Total pages in book: 401
Estimated words: 390373 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1952(@200wpm)___ 1561(@250wpm)___ 1301(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 390373 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1952(@200wpm)___ 1561(@250wpm)___ 1301(@300wpm)
“Not on the scale that she’s painfully familiar with,” he said quietly, and my gaze flew to his. “But Casteel? He would burn through the realms for you.”
The memory of the shadowy, crimson-streaked eather appearing in Casteel’s flesh had me going completely still.
“And he would do so without remorse,” Lirian added. “Which is why Vikter was incorrect. It is not your presence here that worries the other Fates. It is your husband.”
CHAPTER 15
POPPY
My lips flattened as a stinging iciness slowly crept into my veins. I moved so I could keep both Ancients in my line of sight. “You’re wrong. Both of you.”
“We’re not, and you know it. It’s not the act itself we disagree on,” Lirian objected. “It’s the aftermath. Because you love him, you believe he would feel remorse; therefore, preventing such an action.”
“I believe that because I know him,” I seethed as anger throbbed. I swore I felt the faint stirrings of eather. “You’re right about what I would do, but you’re also wrong. I would do everything in my power to prevent the loss of life, but that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t risk it all if there was no other way.”
“There is always a way,” Holland said simply.
I was so close to losing my patience. “You’re both completely wrong about Casteel. He’s not a monster who cares nothing for others.”
“I’m not saying that. Caring for others and remorse are not mutually exclusive, contrary to what some believe,” Holland said. “We meant no insult.”
I glanced at the other Fate. He had turned to face us. “Sure doesn’t sound like that to me.”
“I would say the same thing about Seraphena, and she is like a daughter to me, much like you are to Vikter,” Holland said as if to reassure me. Like with Lirian, he failed. “You’re still angry. Not just because of what I said about Casteel.”
“I’m not angry. I’m furious. We could’ve helped those people in some way. Saved hundreds—if not more—lives. But you stopped me from doing what I was drawn there to do.”
“Helping them was not why you were drawn there,” Lirian countered.
“Then why was I?”
Holland turned and made his way to the chairs I’d briefly sat in with Vikter. “Did Lirian offer you something to drink?”
“There’s no…” I trailed off, seeing a tray with a black carafe and slender glasses.
“A drink?” Holland picked up the carafe.
I had no desire to drink from something that had appeared out of thin air. “No, thank you.”
“You’re not going to ask me?” Lirian asked.
“No.”
Lirian frowned. “That’s rude.”
“Is it?” Holland murmured. I arched a brow at that. Turning over a glass, Holland poured liquid a color somewhere between pink and purple into it. He glanced over at me as he placed the carafe down. “May I call you Poppy? Calling you Penellaphe is…awkward for me.”
I blinked. “Why would it be awkward?”
“His wife,” Lirian said in a tone that suggested he found what he was about to say foolish. “Her name is the same as yours.”
“Your wife…” My eyes widened. “Is your wife…?”
“Your namesake?” One side of his lips curled up, and his smile warmed his ageless features. “Yes.”
Could I see her—wait. Fates got married? That seemed too…domesticated for such all-knowing beings.
“You were pulled beyond the Veil because of the Awakening,” Holland went on, leaving me no time to dwell on the fact that he was married to the goddess.
My hands fisted as he took a drink. “Because of the Awakening? And here I thought I was just pulled there to get my ass handed to me while you were—oh, wait. I have no idea what you were doing as I was being choked out.”
He lowered his glass. “He rendered me unconscious.”
I scoffed. “I know what the Fates truly are. Am I supposed to believe that an Ancient was knocked unconscious?”
“I’m not indestructible. Neither are you.”
“No, shit,” I snapped.
Holland stared at me, some kind of emotion tightening the corners of his lips. “I would’ve preferred to get you out of there before the Ancient rose because I dreaded that he would respond to you exactly as he did.”
“You mean wake up and start attacking me for no reason?”
“You must understand,” Holland said. “He never would’ve felt anything like you before: a female carrying the essence of both life and death within. He would’ve viewed you as a threat.”
“Because I’m a woman with power?” I stared at him. “Is that what you’re saying?”
“That’s what it sounds like to me,” Lirian commented.
“No, I’m—” Holland cut himself off with a frown. “Yes, that is what I’m saying,” he said, sending an arch glare toward the other Ancient. “Unless Lirian has anything helpful to add.”
Lirian remained quiet.
Holland said, “You saw the Great Creation while in stasis, did you not? You probably noticed something.”
“I noticed many things,” I said, but I got what he was getting at. “They were all male.”