Total pages in book: 248
Estimated words: 236909 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1185(@200wpm)___ 948(@250wpm)___ 790(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 236909 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1185(@200wpm)___ 948(@250wpm)___ 790(@300wpm)
Nyktos withdrew, taking several steps back. The wisps of eather slowed in his eyes, evoking a small change in the cold set of his features. A tense silence followed until he said, “One of you please retrieve a bowl of clean water and a cloth for me. The other needs to leave.”
“You know, I think I’ll get that stuff for you and then make myself…scarce.” Rhain backed up, grabbing Ector’s arm. “Come, be scarce with me.”
“That’s probably a good idea.” Ector pivoted. “He’s got the scary face again.”
He kind of did.
Nyktos waited until we were alone. “Someone has to worry about something happening to you since you don’t. You never do.” Nyktos took a measured step forward. “You want to make choices no matter the risks? The problem with that is you don’t ever think about those risks. Or the consequences.”
“That is not—” I sucked in a sharp breath. Nyktos was suddenly standing no more than a foot from me. “Can you not do that?”
“Why?” He stared down at me, the wisps of eather growing brighter in his eyes again. “Don’t tell me it scares you.”
“It doesn’t scare me. It just annoys me.”
His lips twisted into a tight smile. “Of course, not. You don’t have the instinct that warns most when they’re in grave danger.”
“Not true.” I started to cross my arms, but the tug on the wound along my waist stopped me. “My instincts work completely fine. Earlier they warned me that you’d be angry with my decision to go out onto the Rise.”
His eyes narrowed into thin, glowing slits. “Have you ever tried, oh, I don’t know? Listening to it? Valuing your life?”
“I’ve never really had the opportunity to do so, now, have I?” I snapped.
Nyktos went completely still, all except his eyes. A long moment passed, and I wished I had his ability to read emotions, to gain some sort of insight into what he was feeling or thinking. He turned then, walking stiffly to the credenza and picking up a crystal decanter full of amber liquid. “I know I said this before, but I mean no offense when I say you don’t value your life,” he said, pouring a glass, stopping, and then pouring a second. “It’s truly not meant to be an insult.”
I snorted. “Sure sounds like one when you say it.”
“Then I apologize. I’m sorry.”
My head jerked. “You’re seriously apologizing to me?”
He came back to me, offering me a glass. “You don’t think you deserve one?”
“Uh…” I thought about that as I took the drink, unsure if I did or not. I shrugged.
His lips curled faintly. “Well, you have it anyway.” He downed the whiskey in one swallow. “I’m trying to understand.”
“Understand what?” I took a little less-impressive gulp, but half of the whiskey was gone when I lowered my glass.
He sat his glass behind one of his swords, dragging the edge of his fangs over his lower lip. “How you’ve become who you are.”
The whiskey hit my chest and then my stomach in a warm rush. “I’m not really following what you’re asking.”
“Most wouldn’t attempt to seduce and kill the Primal of Death. Not even if it was a duty drilled into them from birth. Not even for their kingdom. Then turn around and plan to do the same thing to another Primal. I wouldn’t even say it would be a lack of courage on their part.”
“Just a lack of common sense on mine?” I retorted.
That damn eyebrow rose again. “You said it.”
I took another drink before I threw the glass at his face. “My kingdom is dying. I believed—we all believed—it was due to the deal King Roderick made. What was I supposed to do?”
“Literally anything else.”
My fingers tightened on the glass. “Like what, All-Knowing One? Ask you to stop the Rot? Why would that have even crossed my mind when we believed the Rot was due to the deal expiring, and not something you were doing? We didn’t even know who Kolis truly was.” Or even who and what I was. But gods knew I wasn’t going there right now. “So, what should I have done? Summoned a god or Primal again and tried to make another deal? Kicked the can down the road for someone else to deal with? Live my kind of life?” I laughed harshly. “Or just do nothing and let my kingdom die?”
“And what kind of life did you really live?” he asked quietly.
The heat returned, sweeping through my chest, and it had very little to do with the whiskey. I set the glass on the desk. Rhain returned then with the items Nyktos had requested. Sending me a sharp look, he quietly placed the bowl and towel on the desk beside the swords. He quickly left, closing the doors behind him.
But what the god had said before Nyktos arrived remained with me. “What have you sacrificed for me?”