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)
The sudden sensation of pins and needles erupted as the eather pulsed in the center of my chest and formed what felt like a cord. A connection. That link surged through me, pulling taut as it stretched beyond the palace and the Shadowlands. Essence swelled, flooding my veins. Behind my closed eyelids, I saw gold and silver. The intensity snagged the breath I took. I pressed my hand to my stomach as the rise of power crested and then steadied, leveling out.
It balanced.
Black washed over the silver-laced gold light. Black streaked with crimson.
Sucking in a sharp breath, my eyes flew open—
My heart lurched.
What I saw was brief and only lasted a heartbeat, if that, but I saw.
And it wasn’t my eyes that met mine. It wasn’t my reflection that stared back at me.
It was silver eyes streaked with red. It was the face I saw in my nightmares.
Kolis.
Ash once more shadowstepped into the bathing chamber. “What’s wrong?”
I staggered forward, my mouth dry. What I saw now was my reflection. The same as before, except the freckles stood out more starkly. But I had seen him.
“Sera?” Ash was at my side, placing a hand on my lower back. “Talk to me.”
“I’m okay,” I said hoarsely. My heart pounded as I gripped the vanity, willing myself to calm. “I…I just need a moment.”
He ran his hand up and down my back. “Take as many as you need.”
The calming sweep of his palm helped push away the panic and confusion, clearing my thoughts enough for me to focus on what’d just happened. I knew Kolis hadn’t really been here, but I also knew what that cord-like sensation meant. What it was telling me. It was either the vadentia or all the information I’d gained during the Ascension.
That link—that connection—had always existed between the true Primal of Life and the true Primal of Death. After all, Life could not exist without Death. They walked the realms side by side, and all that link meant was that Death had awakened. Had become conscious. Aware. That was why I hadn’t felt it before, and I would also bet that it was the source of what had awakened me and left me feeling nauseous. Shockingly, Kolis had still been in stasis up until this very moment.
“Fuck,” I whispered, and Ash’s hand momentarily halted before continuing. Opening my eyes, I faced Ash. “It’s Kolis.”
The tendrils of eather stilled in his eyes as he curved one of his hands around mine. “Talk to me,” he said.
“I sensed Kolis.”
Those wisps of eather brightened as intensely as stars. “I’m going to need more details.”
As I told him what happened, his jaw clenched and became as hard as the shadowstone around us. “It was weird, but I know he’s been in a stasis until now.”
“Do you still feel him?”
“No.” I frowned as I thought twice. “I mean, I don’t technically feel him.”
Frigid air blew off Ash. “What does that mean, Sera? Do you hear him? Feel anything?” His flesh thinned as his head dipped until we were at eye level. “Please, do not lie to me about this. I beg of you.”
“It’s more an awareness of him, of him being conscious,” I quickly clarified. “And that is all.” I squeezed his hand. “I swear.”
His chest rose with a heavy breath. “I didn’t know that was possible.”
“I didn’t either. Well, I did but didn’t realize I knew,” I said, knowing that made little sense. “There’s a lot of stuff in my head. Too much, really. But it’s quite possible that no one else knew about that, not even Nektas.”
Ash nodded, his flesh gradually thickening. “If he did, he would’ve said something.” His jaw loosened. “Well, now we know why he has been so silent. Stasis was the true cause of his absence and lack of action.”
I wanted to deny it, but it would be foolish to do so.
“This doesn’t change our plans.” He cupped my cheek.
“I know.”
“You done in here?”
I nodded, and worry started to fester as Ash led me from the bathing chamber. I took a deep breath, reminding myself that nothing had changed. We’d been operating as if Kolis had been awake this entire time anyway.
But even I knew that was a whole lot of bullshit because Kolis was awake, and that changed everything.
The following morning, I knew I should be with Ash as the security for today’s speech was discussed, but instead, I was on the Rise, walking toward the wall facing Lethe. It was the easiest way for me to see the Dying Woods. Something had occurred to me.
The Shades.
The slight heels of my leather boots clapped softly on the stone as I glanced down, seeing lush grass filling the courtyard and Rhahar’s lurking figure just beneath me. He wasn’t alone. Kars, the fair-haired and muscular guard who had once offered to train me, was with him. They had been following me since the moment Ash left.