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)
His brow furrowed under the edges of his hair. “Hers was…warm and fresh.”
“Fresh?” I stared at him. “Am I not fresh?”
“I didn’t mean it like that,” he said, his lips twitching. “I meant…the notam feels fresh. Like the first winds of spring. Cut grass and lilacs. Light. Yours is more earthy and hot. Heavier.” His head cocked as my frown increased. “Unless you’re mad—like killing mad. Then, it’s…yeah, it’s something else.”
Maybe I shouldn’t have asked.
“It feels icy-hot then.”
“Well.” I took that in. “At least it doesn’t make you think of rot and decay.”
Delano laughed.
My lips tipped up at the sound, and I found myself taking in his profile. He was once more staring at the Dark Elms. My thoughts found their way to his sister. He never spoke of her. I didn’t even know if he had any other siblings. “Do you have a brother?” I asked.
“A younger brother. Ronan,” he answered, his faint smile fading. “And a sister.”
“Preela?” I whispered.
His eyes flew to mine, and then he let out a short laugh. “I shouldn’t be surprised that you know that. Did Cas tell you?”
I shook my head. “I knew she was Malik’s bonded wolven, but I didn’t realize she was your sister until I saw Malik with you in Padonia and spoke to him later.” I clasped my hands together, my throat dry. I hoped Delano didn’t know how she died and what had been done to her before Jalara took her life. Glancing back at the low table where the dagger remained wrapped, I took a deep breath. “Malik did tell me something else.”
“The gods only know what that could be,” he joked, but his eyes narrowed slightly as I tried to smile. His shoulders squared. “What did he tell you?”
I opened my mouth, closed it, then took a deep breath and walked over to the dagger. “I don’t know how to say this without just saying it.”
“I’m starting to get worried.” He followed me.
I cursed myself for making this worse as I picked up the wrapped dagger. “The bloodstone dagger that Vikter gifted me… I know Coralena gave it to Leopold, but not how Vikter ended up with it.” I should’ve asked him when he said he’d never seen Leopold. “I can only imagine the Fates had a hand in all of it.”
Taking a deep breath, I turned to Delano. “The bone used to craft the handle?” I met his stare and saw a realization begin to dawn. “It belonged to Preela.”
Delano’s lips parted, but no words came out.
“I didn’t know until Malik told me.” I glanced down at the wrapped dagger. “To be honest, I hadn’t really thought about how it’d come to be, which was…well, shitty of me. But once I learned…”
“I…” Delano cleared his throat. When he spoke next, his voice was thick. “That’s why you’ve been using a shadowstone dagger.”
I nodded and lifted my gaze to his. His eyes were glassy. Gods, if he started crying, I would collapse into a messy pile of tears. “I wanted to know what you’d like me to do with it.”
Delano blinked several times, his gaze lowering to what I held. “Poppy…”
“I’m okay with whatever you want to do,” I continued in a rush as I offered him the bundled dagger. “If you want to keep it or burn it…whatever.”
His chest rose sharply. “It belongs to you.”
I shook my head. “No, it doesn’t.”
“Vikter gave it to you, and I know how much he meant to you.” He raised his head. “I couldn’t possibly take the only physical reminder you have of him.” He smiled. “Losing that would make you sad, and I cannot have that.”
Tears clogged my throat because…gods, how could he be worried about how I felt in this moment? Delano…he was too pure.
“I have my memories of Vikter, and they are so much more important than this,” I told him, meaning it.
“And I have my memories of my sister,” he said quietly, stepping closer.
“I know. But this? It doesn’t belong to me, Delano. If you don’t want it, I understand. But I won’t use it again.” I drew in a ragged breath as an image of him flashed in my mind, his snow-white fur stained with blood. “To be honest, even if it had nothing to do with your sister, I don’t think I would ever be able to use it again after it—” My voice cracked, and I had to take another breath. “After it was used to hurt you. So, whether you take it or not, it won’t be used by me or anyone else ever again.”
“Poppy.” He repeated my name, this time roughly.
Neither of us spoke for several moments, and then he placed his hand over mine. A fine shudder went through him as he closed his eyes.
“I’ll take it,” he whispered.
Unfurling my fingers, I felt a throb of awareness signaling that Casteel was near. I pressed my lips together as Delano lifted the dagger from my hands.