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 exactly, as I’m sure you’ve guessed based on what he said when you met him,” she admitted. “But he’s coming around.”
“And your sister?” I asked. “Is she…?”
The smile that played across her lips was sad. I immediately locked my senses away. “She tried to live as the Unbound, and we…we did everything to help her. But…”
“She met the sun,” Malik quietly finished for her.
An ache settled in my chest. “I am sorry.”
A sheen filled her blue eyes. “It was her choice. I wish it had been different, but I find relief in knowing she wasn’t alone when she died.”
I looked at Malik, figuring he had stood with Helenea’s sister.
“It was Millie,” he said. “Not me.”
“It is almost always Millie,” Helenea added. “I don’t know how she does it.”
My lips parted. I didn’t know what to say, but I felt…awe that she could do that—be with those who took their last breaths. I felt pride in knowing that someone who shared my blood could be so…selfless. And what Millicent did, what she provided for those who could not go on, was selfless. Because it must hurt. Seeing so many choose to die because of what had been done to them had to linger.
Casteel’s hand moved in a slow, soothing pass down my back. “What about the other cities?”
“I know there are pockets of the Unbound elsewhere,” Helenea answered. “But how many? It’s hard to say, as we must be careful about what gets communicated.”
So, around four hundred in Carsodonia? That wasn’t many, but… “How many of the other Ascended do you think would be willing to live off wild blood? Become Unbound?”
“I wish I could answer that.” Malik’s brows knitted. “Most don’t know it’s even a choice. Isbeth and Jalara kept a much tighter rein on the Ascended population before things started kicking off. And it wasn’t easy for any Descenters to get close to them. So, those who refused to live the way of the Blood Crown were executed, and others were incentivized to report those they suspected of being blasphemous.”
I nodded, exhaling slowly as my gaze drifted to the door behind him. “Ian… He was Unbound?” I asked, needing to hear it confirmed.
“He was.” Malik waited until my attention returned to him. “And Millie introduced him to the Unbound way of life.” He paused. “And taught the Ascended there was another way to live.”
My breath burned even more fiercely in my lungs, stinging my eyes as a mix of relief, gratitude, and sorrow—so much damn sorrow—swelled within me. Rapidly blinking to keep the tears at bay, I turned away and started down the steps.
Casteel snagged me around the waist and descended a step. He pulled me to his side and clasped the back of my head. Dipping his chin, he kissed my forehead. A shudder went through me. I wasn’t sure if the tears I fought were happy or sad—perhaps both.
“How did she learn?” Delano asked as I pressed my cheek against Casteel’s chest and looked up at his brother and Helenea.
“Revenants need to feed.” Malik’s jaw tightened. “And it’s…messier for them since they don’t have the necessary hardware.”
Fangs.
“The golden fuckboy looked like he had some sharp teeth in that mouth of his,” Casteel noted.
“They have slightly sharpened canines, which are good for tearing skin but not piercing it,” Malik explained.
I winced. “Millicent doesn’t feed on mortal blood, then?”
Something passed through Malik’s eyes before he nodded. I didn’t know what it was. His walls were up and firmly in place, but I had a feeling it was more complicated than a simple yes or no.
“You didn’t give them an answer,” Malik said after a moment. “About whether or not you would offer them the same thing you extended to those in Oak Ambler. And for that, I’m glad. I want you to think about it. Talk to Kieran and think it over instead of making a rash decision.” He blew out a breath and unfolded his arms. “It won’t be easy if you decide to give the Ascended a choice—those who deserve it.” He walked down the steps, brushing past us until he stopped in the driveway and faced us. “I can’t promise there won’t be failures. But you will be granting many a chance to live again.”
Tamping down the mess of emotions threatening to rise, I lifted my head. “We will discuss this.”
Malik nodded and then, without another word, returned to his horse. He didn’t ride off, though. He was still waiting for us.
After we said goodbye to Helenea, Casteel slid his hand off my back and took mine. I liked Helenea. A lot. Casteel led me to Setti as my gaze lingered on the home’s doors.
“You want to go back in,” Casteel said. “Don’t you?”
“I want to run back in there and ask Heath to tell me everything he knows about Ian. So badly.”