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)
Ash picked up the pitcher, topping off my glass. “I can tell you what claim I believe.”
“You believe he’s the burn-it-all-down version.”
Ash arched a brow as he picked up his glass and sat back. “Exactly.”
“I think we can all agree with Nyktos,” Rhahar commented. “We’ve all seen that side of Kolis more times than we care to think about.”
There were murmurs of agreement from all except Rhain, who then spoke up. “But what do you think, Seraphena?”
I ran my thumb along the delicate rim of the glass as the bob of Jadis’s head slowed, and the time between each blink grew longer. “I think…I think he’s both. He wanted the embers so he could Ascend as the Primal of Life and Death.”
Someone cursed.
“And that is when he spoke of killing all those who wouldn’t bow to him, correct?” Ash stated, and I nodded. “Then he changed his mind when he believed you were Sotoria. Because he knew that, no matter what, removing those embers from you and then Ascending you would come at a risk. This other side of him only showed itself when he believed you were Sotoria.”
“He did things that didn’t align with his seeing-all-the-Primals-burn ideology before he was convinced I was Sotoria,” I insisted.
Ash eyed me over the rim of his glass. “For example?”
“For example, he stated clearly that he didn’t want a war. That was why he didn’t attack the Shadowlands’ forces. He knew that doing so would escalate the situation.”
“And you believed him?” Saion demanded, all amusement gone from his tone.
“I didn’t. Not at first. But when Kyn wanted to level the Shadowlands to make an example out of this Court, Kolis denied him.” I looked around the table. “And again, that was before he believed I was Sotoria. He had no reason not to allow Kyn to do as he pleased other than knowing what would come of it.”
“And he had no reason not to kill me, let alone release me,” Rhain stated, and my heart felt like it hit the floor. “But she was able to convince him that killing me—someone loyal to the Primal they served—wouldn’t inspire loyalty to him in others. It was a straw-man argument, but one Kolis was willing to accept.”
I relaxed. A little.
“I’m still not over the fact that Kolis released you.” Saion looked at Rhain. “Don’t get me wrong, we all thought you were gone, and we’re fucking ecstatic that we were wrong, but none of us expected that.”
Rhahar nodded. “I have to hear this straw-man argument of yours.”
My relief vanished as Ash’s jaw flexed. His stare was on the open doors as he took a drink, his lips peeling back.
Did he…did he know? About the deal? What Kolis had asked for? If so, he would think it meant more—
I couldn’t think about that right now. Drawing my gaze from Ash, I cleared my throat. “I don’t think it was such a straw-man argument. He agreed because he knew killing Rhain would further escalate tensions,” I lied smoothly. “And when I challenged him about what he said before regarding killing the other Primals, Kolis admitted that he wouldn’t start a war he couldn’t win or one that would leave the realms a mess. But he still planned to rise as the Primal of Life and Death. Who would really refuse to bow to him then? His rising to such a powerful being would prevent a war.” I met Ash’s stare as his attention returned to me. “And here’s the thing. He’s not going to get his hands on me again.”
“No,” Ash growled, streaks of eather piercing his eyes. “He will not.”
“And that means he’s not going to Ascend to that.”
“I see what you’re saying about Kolis,” Ash said, “but I think we see different end results.”
“How so?”
“You see him being more cautious, possibly more reserved in his actions. And perhaps even reasonable since he seemed to understand that he couldn’t win a war without rising as the Primal of Life and Death.” His fingers returned to their soft tapping, drawing a sleepy Jadis’s attention. “But I see a far more unpredictable Kolis. One who is on the verge of losing what power he has and won’t be as careful about when and where he strikes.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
My gaze shifted to the doors behind the twins. What Ash saw was a far scarier outcome and could be the likelier one. I’d known Kolis for a far shorter time than everyone else in the chamber. And I did understand that my experience was heavily prejudiced by who he thought I was and how he behaved because of that. Even before Ione confirmed it, he was desperate to believe I was Sotoria. Now, he had to realize he’d been lied to. That I wasn’t Sotoria. And he would likely revert to the Kolis who would only accept fealty or death.