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)
“It’s something gods can do,” Perry explained. “We do the same to a lesser extent when we want to…move fast.”
I continued once the impromptu lesson was over. “We have to do something, Casteel. Your father is there. So is Thad. We cannot wait any longer.”
Kieran’s inhale was audible. “Poppy,” he began. “You’re—”
“Do not say I’m the Queen, and therefore, should not be endangering myself,” I cut in, lifting my plate and extending it past Tawny to Reaver. “You should know better.”
“Technically, since you are the Queen, you should not be endangering yourself,” Kieran replied. “But this is…different,” he said, speaking the last word with a heavy emphasis only Casteel and I understood.
I stiffened. “It’s not.”
“It is,” Casteel said quietly. His chest rose as he took a breath.
I took a deep breath, but it didn’t help with the irritation. I placed my drink on the table before I did something reckless and childish, like throw it at one of them. “Actually, you’re both right. It is different.”
“Glad you’re using common sense,” Casteel remarked.
“And because it’s different,” I said, “it has to be me.”
His finger stopped tapping. “Forget what I said about common sense.”
“Already did,” I retorted.
“Clearly.”
I looked away before I knocked him out of his chair.
Tawny raised her brows. “Your eyes are almost glowing,” she noted, head cocking as she studied me. “It’s pretty…and freaky.”
“It’s—” I jerked forward. “My eyes!”
“Your eyes?” Tawny repeated, glancing toward Kieran and Casteel like they knew why I’d shouted that. “Is there something wrong with them?”
“What do they look like to you?” I leaned in close to Tawny and then stood, bending toward Delano, who grinned at me. “What colors are they?”
“Uh, colors? They’re green and…” Curls fell back as Tawny straightened her head. “Silver.”
“Streaks of silver,” Delano added.
“That’s all you see?” I asked. Both of them nodded. I twisted toward Casteel and Kieran. “And you guys?”
Kieran frowned. “I see what I did before.”
“Same,” Casteel told me.
“Is there a reason you’re asking?” Delano asked.
Confusion rose. Why would they not see what Casteel and Kieran—? The answer suddenly came to me. “Uh, no…” I smiled. “I was just curious if you could still see the streaks of eather.”
That is not why you asked, Casteel’s voice reached me.
They can’t see the colors, I responded as Kieran watched Cas and me. Pausing, I brought him into the conversation. Only the Arae—the Ancients—the true Primal of Life, and the true Primal of Death can. And Deminyen Primals. The others don’t have enough essence in them to see them.
Casteel smiled. Well, aren’t we special?
I rolled the eyes we’d been talking about. “Anyway, back to what we were discussing. I should—”
“Poppy,” Naill said, drawing my gaze to him. “No one here is going to agree to you going to Pensdurth alone.”
“I second that,” Tawny tossed out, causing me to stare at her. She frowned. “Don’t look at me like I’m a traitor. I’m not going to agree to you shadowhopping—”
“Shadowstepping,” Reaver corrected.
“Whatever.” Tawny flung a hand up, silencing Reaver. The draken’s brows flew up, and he looked positively affronted by her gesture. “I’m not going to agree with you going to an area where a murderous Primal of Death might be hanging out,” she continued. “It’s reckless and dangerous, and for me to say something is reckless, you know it has to be.”
“It is dangerous,” Delano commented. I was surprised that he hadn’t disappeared under the table by now. “We don’t know what’s happening there.”
“And you are the very last person who should be anywhere near Pensdurth,” Casteel stated.
“I’d likely be the safest going anywhere near there,” I argued. “Neither of you”—I gave both Cas and Kieran a pointed look—“can go. For a multitude of reasons.”
Casteel clenched his jaw so hard I thought he might break a molar. Kieran just crossed his arms.
“She’s right,” Reaver stated.
My breath hitched as I looked at him.
“Out of everyone in this chamber or realm, she would be the safest.” He finished off the last of my fish. “Relatively speaking.”
“Because she’s a badass Primal god now?” Tawny asked.
Before I could say anything, I felt Casteel lean forward. “You did know,” he said to the draken, and the temperature in the chamber dropped.
My heart started pounding as Reaver’s eyes met mine. “I always knew,” he said. “Not everything, but the basics.”
I looked away, having no idea what to say to that. Or what to think. How to feel.
Across from us, Emil frowned. “Why do I feel like I’m missing a very important part of this conversation?”
“Agreed,” Malik muttered, his gaze flicking between us.
“Son of a bitch,” Casteel snarled.
I turned to him. His flesh…had begun to thin.
“Oh, shit.” Emil straightened. “Is he about to shift? I don’t want my day to end almost being eaten.”
“Well, now I have even more questions,” Tawny murmured once more from around the rim of her glass.