Total pages in book: 247
Estimated words: 231436 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1157(@200wpm)___ 926(@250wpm)___ 771(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 231436 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1157(@200wpm)___ 926(@250wpm)___ 771(@300wpm)
Ezra confesses to doubting that Sera could make him fall for her and admits she thought she’d likely just get impatient and stab him, getting herself killed in the process. It makes him laugh.
Calliphe appears, and Nyktos tells her that he wanted to kill her right along with Tavius when he came to claim his Consort, but her daughter spared her the Abyss. He adds that she should thank Sera.
Later, he retires to his office and is writing in the Book of the Dead when Sera comes in. He takes her to the basement in the House of Haides and tells her about the bone chains. Then, he takes her to the pool room, knowing she’ll enjoy it.
Nyktos reveals to Sera how he used to check on her before her seventeenth birthday and tells her how he was drawn to her lake. He says he’s wanted to show her his pool for a while.
His plan is to draw the eather out of Sera, so he goads her into using it on him. He tells her that he finds it amusing that she hates when he says “please” and relays that he’ll reward her with a swim and sex if she behaves. They fight hand-to-hand to draw out the eather.
Nyktos can feel it ramping up in Sera and knows she can summon it and use it with will alone. He tells her to do so. Eventually, he pins her to the table, and Sera tells him that she likes submitting to him. He has his wicked way with her right there on the stone and tells her she’s always safe with him, calling her liessa once more.
They float in the pool, and he tells her about Lathan’s anxiety, discussing the breathing techniques both she and Lathan used. He tells her she’s one of the strongest people he’s ever met, both physically and mentally—mortal or otherwise. With or without the embers. They play for a while more and then go about the rest of their day.
Nyktos trains in the yard with the guards while Sera spends time with Aios and the younglings. Later, he tells Sera about the Primal notam and explains why he thinks Nektas’s eyes flashed blue for her when they did—it could mean she’s closer to Ascending than they realize.
They ready themselves for their trip to the Pillars, and he kisses her in full view of the guards, telling her he’s been looking for a reason to. She tells him he doesn’t need a reason to kiss her and can do it whenever he wants.
He gives her a horse named Gala, thinking nothing of it since it’s customary to give a gift for a wedding. When she worries that she doesn’t have something for him, he tells her the embers are his gift.
The plan is to ride on Gala with her to the Pillars and then take Odin back to the House of Haides. During their journey, he reveals that he hasn’t accepted his way of life and has been planning to destroy Kolis or entomb him since the moment he Ascended. He explains what will happen if it comes to that and how many will likely die. He tells her he felt incapable of avoiding war until he learned she had the embers. Now, he has hope. But he warns her that Kolis has already started setting his sights on the mortal realm.
He’s confident his plan will work, and Kolis will be stripped of his glory and weakened enough to be entombed. Still, he knows he won’t go down easily. Nyktos shows Sera the poppy flower he’s talked to her about before and tells her that it gives him hope—like she does.
He asks her if the need to use the embers wears on her and knows she’s lying when she tells him it doesn’t. He confirms that having embers is enough to make Sera feel like Eythos did, and then repeats what Nektas said to her before—that she is stronger than she realizes. He adds that she is strong, not the embers.
He and Nektas tell Sera about the riders when they come upon them, explaining that their names mean war, pestilence, and hunger. When they ride, they bring about the end to wherever they travel because death always follows them. Nyktos is awed when they bow to Sera and says he’s never seen them do that before.
He gives her two swords to take with her, just in case, and tells Nektas that Sera is very important to him. She suddenly blurts out that she wants to be his Consort, freezing him to the spot. He reminds her to breathe and stay calm, then kisses her hands and tells her he’ll be waiting for her when she and Nektas return from the Pools.
Veses shows up to collect on her end of their bargain, and Nyktos finds himself on the settee in his office, white-knuckling the arm as the Primal straddles him and feeds from his throat. Unfortunately, Sera sees what’s going on and doesn’t take it well. She heads down to the pool chamber and loses it, nearly destroying the entire palace. He tries to calm her but is eventually forced to use compulsion on her, something he apologizes for.