Total pages in book: 247
Estimated words: 231436 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1157(@200wpm)___ 926(@250wpm)___ 771(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 231436 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1157(@200wpm)___ 926(@250wpm)___ 771(@300wpm)
Talk of the last oracle ensues, and Sera learns that the goddess Penellaphe’s vision wasn’t quite complete, and those who know the whole thing haven’t lived to tell the tale. She learns prophecies often come in threes and seem unrelated until they’re pieced together. Callum and Kolis tell her more of the prophecy, and Sera remarks that Kolis is the great conspirator. He tells her that her attitude amuses him. They finish telling her the prophecy, and she recognizes her new title in it. Sera assumes that Delfai, Keella, and Veses likely knew the whole prophecy, just as Kolis does.
The Primal tells her she’s the bearer of two crowns, and she realizes he needed her to be coronated and to restore the draken’s life to fulfill those bits of the prophecy. He reveals that he needed to be sure the embers had reached a certain point of power for the rest of the prophecy to take place.
They finish relaying the rest of it, and Sera realizes it references a Primal of both Life and Death. When she learns more about Kolis’s plans, she laughs at him and says the prophecy will bring his death.
As more details come to light, Sera is shocked to discover that Kolis wants to kill all the Primals. She asks him why he needs more power and tells him he’s selfish. In response, he grabs her by the neck, telling her that Nyktos would have taken the embers the moment he felt he was ready. Eythos was setting up his son to become the Primal so that Nyktos could raise his father from the dead once he assumed the role. Kolis then tells her he’s going to drain her, take the embers, and complete his final Ascension, then taunts her that she knows what that means for his nephew.
He gloats that nothing will be forbidden or impossible once he Ascends and bites her above the shackle around her neck. She wonders if Ash can sense and feel her pain and realizes he’ll know she’s dead when his imprint vanishes.
Suddenly, she feels the embers flare and hears Sotoria in her head yelling, “No!” She speaks aloud, using Sotoria’s voice and saying, “You’re killing me again, after all these years.” Despite his best efforts, Sera feels no pain anymore, only rage. She laughs and tells Kolis she’s Sotoria and then explains everything Eythos did.
Kolis releases her and hugs her to him. She sees the horror on his face as he realizes who he has to kill—again—in order to get what he wants.
Fading, Sera’s gaze drifts to the open doors where she sees a silver-white wolf crouched by the trees and bathed in moonlight.
She knows it’s Ash.
Sera awakens chained in a cage in a circular chamber. Kolis tightens his hold and asks her if she’s really Sotoria. Crying, Sera wonders if the tears are hers alone. She’s scared—even of just Kolis’s voice.
Attes tells Kolis that Sera isn’t well and urges him to see. Callum takes another tack and tells Kolis to take the embers. Says if she dies, they die right along with her. He tells Kolis he needs to take them and Ascend. Attes chimes back in that if Sera dies, Kolis’s graeca will be lost.
Hearing the word again, Sera thinks it has a third meaning outside of love and life. Obsession. It’s clear that’s the root of what Kolis feels for Sotoria. With that thought, Sera loses consciousness again.
She senses a storm of gathering power, and the wolf comes—mist and shadows everywhere. Sera watches as the throne crumbles and a shockwave tosses Attes aside and lifts Callum, slamming him into the cage’s bars.
Ash shifts into his Primal form and challenges Kolis. Suddenly, Hanan appears, and Sera watches as Ash destroys the Primal’s spear and then kills him. For some reason, she finds his display of power disturbingly hot.
An earthquake shakes the building, and Hanan’s crown disappears. Sera knows everyone, everywhere likely felt it and realizes that Bele probably just rose as the new Primal of the Hunt.
Kolis lowers Sera gently, but before he can let go, Ash tells his uncle to get his hands off his wife. She watches the exchange and realizes that Kolis can’t kill Ash. Balance is required.
Ash gathers Sera into his arms but is ripped away. The two Primals argue about war, treason, custom, and faith. Then, they battle.
As they fight, Attes grabs Sera. She calls him a traitor. Attes says he knows what he’s done, but there’s no time for that. He warns her that Kolis will kill Ash. Begrudgingly, Sera asks Attes to help her stand, then takes one of his shadowstone daggers. When he rages, she uses the little strength she has to tell him to calm down, saying he’s not worth the effort.
She taps into the embers, compels Ash and Kolis to stop fighting, then lifts the dagger to her throat. She threatens to end herself, and they plead for her to stand down.