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)
I didn’t have to say all of that, but Ash still understood. I knew he did as he kissed each tear that started off as grief and then became relief. When they stopped, and I eventually found myself nestled once more against his chest, I finally fell asleep.
And I slept deeply.
Until I woke before dawn, gasping for air as a shout of fury slammed around in my head. I felt that cord. The connection that signaled the balance being righted once more. Even with my eyes open, I could see the darkness descending—black streaked with crimson.
Kolis was awake.
“Whoa,” Saion murmured as he leaned back in the settee.
I’d just finished the first stage of Ascension in case Phanos decided to either remain loyal to Kolis or refused to involve his Court. Only a tiny part of me held on to the hope that Phanos would choose us.
“You okay?” His cousin stood beside him, watching carefully as I closed the wound on my wrist.
“Yeah. Just a head rush.” Saion looked dazed as he tried to focus on me. “Your blood is…” He trailed off as a low growl of displeasure echoed from behind me.
Beside me, Reaver lifted his scaled head. A few minutes ago, he had growled when Saion neared me, which forced the god to stay seated and me to go to him.
Saion cleared his throat, sitting straighter. “It’s, um, something else.”
I shot Ash a frown over my shoulder as Jadis turned in her father’s lap, her brilliant blue eyes blinking. “You’re being ridiculous again.”
He ignored me, his glare fixed on Saion.
“Why is everyone growling at me today?” Saion asked.
The poor god was really having a rough morning.
I knew why Ash was growling. It was the whole keep-away-from-my-pregnant-wife thing, which made me so grateful that Kars was in the Callasta Isles because he’d surely get himself killed. But with Reaver, I had a feeling he was picking up on Ash’s tension and responding to it.
“Did I do something?” Saion asked, bewildered.
“No,” I was quick to answer, elbowing Ash in the stomach.
“Uh.” Saion glanced at Rhahar and then Ash before raising his hands. “I feel the need to apologize.”
“You don’t need to apologize,” I said. “He’s just cranky.”
“Cranky?” repeated Ash.
“Well,” Nektas drawled, rising from his chair with Jadis in his arms. The little draken was still focused on Ash as she clutched her father’s hair with her claws. “I think it’s time we head to the Triton Isles.”
“He’s right.” Saion shook his head, smothering a yawn. “Phanos would’ve felt this.”
And with Kolis being awake, we needed to make it quick.
I ran my fingers over Reaver’s head as Nektas handed Jadis off to Aios. The youngling immediately went for the goddess’s hair. I turned to Ash and asked in a low voice, “You okay?”
The rigidness of his jaw was starting to fade. Nodding, he folded an arm around my waist, and I saw Reaver approaching Saion, cautiously nudging the god’s leg with the top of his head. I guessed that was the draken’s way of apologizing.
“Ready?” Nektas asked, approaching us.
“Yes.” Ash looked at the others. “Remember, Kolis is awake. Everyone needs to be on high alert.”
There were several nods of agreement, and as the mist began to swirl around us, I saw Aios stretch a hand toward Reaver. I didn’t like leaving any of them while Kolis was awake, but I reminded myself that the younglings would soon return to Mount Rhee.
The smell of brine reached me before the bright light penetrated the fading mist. We were facing the sea. Sunlight glittered off the endless water, creating a stunning tapestry of sparkling diamonds. Squinting at the surface, I immediately thought of the ceeren who’d given their lives for me.
Gods, I really hoped Phanos made the right call—actually, speaking of Phanos… I started to step back—
Ash caught my arm as Nektas cursed. My gaze flew to his. “Careful,” he said. “You’re about to step on a lamaea.”
I spun around and looked down, quickly wishing I hadn’t.
The pale gray creature wiggled and slid across the sand. The fleshy smack of its flopping fins and the slippery slide of its dragging tails could fill a bucket of nightmares. I was so shocked by the sight of it that I couldn’t even concentrate enough to allow my vadentia to tell me what I was looking at. “What…what is that?”
“Another of my father’s ill attempts at creating new life,” he answered. “A lamaea.”
The creature’s almost mortal head and beady black eyes narrowed at Nektas. The draken gave the lamaea a wide berth.
“No offense,” I murmured, “but your father really needed to stop trying.”
“None taken.” He stepped forward as if to walk in front of the creature.
My grip tightened on his hand, and I dug my boots into the sand. “Do you think that’s wise?”
“They’re harmless,” he replied as the thing reared up on its fins, waving its tail arms. There was a distinctive fishy smell.