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)
“That is why death cannot give life. Doing so is a mockery of such—just soulless, reanimated flesh and bone.” Anger tightened the corners of his mouth. “These Revenants sound like a type of Gyrm,” he said, and my lip curled at the mention of the once-mortals who had either willingly entered into eternal servitude upon death to atone for past sins or had given their souls to a god or Primal upon death in exchange for a favor. “But a more improved version.”
“Yeah, I don’t think they’re filled with serpents,” I murmured, shuddering. “Anyway, Kolis sees nothing wrong with it. He thinks being incapable of wanting or feeling anything is freeing.” I turned my head to Ash. “If I hadn’t had embers of life in me, could that have happened when you Ascended me?”
“No. I am a Primal of Death, but I am not true Death. My blood likely would’ve done the same as any other Primal’s,” he said. I didn’t know why that relieved me because it was moot at this point. “Did Kolis ever explain why Callum is different?”
“He said that Eythos once told him that whatever the creator felt at the time shaped the creation.” I rubbed the skin behind my ear. “And he was right. It’s what the creator truly feels—what is real and cannot be forced. And everything Kolis felt when bringing Callum back to life was real—desperation and bitterness.”
My stomach soured. “He even felt joy. But he only felt duty with the others. The only magic involved was that Callum retained something akin to a soul.” My brows knitted. “But creation is a reflection of who and what we are. A mirror of all our best and worst traits. Callum is an echo of who he and Kolis once were. But the other Revenants?”
“They’re an echo of who Kolis is today,” Ash surmised, a muscle along his jaw ticking. “And basically indestructible. But what about Callum? Shouldn’t he be easier to kill if he has something akin to a soul?”
“You’d think, but considering how often I’ve seen him die only to return to life? Even after I did a real number on him?” The satisfaction that came with wiping that smug look from Callum’s face was brief. “I’d say no.”
Ash looked away as he reached across the table to pick up a bottle of wine. He pulled the cork and poured himself a glass and then turned an empty glass upright to pour another. “I want to ask you something.”
“Okay.”
He placed the wineglass near my plate. “When I was being held in the Carcers,” he began, speaking of the mountains west of Dalos, “I was in and out of consciousness. Kolis always managed to be there when I was awake.” He shifted his gaze to the glass he held. “He liked to talk.”
My throat dried.
“He said you tried to escape.”
Dropping my hands to my lap, I nodded. “I did. That’s…that’s when I messed up Callum.”
“How did Kolis handle that?”
“Surprisingly well,” I said. “He actually didn’t seem all that mad.”
Ash’s head slowly turned to me.
“I know. It sounds unbelievable, but he…he wanted so badly to believe I was Sotoria.” I let my head fall back. The lamplight from the chandelier glowed softly as I stared up at it. “I think that kept his temper in check.”
“Most of the time.”
I tensed, briefly closing my eyes. Ash was likely talking about the bruises he’d seen when we walked in each other’s dreams, but my mind went to Kolis’s punishment for when I attempted to intervene on Veses’ behalf.
For the briefest second, I could almost feel the muscles in my arms stretched unbearably.
I opened my eyes. “The bruises you saw when we dreamwalked happened after he took me to Hygeia and summoned Phanos—” I drew in a ragged breath as I saw the reluctance in the Primal God of the Sky, Seas, Earth, and Wind’s eyes flash before me. My throat thickened. “And after the ceeren transferred their essence to me. I saw my chance to kill Kolis—or what I thought was my chance. I grabbed a shadowstone blade and stabbed him.”
“Gods.” Ash drew his other hand over his chin.
“It wasn’t a very well-thought-out plan. His reaction was immediate. I don’t think he even meant to hit me—
“You stabbed me, and I did not strike you, Sera.”
“I know.” I looked him straight on, thinking I likely wouldn’t have faulted Ash if he had reacted in some way to defend himself. After all, I had stabbed him in the chest. Literally. I would’ve done way worse if it had been me…and I’d survived. “I’m not excusing it. I’m just explaining that he has better control of his temper than what is made of him.”
“He had that control because of what you mean to him,” Ash bit out. “You saw a side of him that no one else has seen, at least not in my lifetime.”