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)
I snorted. “That wasn’t exactly what I planned.”
“That’s disappointing.”
A low laugh escaped me as I looked Callum over, noting the width of his shoulders and the stark, tapered waist. He was thinner than I remembered.
I kept a close eye on him until Rhain returned with a bucket and a cloth. Ash rose to retrieve the items. The metal bucket clanged off the floor as he set it by me. I quietly took the rag from his hand and dipped the cloth into the icy water.
Faint tremors ran along the Revenant’s body, but he didn’t stir. Not even when I scrubbed a little harder to remove the thick paint from his face, revealing a smattering of freckles along the bridge of his nose and across the tops of his cheeks. He didn’t have nearly as many as I did, but the sight of them was unsettling. I wiped at his brow, removing the paint there, and then I leaned back, taking in his heart-shaped face, angular cheeks, and full mouth—
I jerked my hand back as I stared at him. “Please, tell me you don’t see what I do and that I’m imagining things.”
Ash was silent for a few moments. “He looks…he looks like you.”
My heart started pounding as I dropped the cloth onto the floor. Not only that. He looked young. He couldn’t have been more than twenty—if that—when his life had ended and he’d been restored, forever frozen on the cusp of adulthood.
Attes moved closer to the bars. “But he looks more like Sotoria. Except for the hair, he’s damn near the spitting image of her.” A moment passed. “You two look like you could be cousins.”
“I always thought it was weird that I resembled Sotoria. Like having her soul placed in my bloodline somehow influenced my features,” I said. “I have my mother’s face for the most part. Except for the freckles. That’s all my father. His hair…” I thought of the painting and felt my stomach twist. My head cut to Attes. “I’ve only seen a painting of my father, but his hair was a deep reddish-brown color. Not the same as Nyktos’s. More like red wine.”
Attes jaw clenched. “Sotoria’s hair was that color.”
“Her soul was in your bloodline for hundreds of years on the Mierel side,” Ash said softly. “It’s possible that influenced more than just your appearance.”
“Could be,” Nektas considered. “Or you are of the same bloodline as Sotoria.”
My eyes flew to Ash’s. He shook his head. “If the vadentia doesn’t tell you,” he said. “Then only the Fates can.”
I nodded slowly. Either way, it was disturbing because I didn’t like the golden fuck.
With that thought in mind, I picked up the bucket of water and dumped it over Callum’s head.
The Revenant’s eyes opened wide, his back bowing as he drew in a ragged breath. “Fuck.” Gasping, he sputtered, spitting water as his arms curled. The chains clanged off the stone floor.
“You were taking too long to wake,” I said.
His head cut toward me.
Smiling, I wiggled my fingers at him. “Hello.”
Water dripped off his nose, and he inhaled sharply. “Bitch.”
Ash struck as fast as lightning. He grasped a handful of hair and jerked Callum’s head back as far as possible without snapping his neck.
“Fuck,” Callum repeated.
“Watch your mouth,” Ash warned. “Or we will get to see how your arms and legs reattach themselves.”
“I would like to avoid that,” I said. “So, as long as you behave yourself, we will.”
Callum’s lips peeled back over his teeth. His canines were longer than a mortal’s but shorter than mine. However, they looked sharp. “You’re violating the eirini.”
“Are we?” I raised my brows. “If that’s the case, we may as well just kill you. You know, might as well fully commit or some shit.”
Ash forced the Revenant’s attention back to him. “And guess what, fucker?” His smile was pure smoke and ice. “We know how to kill you.”
Nektas neared the bars. “I’m more than willing to open a vein.”
“He’s helpful like that,” I said as Ash released the Revenant’s hair and stood.
Unease skittered across Callum’s features, tightening the skin at the corners of his eyes and mouth.
“Or we can return you to Dalos before we’ve actually violated anything,” I said. “But to do that, you’re going to need to answer some questions.”
Callum said nothing as his glare locked on me.
“Why were you at Wayfair?” I asked.
“Why are you still alive?” he replied.
Ash slammed his booted foot down on Callum’s hand. The crack of several bones made me wince as the Revenant shouted. “For each question you refuse, another bone gets broken.” A lock of hair fell against his cheek. “Understand?”
Callum clamped his mouth shut.
Ash tsked softly under his breath. “Let me ask you again.” He ground his boot down. Blood drained from Callum’s face. “Do you understand?”
“Yes,” Callum rasped.
“Thank you.” Ash lifted his boot, and his eyes met mine. “Go ahead.”