. I really needed to learn how to be more reassuring.
Cursing, I stepped into the warm water. The knot in my chest expanded as I gripped the sides of the tub. Focused on my breathing, I lowered myself until I could sit.