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)
Something occurred to me. “We should let the others know about our plans for the Ascended.”
“Others?” Kieran glanced at me, popping a piece of torn biscuit into his mouth.
“Like Naill and Emil. Delano. Your sister if she’s here,” I explained. “Even Malik. I’m sure they’re wondering what we plan to do, and they’re like our…I don’t know. Our Council.”
“Like our Inner Council?” Kieran suggested.
“More like our Shadow Council,” Casteel remarked. “You sure you’re comfortable with Malik being a part of that?”
“Yes,” I said, not even having to think about it despite what he’d been involved in. “Malik isn’t working with the Blood Crown or Kolis.”
“I know.” Casteel rested his elbow on the arm of his chair and drew his fingers down the length of the gold chain around his neck. “I wasn’t asking because of that.” His jaw flexed and then loosened. “Malik is partly responsible for your nightmares.”
My stomach clenched. “He is, but…” But he was Casteel’s brother. My sister’s heartmate. “He thought he was doing what was best…” I took a drink as his gaze hardened to a cool amber. “I’m fine with him being there. Are you?”
His gaze flickered away, and a moment passed. “I am.”
Kieran looked up from where he had been tracing the veining in the table. “I suggest we not openly acknowledge that we have a Shadow Council.”
Casteel snorted.
Kieran sat back, his gaze on Cas as he said, “We need to keep talking about Kolis.”
“As I said,” Casteel replied, his middle finger tapping the stem of his glass, “I’m level now.”
Kieran eyed him for a moment and then shifted his attention to me. “So, if Kolis wants to Ascend to become such a Primal, I think we can safely say he wants what the Blood Crown wanted: absolute power and domination.”
Unease blossomed. Was Kolis like far too many others? Wanting power and domination over all? While the Blood Crown needed power over the realm to survive, I wasn’t sure what Isbeth had wanted.
I wasn’t certai even she knew what she wanted.
Once again, that feeling from before returned—that we were thinking about Kolis through the lens of what we would do or want.
“From what little I know of him,” Casteel said, “I’m betting he won’t stop at seizing control of the mortal realm.”
My stomach twisted sharply as I recalled what Thorne had said to me. Most would jump at the chance to have such power over not only the mortal realm but also that of the gods.
“He wants to rule both the realm of the mortals and the gods,” I said.
“Would he stop there?” Kieran asked, and I knew he was asking about the other realm. “Can he cross the Veil?”
“Yes,” I said, picking up my glass. “I almost wish he’d try that. I don’t think it would work out so well for him.”
“But as the Primal of Blood and Bone…” Kieran trailed off as a low rumble of warning came from Casteel. He sighed. “Not that it would happen, but Kolis would be—”
“Unstoppable,” I said. “He’s been a Primal since recorded time. He won’t need a…learning curve like me. But he cannot rule the mortal realm and benefit from it. He’s the true Primal of Death, bonded to a Court. His presence will affect the mortals and every living creature within the realm.”
Kieran frowned. “You’re right. Then what could he possibly want?”
My mind flashed to the prophecy. “Death and destruction,” I said, staring at the glass I held. “Kolis can capture souls, just as Nyktos can.”
“He could keep mortals and Atlantians—anything with a soul—in a state of limbo, trapped between life and death,” Casteel said, following my line of thinking. “So, it wouldn’t be like he has no one to rule over.”
And he wouldn’t even need to Ascend to accomplish that.
My hand fisted in my lap. “We need to find him and not wait for him to make the first move.”
“He’s already made the first move,” Casteel said, his voice cool. I felt the icy eather stir in him. “When he exerted his influence over you.”
The truth in that sliced through me as sharp as a dagger. Kolis had made the first move, and while I knew little about war, I knew that meant he had the upper hand. Regaining control would be no easy feat.
“Poppy.”
Casteel’s voice drew me from my thoughts, and I looked up.
His hand closed over mine. “You should eat more.”
“He’s right,” Kieran chimed in. “You’ll need to eat more than usual. And as we discussed before, feed more.”
A smoky smile formed on Casteel’s full lips. “Something I am looking forward to.”
Muscles tightened low in my stomach as Kieran sat back with a sigh. “Thanks for sharing that,” he replied.
“I’m full,” I told them, even as Casteel reached for the bowl of fruit. “I really can’t…” I trailed off as the awareness of a draken crept over me. I glanced at the door.