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)
My chest spasmed as I lowered the fork. “Who and why?”
“Some will be from Lethe,” he said, speaking of the city within the Shadowlands. “Others will be from other Courts, coming to pay homage to their new Queen.”
My stomach plopped to the general vicinity of the floor. “They don’t need to do that.”
His lopsided grin returned. “They do it because they want to, liessa. Not because they have to.”
My throat constricted. “Is there a way to make them, I don’t know, not want to?”
“It’s been centuries since there has been a true Primal of Life, Sera.” His silvery gaze met mine. “I imagine they are excited and hopeful for stability and safety.”
My panic receded for a moment as I was struck silent by the deep warmth in his eyes and voice. Love. I’d seen it before when his features softened as he looked or talked to me, but I just hadn’t recognized it for what it was. How could I when it should be impossible? But I saw and felt his love, and that mattered so damn much. My very being swelled with so much joy I felt as if I could float right to the ceiling.
His head tilted, sending one of those stray locks of hair against his jaw. “What are you thinking about?”
“Are you reading my emotions again?”
“It’s kind of hard not to when you’re projecting.”
I sighed. “I really need to work on that shield.”
“It won’t help if you’re projecting,” he reminded me and lifted his hand. The bowl of fruit slid smoothly across the table, coming to a stop at his fingertips.
I narrowed my eyes. “Show-off.”
He grinned. “I could taste your nervousness and unease when you were talking about the gods coming to Lethe. It was thick and tart, and then it changed to something…sweet.” His brows knitted as he studied the fruit in the bowl. He nudged several pieces aside before picking up a glistening, vivid red strawberry. “Like this but dipped in chocolate.”
Warmth lit up my chest as I twisted toward him, drawing one leg up. “Is that what love tastes like to you?”
His eyes returned to mine as he offered me the strawberry. “Was that what you were feeling?”
I took the fruit. “Yes.”
“Then that is what it tastes like to me.” He picked up another berry without looking at it and popped it into his mouth. A tiny drop of juice clung to his lip, drawing far too much of my attention. “Decadent and lush.”
Muscles low in my stomach curled, and I had to force myself to look away before I did something rather inappropriate. Like climb all over him midsentence.
“You know,” he said, “if there was a way to prevent the others from realizing you Ascended and give you more time to adapt, I would do it.”
“I know.” I took a small bite of the fruit, which was difficult to swallow. The rise in anxiety was so not me having faith in myself. “I’m just being ridiculous.”
“No, you’re not.” He set the bowl aside as I finished off the berry. “You weren’t prepared for this, Sera. And even if you had been raised from birth to expect such, you’ve gone through a lot in a very short period of time.”
Not wanting to think about the a lot I’d gone through, I nodded and wiped stickiness from my fingers.
“But you won’t be facing any gods or Primals alone,” he stated softly. “I will be right beside you, as will those who serve the Shadowlands.”
I glanced at him, finding another sugar-dusted strawberry between his fingers. I took the tasty fruit and bit into it.
One of those rare, wide smiles appeared, exposing the straight line of his teeth. As I stared at him, I was mesmerized by how it softened the harsh beauty of his features. There was also a naturalness to this kind of smile, like his lips were always meant to be curved in such a way. And I thought that if he had lived a different life, that smile would be the first thing seen by many.
Wondering how I got so damn lucky, I pressed my forehead to his. “I love you,” I whispered. “I love you so very much.”
Ash clasped the back of my head, his fingers curling around the strands of my hair. His lips found mine, and the kiss conveyed those three words with just as much power as if they had been spoken.
“Finish eating,” he said against my lips, and I felt his mouth curve into a smile. “Please.”
My lips twitched as I picked up my fork. In the silence, my mind went back to what we had been talking about before all of that. I pushed another chunk of chicken around my plate, wondering how long the realm would remain quiet. My intuition told me nothing, and without eyes in Dalos, we had no way of knowing.