Total pages in book: 129
Estimated words: 118699 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 593(@200wpm)___ 475(@250wpm)___ 396(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 118699 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 593(@200wpm)___ 475(@250wpm)___ 396(@300wpm)
And they turned their power into lifting the cold and stony earth below which should lie an archangel.
53
Alexander tracked Zanaya to her library after he’d finished speaking to Xander; she had the doors open to the balmy night, was looking over a detailed map of her new territory. Her hair was violet rain under the overhead lights, her wings velvet dark and held tight to her back with warrior control.
“My grandson remains intent on flying to us tomorrow,” he told her. “Says his leave hasn’t been revoked since there’s no uncontrollable outbreak or any real sign of trouble.” He rubbed his forehead. “I couldn’t argue with him—he might be a child to me, but to the outside world, he’s a junior squadron commander who’s often out on solo flights.”
“That doesn’t mean you won’t worry about him.” Gaze soft, Zanaya took his hand, squeezed. “Even if Antonicus does walk, he’s doing so in stealth and cunning. He has no discernible reason to target your grandson—if he even knows that Xander exists.”
Alexander frowned, exhaled on a wave of shattering relief. “No, he can’t know. He wasn’t awake long enough for us to converse much—and he’d have no reason to dig into my family on his own. As for the past, while we were cordial when our reigns collided across time, we were never either intimates or enemies.”
The realization was welcome but did nothing to ease the tension that had him as taut as a wire. “Do you think you’ll be able to sleep before we hear back from Elijah and Raphael?”
Zanaya shook her head. “And we’ve done as much forward planning as we can.” Her gaze shifted to the huge balcony doors open to the falling night; the carvings in the wood glimmered with flecks of gold paint that had faded and been left to their weathered state. It suited all the old books against the walls as well as the well-worn carpet made by gifted mortals in his own lands.
“Much as I despise Charisemnon,” Alexander murmured, “this room is both warm and rich in texture and history.”
“Immortals are complicated beings,” Zanaya muttered, then scowled. “But in this case, he erased all he did in the past with the actions he chose to take prior to his death. As far as I’m concerned, this room belonged to a man who died long before Titus ended Charisemnon in battle.”
“I find myself thinking the same with Lijuan.” Alexander could still remember how bright of heart Lijuan had been before she became addicted to the drug of power. “She looked at me with stars in her eyes once.” A memory old and fragile, a shimmering thing he’d almost forgotten until this very moment. “So young she was, so earnest in her devotion.”
“Did you—”
Alexander shook his head before Zanaya could complete her question. “I felt nothing the same for her, Zani. But I didn’t want to hurt her. I told her she was too young, that to ignore the difference in our ages would be an act dishonorable on my part.”
Soft laughter. “A predictable response if one knew your history.”
Alexander treated her to a mock glare. “Will you hold that grudge for eternity?”
“Yes, to the very last second of our existence.”
Laughing, he looked out at the night again. “I wonder sometimes,” he said, laughter fading, “if she held a far deeper grudge that I didn’t welcome her into my arms, if that’s why she murdered my son and his mate.”
His entire chest ached from the pain of it. “But that is foolish and arrogant, is it not, Zani? She was young, would’ve forgotten me soon enough.”
“Yes,” Zanaya said. “At the end, all she cared about was being bloated with power. The identities and histories of her victims didn’t matter.”
Alexander had to believe the same—else he’d go mad. “What a waste of what could’ve been an extraordinary life.” He could still see Zhou Lijuan as she’d been then, smart and driven and beautiful in her courage. “The young angel I knew was a different person. I can mourn that long-ago angel with her hopes and dreams without feeling any pity for the person she became.”
Fingers touching his in silent agreement, Zanaya said, “I think you need the embrace of the sky, lover.” In her tone was a deep knowledge of the grief that would never leave him, Rohan’s name tattooed on his very heart. “Shall we fly?”
His chest expanded at the idea of being in the air. This land might not be his own, but it sang with Zanaya’s fierce spirit even after so short a time under her reign. “Yes.”
They took off together, flew wingtip to wingtip in silence for a long time, a portentous sense of an oncoming future bearing down on both of them. While her fortress wasn’t located near any major cities, they did overfly multiple smaller settlements, all lit up golden bright as the residents conversed, ate dinner, did business, or had central gatherings.