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)
A slow smile spread on his lips. “That’s my girl.”
My grin kicked up several notches. “There was another I never interacted with. I only saw him in passing, but something about him struck me as different than the others. He had light brown skin, and his hair was in braids.”
“That’s Sax,” Ash told me. “He’s the quietest of Kolis’s draken.”
“What do you mean by quietest?”
“I’ve never heard him speak. Not once.” Ash looked over at me. “Diaval and Nab always belonged to Kolis. They were with him when he ruled the Shadowlands.” He paused. “Sax was one of my father’s draken.”
Meaning he had been forced to bond with Kolis and was given no choice but to defend the Primal to the death. Gods, that sickened and angered me to the core. I fiddled with the edge of a napkin. It wasn’t right. “What happened with Nab?”
“I was mouthing off to Kolis, and, like I said, I thought Nab was asleep. He wasn’t, and when I stepped toward Kolis, the draken swiped out with his claws. He got me in my face—my chin and nose.” Ash gestured with his knife at the fainter scar on the bridge of his nose. “And then my throat. Almost severed half my damn head.”
“My gods,” I whispered, my stomach clenching. “And all you have are those two little scars?”
“It’s where his claws dug in. They did most of the damage. I looked a mess for a couple of days afterward.”
I stared at his throat, stunned that the fingertip-width scar on his chin and the faint nick on his nose were all that remained of what must have been a nightmarish injury. And that he’d only looked a mess for a few days.
What Attes—the Primal of Accord and War—had said about the vulnerability of a newly Ascended Primal resurfaced. My new odd sense of knowing didn’t spew any answers. “So,” I said as Ash reached across the table and picked up a fork. My gaze flicked back to his face as he moved a chicken breast onto a plate. “I’m basically a baby Primal now.”
“A what?” Ash’s laugh tugged at my lips and heart. “A baby Primal?”
“Attes said that newly Ascended Primals are weaker than normal and used the word fledgling instead of baby, but that makes me think of birds for some reason.” I saw his jaw tense at the mention of the Primal. “You’re still mad at Attes.”
Ash said nothing. He didn’t need to.
“He swore to me that he would support you, no matter what. Besides that, your father trusted Attes enough to tell him what he planned to do with the embers and Sotoria’s soul,” I gently reminded him as I fiddled with the bottom of the charcoal-colored robe I’d donned. “At some point, you need to realize that Attes didn’t betray us.”
“I’ve realized that, liessa.”
My lips pursed as he angrily diced the chicken breast into pieces small enough for a young child. “I feel like there’s a but coming.”
“But that doesn’t mean I can forgive him for placing you in Kolis’s hands.”
“He did it to protect the Shadowlands, Ash.”
A strand of hair slipped free, falling against his cheek. “You’re really defending him?”
“I wouldn’t say I’m defending him. I’m just pointing out that there were reasons behind what he did.”
He stared at me. “How is that not defending him?”
“Because I, too, was ticked off at him.” I picked up the glass of water. “Part of me still is. But his brother was about to lay waste to the entire Court, leaving only the Pillars of Asphodel and beyond. Attes did what he could at the time to stop Kyn.”
“I get that.” Ash placed the knife aside and scooped up a heaping helping of steamed cauliflower.
“Then you have to understand that he was only trying to prevent that.”
“What I understand is that I would’ve prevented Kyn from destroying the Shadowlands.” His eather-streaked gaze found mine. “And if not, the Shadowlands would’ve fallen, but you would’ve been safe. And that is all that matters.”
My breath snagged as his gaze held mine. Even without foresight, I knew in my soul that he spoke the absolute truth. If it came down to the Court he’d spent the last two centuries guarding or my safety, he would choose me.
“That shouldn’t surprise you, liessa. The dream or vision—whatever you want to call it—that I had the night you were born would’ve come to fruition.” A charge of energy left Ash, causing the chandelier overhead to sway slightly. “I would’ve seen the realms burn if I lost you. You may not believe I would’ve allowed that to happen, just as you believe my decency extends beyond you, but it doesn’t. I would’ve gladly seen it all burn.” He flattened one palm on the table. “I’m sorry if that disturbs you. I truly am. But it’s the truth.”