The Beginning of Everything Read online Kristen Ashley (The Rising #1)

Categories Genre: Fantasy/Sci-fi, Paranormal, Romance Tags Authors: Series: The Rising Series by Kristen Ashley
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Total pages in book: 138
Estimated words: 137958 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 690(@200wpm)___ 552(@250wpm)___ 460(@300wpm)
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The Go’Ella acolytes probably lined up by the score to be selected by him.

This thought made my stomach curl with a certain kind of sick.

I nevertheless preceded him, making my way back down the stairs, and looked right at the bottom when I didn’t wish to look right.

I just couldn’t stop myself.

And of course, although the last days I rarely saw him, Cassius was standing outside the meeting rooms, appearing most perturbed, one of his men at his side, King Aramus at his other, all of them listening to True, who had Alfie next to him.

And of course, Cassius’s gaze came to me as if he could sense my very presence near his.

His eyes took me in then instantly narrowed on the Go’Doan.

“This way, princess?” Liam suggested.

I turned away from the prince and nodded to the priest.

We pivoted to the eastern corridor, walked down the hall and went into a room with an open door that was empty.

Liam closed the door behind us.

“Is all well, G’Liam?” I asked, walking deeper into the room.

“I do not think so,” he answered, coming toward me, and with that as his only preamble, he announced, “For your mother is gravely ill.”

My stomach pitched as my blood ran cold, but despite this, I hoped my expression was as bland as his had been on the stairwell.

And I was pleased to hear my voice was neutral and steady when I replied.

“She is well, Liam. Whyever would you suggest differently?”

“She is ill, Princess Elena, and I’m sorry to say, but from what I’ve learned of her condition, she will not recover.”

Oh my goddess.

A pain pierced my chest.

But I could not think on that injury.

I didn’t know how he knew she was ill or what he knew about her “condition” as I didn’t even know of her condition.

I just knew that unless she talked about it with one of her lieutenants, she didn’t talk about it at all.

And it would be safe to assume, especially in a time like this, she didn’t want anyone to know about it.

You were only as strong as your leader.

Melisse didn’t teach me that.

My mother did.

For these reasons, I added heat to my tone when I demanded, “Why would you say such things?”

“Because I have studied this, as did my mentor before I entered the Go’Doan. We have potions. To help with the pain. To aid in keeping the appetite healthy. Both we believe will not only help lift fatigue but also prolong life with a quality that is…tolerable.”

Tolerable.

“Again, I will stress my mother is not ill. But regardless, generally, and I hope you take no offense, Liam, but Nadirii treat Nadirii,” I reminded him.

He spoke like I did not.

“I cannot say I’m making great advancements. It would take many more who had an interest in this study, more subjects to study, and it would be important to oversee the effects of treatments for a longer period of time. What I will tell you is what I’ve noticed so far is promising.”

I was saved from replying when the door opened, and Prince Cassius strode in.

I studied him as he did.

Really, did he have to be that tall?

And did he have to fill out his leathers like that?

Also, did he have to button his leather shirt up to his throat so the ink slithered out on the left side of his neck only to disappear into his beard and then slink up his cheek and around his eye?

And could he at least have a patchy beard? Not a full, thick, manly one you wanted to catch in your fingers and tug.

Last, couldn’t he be just a bit awkward? Witnessing his confident, long-legged soldier’s stride as he made his way to us was most annoying.

I would soon not be annoyed.

I would be stunned immobile when he did not simply arrive at our small huddle and stop.

He arrived at my side, slid an arm around my waist, his fingers curling at my hip, and he pulled me into his side so roughly, my head bounced on my neck.

“Is all well, my princess?” he growled in a manner in which he already knew the answer to that question, it was not well, he very much didn’t like that, and he intended to rip someone’s head from their shoulders because of it.

“It’s perfectly fine,” I told him.

He scowled down at me.

And really.

Did he have to bloody scowl so magnificently?

“I’ll leave you two to have some time together. There is not much of it these days,” Liam offered, his eyes on me. “But I’ll have some vials sent up to your rooms with instructions on how to use them and things to look for, should some adverse effects start happening. It’s not usual, but it’s good to know just in case.”

“That’s not necessary,” I said sharply.

“What’s not necessary?” Cassius asked, still growly. “And what vials?”


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