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)
My stomach flipped unsteadily, and the response had nothing to do with my earlier nausea. Still, I breathed in deeply. Fresh citrus and clean air surrounded me—not choking, stale lilacs.
Ash leaned in, speaking low as Rhain rose and retrieved the pitcher from the stand, pouring two glasses of water. “Are you feeling well?”
So I still looked like death warmed over. Great.
Sighing, I nodded.
He kissed my temple before leaning back and turning his focus to Attes. “What is your news?” Ash asked, his hand curving over my hip.
“I still have eyes in Dalos,” Attes began. “And I know that Kolis hasn’t been seen at court as much as usual.”
Attes still had a spy in Dalos? It wasn’t Elias, who had become one of Kolis’s trusted guards. He was now in Attes’s Court. So, who was it?
The skin beneath my left ear tingled, and an image of a goddess with long, dark hair and rich, brown skin formed in my mind. “Dametria.”
Attes stiffened. “How did you—?” His shoulders relaxed. “Vadentia.”
I nodded. “I met her briefly and thought she acted different than the other gods who visited Kolis. She didn’t…” I trailed off as memories of how Kolis had put me on display threatened to surface. I didn’t want to think about any of that. I didn’t need to.
“She didn’t what?” Ash asked quietly.
“She didn’t act like an asshole,” I told him, which was true. “She’s safe there?”
“For now,” Attes said. That wasn’t exactly reassuring. “Word is his favorite golden fuck has been running interference for him, along with Varus.”
I knew the golden fuck was Callum, but the second one was unfamiliar.
“Varus of Kithreia?” Ash stiffened behind me as Attes nodded. “My father entombed him.”
“I know. I aided him in doing so, along with…my brother.” Attes picked up his glass and drank deeply. “I believe he must’ve escaped when Veses had her draken attack the Red Woods.”
Rhahar cursed. “We checked and double-checked to make sure we got all those who were entombed.”
“We must’ve assumed he was one of the ones killed without much left behind,” Rhain said, shaking his head. “I’m sorry. We should—”
“It’s okay.” Ash lifted a hand. “It would be impossible to know for sure that all who escaped were recaptured. The blame for this does not lay at the feet of anyone in this room.”
It was Veses’ fault.
Anger sparked, causing eather to throb hotly through me. A charge of energy stroked the air, drawing the Primals’ gazes to me.
Attes raised a brow. “You okay?”
“Yeah, sorry about that.”
A quick grin appeared on Attes’s face. “While Callum and Varus have been speaking for Kolis, one particular visitor has spent a lot of time with him, in what I can only assume is an attempt to ensure he has their support.” Attes shifted back in his chair. “Phanos.”
“First off,” I began, “it pisses me off that he is having meetings. And secondly, there is no way Phanos will give him support.”
“I wouldn’t be too sure of that,” Saion stated.
“Seriously?” Shock filled my voice. “Kolis made Phanos sacrifice so many of the ceeren—something he obviously wasn’t thrilled with. I saw the sorrow in his eyes.”
A muscle ticked in Saion’s jaw. “Phanos doesn’t like to make waves.”
“Nice pun,” Attes noted.
“Thank you.” Saion then continued. “Look, Phanos doesn’t particularly like Kolis. I don’t think any of the Primals do.”
“Except his brother,” Rhain pointed out with a nod at Attes.
“Clearly, I was the twin born with intelligence and good looks,” Attes said, but his usual humor was missing from his voice.
Saion smirked at that. “But Phanos can be very…self-involved.”
“Name one Primal who isn’t self-involved,” I said, and when Attes opened his mouth, I added, “Besides Nyktos.”
Attes pressed a palm to his chest as if he were wounded. I rolled my eyes.
“Oh, I’m self-involved,” Ash said, his arm briefly tightening around me. “And I am just as selfish.” His eyes met mine when I looked over my shoulder. “And you know that.”
Denial rose to the tip of my tongue, but I wouldn’t be sitting here if he wasn’t selfish. Then again, was saving my life really that selfish? Yes? No? Probably a little of both.
“Do not forget that, at the end of the day, this is the same Primal who drowned a city,” Saion reminded me. “Simply because those living there ceased to honor him by endangering their lives.”
“I haven’t forgotten that.” Blowing out an aggravated breath, I drew the braid over my shoulder. “He was upset about the loss of those ceeren. Why would he not want justice for that? Or, at the very least, want to avoid being put in that situation again?”
Rhahar rubbed his chin and shook his head. “Because seeking that justice could negatively affect him.”
“And not seeking it will still negatively affect him,” I pointed out. “It’s not like we’re going anywhere. No matter what side he chooses, if Kolis doesn’t take the offered deal, there are still two sides.”