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)
“You don’t look ill,” Aios assured. “You just look a little pale.”
“A little?” Bele mumbled under her breath.
“Bele,” Aios snapped.
“What?” Bele threw up her hands. “You just said she looked pale.”
“I was trying to be supportive,” Aios hissed.
“So was I.” Bele crossed her arms.
“Wait,” I interrupted. “I really look ill?”
“No,” Aios quickly answered.
“Yes,” Bele said a second later.
“Fates,” Aios exclaimed. “I love you. You know I do.”
My heart gave a happy little squeeze at the proclamation.
A radiant smile appeared on Bele’s face. “I know.”
“But you,” Aios continued, pointing at her, “seriously need to work on your people skills.”
Bele’s smile faded.
I smirked even though I felt a wee bit of sympathy for the baby Primal. I, too, needed to work on those skills.
Still, my shoulders slumped thinking about what we’d been talking about. I had looked a little pale, and there had been faint shadows under my eyes when I left the bathing chamber, but I didn’t think it was that bad.
The hem of Aios’s sunny tunic fluttered at her knees as she spun toward me. “You don’t look ill.” Behind her, Bele’s eyes widened, and her lips squeezed together as she stared at the floor. I knew Aios was just being nice. “You just look like you…didn’t sleep well.”
“I think I ate something that didn’t agree with me,” I said, and Aios’s brows knitted. “I was feeling a little nauseous—”
“No sh—” Bele caught herself as Aios’s head nearly spun on her shoulders. “—ush. No, shush it.” Bele clasped her hands together, giving me a big, closed-lipped smile. “You look so, so energetic.”
“That’s what you were going to say?” I crossed my arms. “Really?”
“Yes.” Bele nodded, the curve of her lips growing. Her voice then reached a pitch I’d never heard from her. “Yes. You look well-rested and lively.”
“Please stop smiling at me like that.”
Bele’s smile slowly faded.
“What do you mean you ate something that didn’t agree with you?” Aios asked.
I shrugged. “I just felt nauseous after breakfast.”
“I’ve never known a Primal to get sick from food.” Her forehead creased. “But then again, you just Ascended.” She glanced at Bele. “You felt sick to your stomach a few times afterward, right?”
Bele nodded. “But I never looked like I was half-dead.”
“Sweet Fates.” Aios’s head fell back.
Resisting the urge to will the chandelier to come down on Bele’s head, I focused on Aios. “You truly are the most gracious goddess there is.”
Her chin lowered, and a small, confused grin appeared. “Well, thank you.”
Bele’s eyes narrowed on me. “Are you flirting with Aios? Right in front of me?”
“Yes. That’s exactly what I’m doing while married to a Primal of Death.” I pinned her with a dry look, catching the glimmer of amusement in her silver eyes. “I’m just pointing out how gracious she is for putting up with you.”
Aios laughed softly.
Bele pressed a hand to her chest. “You wound me, mey—”
“Shut up,” I cut her off.
“Yes.” Bele paused dramatically. “Your Majesty.”
I sighed.
Aios pulled Bele’s hand from her chest. Their fingers immediately twined. “She’s not always so antagonizing.”
Bele snorted. “You don’t have to lie for me, so’vit,” she said, causing me to jerk toward her. She dipped her head and dropped a kiss on Aios’s temple. “I excel at being antagonizing. It’s like a special ability.”
A chill crawled its way down my spine. What Bele had called Aios was so close to so’lis, which meant my soul. But it wasn’t the same. It was actually sweet. So, I ignored the feeling of spiders crawling over my skin. “My life,” I murmured, clearing my throat. “You’re adorable, Bele.”
She extended the middle finger of her free hand, the nail painted black. “Is this adorable?”
“It makes me want to flirt with you now,” I replied.
Bele laughed as I glanced at Aios. She was watching me, her lips mashed together as if she were physically restraining herself from saying something.
I quickly looked away and ran my fingers down my braid. “I need to get going.”
“Heading to talk to Attes?” The humor vanished from Bele’s striking features. “I was in the office when Ash told him about Veses showing up. He was pissed. I hope he fucking destroys her. Does that make me a bad person?”
“Yes,” Aios and I said at the same time, even though I was kind of hoping the same thing.
The Primal pouted. “I expected that response from her.” She nodded at Aios. “But you used to be more fun.”
I arched a brow. “How would you know if I was more fun? You don’t really know me, Bele.”
“Oh, I know you.” She wrapped her arms around Aios’s waist and moved to stand behind her. “My absurdity recognizes your absurdity.”
Fingers halting on my braid, I stared at her.
“Or it used to.” Bele rested her chin on Aios’s shoulder. She squinted her eyes at me. “Wait a second. Your absurdity is still in there. It’s just leashed.”