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)
Veses asks Sera why she’s there, saying she thought she was the Shadowlands’ Consort. Kolis tells her she’s wrong and says he never gave permission. Veses then assumes that Sera’s presence must be punishment, and he corrects her. Veses snipes and says she could find something less crushing for Kolis to use to warm his lap if that’s what’s going on. He orders the Primal goddess to apologize, and she’s taken aback. He tells Veses that she’s speaking to his graeca. Veses says it’s impossible and must be a lie, but Kolis insists he had it confirmed.
When Kolis orders her to apologize again, Veses does, but with scathing venom. Then she grits out that she’s happy for Kolis. Before she leaves, Kolis summons her back and says that she still disappointed him and must be punished. He calls Kyn over, and Sera knows what’s about to happen. She watches in horror as the events start to play out, and just as it’s about to get really bad, she cries out. Veses tells her she doesn’t need her to interfere, and the embers within Sera start to hum.
Kolis asks her what she’s doing, and Sera says what he’s doing isn’t right and asks him to stop. He pushes back, and she tells him it’s the right thing to do. Seething, he rises and says they’re returning to her quarters. Before they leave, Phanos tells Kolis he needs to talk to him. Kolis says he’ll be back shortly.
They return to the cage, and Kolis chastises Sera, reminding her that he told her not to question him or use the embers, yet she did both. He details what he’s done for her and says she isn’t appreciative. He tells her that he wanted to show her what he’s risking for her, confusing Sera. He calls her his soul again but tells her he’s her King and will be obeyed.
He chains her, stretching her painfully, then says he wants to hate her for making him do this to her, but he can only love her. She scoffs. He tells her that she still lives. Nobody else would. That’s proof of his love. Then he weeps.
After Kolis leaves, Callum gloats, thinking aloud how much pain she must be in. He says he almost feels sorry for her. She doesn’t give him the satisfaction of responding. He goes on about her not really being his sister, and she tells him the fact that he thinks what is being done is wrong only if she’s his sister makes her feel justified in her disdain.
He admits that the Hall punishment was wrong and below Kolis, then insists he’s better than that. She asks when he was better. Callum says he was before Eythos died. He tells her that Kolis loved his brother.
She thinks things over and knows the display was all about Kolis exerting power. Callum says everything changed after Eythos’s death and asks if Sera believes she’s better than everyone after she gives details that she was the only one willing to step in at the Hall. She agrees with him and says she is better—anyone who would at least try is.
She calls Callum a loyal lapdog, and he says he’ll always be loyal. Kolis forgave him for not keeping Sotoria safe and gave him eternal life. Plus, he’s keeping the realms together.
It irks Sera. She wonders if Callum was ever good but calls him delusional. Like Kolis. Callum says he’ll be happy to share that with the King. In response, she threatens to tell Kolis how his firstborn shared how to kill a Primal with Calliphe. They bicker about Kolis’s motives and whether Sera is who she claims to be. She slips up and calls Sotoria her, and Callum catches it. Sera backtracks, only for Callum to reveal that Eythos was the one who killed Sotoria the second time. Sera can’t believe it. She goes over all the questions and her plight.
Finally, Kolis enters and releases the shackles. Sera cries out and can’t do much but sag into his arms. Kolis apologizes repeatedly.
The Chosen bring in stuff for a bath, and Kolis tells her to bathe, rest, and all will be well. She barely keeps herself from laughing. Before he leaves, he mentions that he stopped Veses’ punishment. She does laugh then.
And can’t stop.
This time when she sleeps, Sera doesn’t dream. Callum is in the room on the sofa again when she wakes, and she feels a Culling headache coming on. Kolis enters, and she realizes she needs to act like nothing has happened. He tells her she looks lovely, and she plays her part and apologizes, shocking both Kolis and Callum. Kolis says he understands, and she lays it on even thicker.
Callum seethes, and Sera tries to contain her glee.
Kolis tells her to come for a walk with him, Callum and Elias trailing along after them. He takes her somewhere, then calls for Iason and Dyses. The Revenant and draken walk in with a Chosen. Suddenly, Sera knows exactly what’s going on.