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)
He teases Sera about stabbing him in the chest in the mortal realm, letting her know he’s hopeful she won’t do it again. Then he explains that Nektas knew Ash wasn’t seriously injured that day because of their bond. If he were, the draken would have come for him. Sera remarks that she really needs to get a better handle on her anger, and he confesses that he finds it…interesting.
Later, Nyktos returns from a duty and talks to Sera about her future in the Shadowlands. When she accidentally bumps into him, he jerks and hisses, telling her not to touch him, afraid to reveal his weakness. When Sera alludes to the fact that she doubts his attraction, it stuns him, and he tells her he’s very interested. He goes on to say that it’s becoming real and potent—like its own entity.
She tells him he’s a lot of talk and no action, so he backs her against the wall, needing to make things clear. He explains that the last thing he wants to be is in control or decent when he’s around her. He wants to be so deep inside her he forgets his name—and knows she wants it, too. He licks and nips at her. Sera, ever the contrarian, insists she doesn’t like him, and he tells her it’s probably better that way.
He gives Sera a tour of the House of Haides and then heads to the library to discuss more rules. While there, he reveals that he injured his back during his skirmish with the Shades—which explains the flinching. Though poor Sera doesn’t know that until much, much later and thinks he’s put off by her for some reason.
As he relays more about the rules and how things work in Iliseeum, he tells her that the do-not-harm-the-Consort rule was broken only once, and because he wants to make sure she’s safe, her coronation will be in a fortnight.
When she asks about the Ascension, Ash gets uncomfortable and tells her what it entails, explaining that she won’t Ascend. None of this was ever her choice, and he refuses to force someone into a near eternity of what he’s gone through.
See? What did I tell you? Considerate—even if he doesn’t like to admit it.
Sera calls him Your Highness for the first time, and it arouses him, even though it was said with a hefty dose of smartassery. Not long after talking about his mother’s death and her father, he tells her that love is a dangerous and unnecessary risk.
A few days later, Ash holds court and looks directly at Sera where she hides in an alcove, thinking how it’s the longest she’s been in his presence in days, even though she thinks he doesn’t know she’s there. Not long after, Theon announces that Veses has arrived, and Ash has Ector escort Sera to safety as he leads the Primal goddess into his office.
Sera sneaks away and enters the Red Woods. Ash goes after her, appearing just as a group of entombed gods rise and attack. He tells her to be silent and explains about the gods and the blood trees. He then asks Saion to escort Sera back to the palace and to grab Rhahar to join Ash in checking the tombs. Unfortunately, Sera succumbs to her wounds from the fight.
After he and Rhahar square things away in the woods, Ash returns and admits to Sera that he used compulsion to get her to drink the antidote, calling her liessa again as they discuss the attack. He divulges that the gods were carefully set free, likely by another god to see what might happen. He says they would have swarmed whoever opened the tomb.
He explains that the Shadowlands are dying and is surprised when she tells him she believes it has to do with the deal her family member made. It’s not that at all.
As talk turns to Veses, Ash realizes that Sera is jealous. He tells her that he hates every moment of being in the Primal’s presence and calls her a pit viper.
Ash admits that he told everyone to give Sera space after her ordeal, and that he’s been actively avoiding her. He tells her that being around her for more than a handful of minutes makes desire overcome his common sense. Not able to stop himself, he kisses her, then gives in to his other desires and tells her to be still as he pleasures her with his hand. Once again, he laps her essence from his fingers and then kisses her once more, letting her experience her delectable taste.
Ash tells Sera he hopes there’s no doubt when it comes to his interest in her and relays that he’s counted her freckles—she has thirty-six. He then asks if he can lie with her and admits he’s a virgin, explaining that he’s never let it get that far with anyone because it’s too much of a risk. When she asks him why he’s risking it with her, he confesses that he can’t help himself, even though he knows they’ll both end up regretting it. They wind up sleeping beside each other, but he rises and leaves before she wakes.