Total pages in book: 138
Estimated words: 132582 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 663(@200wpm)___ 530(@250wpm)___ 442(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 132582 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 663(@200wpm)___ 530(@250wpm)___ 442(@300wpm)
“And if it still sinks?”
Calista smirks. “Then we hope another version like you is born with the blood you have now in the near future.”
“Highly unlikely,” Arie mutters.
“’Tis true,” Calista sighs. “We’ve waited centuries for you.”
“And why come to me now? Mournwrath has attacked us more than once. Who’s to say he won’t kill us the next time?”
“Well, you had to mate first. The Tether had to be in full effect, which is why we opened the portal for your tether and brought her here.”
“You did that?” I grimace. “You put her whole life in jeopardy, and for what? To get me to bond with her so you can awake Selah?”
“Exactly. It took a while, actually. We couldn’t get it right the first time—Arie was too drunk and stupid to stay awake.” Calista side eyes her brother just as he takes a sip of wine. “We managed, though. And don’t be so glum about it. You can’t deny that she’s the best thing that’s ever happened to you. You should be thanking us.”
Fucking bitch.
“We knew you’d look after her,” Calista goes on. “It’s what you do. You protect the ones you love and eliminate anyone who comes after them, and that’s why we’re glad you are the chosen one. You should be elated! This is an honor. Not even we can awake a Regal. Now that you’ve mated, it’s all come full circle. Your blood is charged.”
“You must be forgetting about Decius,” I counter. “If he kills me before your boat is built, I can’t help you with Selah.”
“That’s why you must go immediately–before he can capture you,” Vassilis says. “We’ll find the strongest men in Vakeeli and have them build the boat within three days. That’s more than enough time for you to prepare for the trip. And while you go, your mate can come here, where she’ll be better protected from Decius.”
“Like I’d let you get anywhere near her.” I glare him down a moment before clasping my fingers in my lap. “What if I don’t want to do this? What if I fail?”
“Wouldn’t be wise to reject,” Arie says, twirling the stem of his wine glass between his fingers. “As for failing, just stop it, alright? You’ve survived some crazy shit. If anyone in Vakeeli can do it, it’s you.” He sets the glass down a little too roughly and leans forward. “Now can we be done with this? I need to drain my fucking balls and this meeting is incredibly boring.”
“Disgustingly vulgar,” Vassilis hisses, side-eying his brother, who grins and waves a middle finger at him.
“You will do this, Caspian,” Calista says, voice firm. “You have no choice. Remember, we saved you from Magnus. And if you awake Selah, this favors all of Vakeeli, not just us. There will be restoration, retribution. She will kill Decius like she’s always had planned and you and your mate will be freed from his shackles of the Cold Tether. You can live your life as normal people, doing normal things without worrying about a billion-year-old monster sucking the life out of you.”
“Enticing, but I can’t help feeling like there’s a catch with this whole Selah thing–other than me boarding a boat and navigating waters that are likely to kill me.” As I survey each of them, I know they aren’t telling me the whole truth. There’s something being left off the table, I can sense it.
“No catch,” Calista says, her voice light. “You’re the only one who can complete this mission right now. You, the tormented, damaged, cold, but brilliant Monarch Harlow. You’ve been through and have done so much. You’ll be able to get to her. We need our Regal back for a more fruitful life. For more gifts from the Regals, and to truly limit the violence of Vakeeli. With Selah thriving and awake, the world will be as it was. It will be a place where we all can live without threats, or wars, or hostility. We’ll be able to mind our own and sing our praises to her for creating us, and in return she’ll bestow her gifts and blessings upon us. Tell me that doesn’t sound promising?”
“Not really, but if that’s what you want…”
Her eyes flash, clearly agitated by my response. “It is. And in three days, you will board the boat and go to her. Now do we have your word?”
“Fine. You have my word, but if Decius gets to me before that boat is built, you’re out of luck.”
“We’ll do what we can to hold him off,” Vassilis declares.
“Sure,” I mutter.
“I will see to it that you and your mate are covered by our eyes, just as we’ve been doing since your mate returned,” Calista says. “That means Decius will not attack while we need you.”
“How so?”
“Consider it a bubble of sorts, an invisible one that surrounds you and keeps you safe. Nothing can breakthrough this bubble of our energy unless you allow it.”