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)
Either way, I kept turning over his words as my gaze shifted to the Rise. I stretched my neck to ease the tension gathering in the muscles there. A draken took flight, launching off the wall.
My jaw clenched. Aydun had said a lot of shit that had nothing to do with the Ancients and everything to do with what the ruling Primal gods would do if Poppy—
“Heartmates.”
I briefly closed my eyes. He’d been doing that often—throwing out a word like he was answering a question only he was party to.
I turned, my lips thinning as I eyed the fucker and waited for him to continue.
Aydun picked up a piece of cheese.
I took a long, slow breath. “And?”
“They’re destined to bring about great change.” He chewed slowly, his head tilting. “Seen in the dreams the Great Creators dreamt ages ago.”
My brows shot up. “You’re telling me that the Ancients dreamed of all the heartmates?”
“They saw everything, Casteel. That didn’t mean they always understood what they saw, nor…” His pause was quite dramatic. “Nor does it change that the union of two hearts isn’t always good for the realms.”
I could feel the blood in my veins freeze. “What is that supposed to mean?”
“It means that sometimes, what is born of such a union, requires sacrifices.”
“What sacrifices?” Heart thumping heavily, I stepped toward him. “And cut the bullshit. I want a straight answer.”
“Don’t we all?” Aydun lifted a plate as if he would find something other than wood beneath it. “The love between mates of the heart is incredibly strong. All-consuming. Inevitable. There is a strength in that, but there is also a weakness. It is believed that not even death can sever that type of bond.”
“And?”
“And, in a way, that is true. But also false.” He picked up his glass and took a nice slow drink.
The effort it was taking for me to wait for this fuck to get to the point was inconceivable.
“The death of an unbroken mate bond cannot sever that connection. The souls will reunite,” he said after what felt like five minutes. “But that bond can be broken at any point, no matter the…extenuating circumstances. Just as your people seal your vows, it can be rejected by one or both.”
I had a feeling he was referencing the Joining based on the grin the fuck tacked on when he said that last part. “What’s the point of you telling me this?”
“It’s something you should know.”
“Why?” The tips of my fingers burned. “I will never reject her, nor would she reject me.”
Aydun was quiet for a heartbeat. “Would you believe the same if you knew your union meant that untold lives would be lost, and the realm would be left in ruin?”
I opened my mouth to say what he likely already knew.
His eyes met mine. The flecks of color churned. “Would she?”
I snapped my mouth shut as my heart stuttered. Poppy…she was better than me. Good to the fucking core in a limitless way I didn’t possess—didn’t even want to. But I knew she wouldn’t reject me, even to save the lives of many. I knew that without a doubt.
“What if,” he continued, his voice lowering, “such a union would destroy her?”
“What?” The word escaped with a burst of air. When Aydun stared back at me, I took a step forward. “I’m going to ask once more.” I kept my voice level. “Why are you asking me this? Because I don’t see how our union ends that way.”
“As I said, it’s good to know that you have such faith in your union.” He shrugged again, turning his attention to the platters. “You will need that. As will she.”
I stared at him, having no idea if there was some sort of hidden message in the shit he just spewed or if he was messing with my head. I suspected it was the latter when he opened his mouth again.
“Do you have anything else?” he asked. “Anything else to eat?”
Every piece of food, including the chocolates and dried meat, had been cleared. “You’re still hungry?”
He leaned back, patting his stomach. “I have an endless appetite.”
“Yeah, well, unless you have an appetite for wood and stone, you’re shit out of luck.”
Looking over his shoulder at me, he pouted. The fucker stuck out his lower lip and actually pouted. “There’s no reason to be so—”
We felt the charge of energy at the same time. I spun and saw the air between me and the window warp.
Aydun stood. “About time. I thought I’d starve to death.”
I couldn’t even respond to that bit of fuckery as a streak of crackling silver appeared like a bolt of lightning, lengthening and widening. My godsdamn heart lurched as I felt her before I saw her, the eather in me pulsing just beneath my flesh.
Poppy walked out of the tear in the realm, her gaze darting across the chamber, skipping over Aydun before shooting back to him. Her delicate brows lifted as she took a step away.