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)
When Sera comes to see Nyktos in his office, Rhain is there. He’s concerned by how polite she’s being since it is utterly against her nature. He thinks she’s unwell and says as much before heading out to the Rise.
Later, when Kolis summons them to Dalos, he tells Sera that she must do whatever Kolis demands of her, no matter how distasteful or vile, and adds that there are only a few things Nyktos can refuse on her behalf. He also makes it known that delaying in answering Kolis’s summons will make Kolis incredibly angry, and it will cost them.
Rhain goes to check on Sera and finds Veses in Sera’s chambers. He apologizes and offers to let Nyktos know that she’s arrived, trying to lead the Primal away. She tells him that she’s not there to see Nyktos and it scares him a bit. After she attacks Ector, Veses sends Rhain skidding out of the room with her power, along with Ector’s unconscious body. He rushes off to find Nyktos and inform him of Veses’ attack on Sera.
Before the coronation, Bele retrieves him at Sera’s request so he can be her escort. He confirms that, as the Consort, she will have authority over Nyktos’s guards, and he has to answer her honestly. Therefore, when Sera asks what he meant by Nyktos having to sacrifice, he first tries to backpedal but ends up telling her about Veses and her deal with Nyktos. He’s concerned the Primal of Death will murder him for sharing that and is not convinced he won’t find out.
He goes on to say that Eythos kept his deal with King Roderick a secret for a long time, and so did Nyktos. Still, it was discovered a few years back, and he doesn’t know how. Somehow, Veses found out about Sera but nothing else and threatened to tell Kolis. Rhain tells Sera the price Nyktos paid for Veses’ silence. He adds that he believes Veses may have tried to take Sera out to prevent blowback on Nyktos, but it was more likely because the agreement was about to end. He also tells her that only he and Ector know about the deal with Veses because they found Nyktos in bad shape once after a feeding.
As he feels Sera’s fury build, he tries to calm her by grabbing her face and making her focus on him. He knows he can’t stop her like Nyktos did before without hurting her and is stunned when Sera claims she’ll kill Veses.
He blocks her from going to the Primal and tells her that Veses will be dealt with. The moment the embers are in Nyktos and he Ascends, Veses is done for. Then, he stuns Sera by calling her Your Highness and saying she will be and has been his Queen.
When he asks Sera if she loves Nyktos and she can’t answer, he realizes what it means and confesses he thinks he was wrong about her.
On the way to the coronation, he falls into step behind Rhahar and Sera with Ector, followed by Saion and the twins. As Nyktos and Sera enter, he addresses the crowd and tells them to bow. During the ceremony, he hands Sera’s crown to Nyktos. Afterward, he appears at the door to their carriage with the shadowstone box for the crowns. When they arrive at the House of Haides, he takes them to put them away.
When Kyn attacks with his dakkais and draken, Rhain leads the guards on the Rise. He sees Ector taken down and kicks away a dakkai, only to see the mess that is left of his friend. He can’t hold back and vomits. At one point, he grabs Sera and asks if she’s okay after her blast of power, only to swear when he sees Nyktos drawing the dakkais away with Primal mist. Sera tears free of his hold.
After Sera is taken to Dalos, Kyn captures Rhain and brings him to Kolis. Kolis taunts him about his father and brother and susses out that he has the same gifts. He figured it would happen, but he still manages to talk to Sera in her mind and tell her to take the palace down like she did at the House of Haides.
Sera makes a deal with Kolis to spare his life, and they return him to the Shadowlands. He isn’t sure he’ll ever be able to repay her. When she’s finally free, he makes sure everyone understands that she’s the reason many of them are still alive and free.
When it’s time for Nyktos to take Sera to her lake to extract her embers, he kneels and extends his sword, drawing blood before destroying the weapon, pledging himself to her forevermore.
SAION
God of Sky and Soil—is Earth, Wind, and Water (in Blood and Ash timeline)
Court: The Triton Isles to The Shadowlands