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)
Okay.
I needed to focus.
I was the Queen.
I was the true Primal of Life and Death.
I needed to get my shit together and figure out how to summon a Fate.
Did I just call out to them? No. It was like when I summoned the draken. It was using my will. At least, that’s what the vadentia told me.
Clearing my mind and closing my eyes, I summoned the eather and willed a Fate to answer.
And waited.
For…nothing.
I cracked an eye open. Then the other. The Solar was empty. Frustrated, I tried again, pushing harder—
Energy charged the air, followed by a powerful, old presence and the scent of sandalwood.
“I told you there’d be a next time.”
Groaning, I turned to find Thorne standing there. “Of course, it had to be you.”
“Could’ve been worse,” he replied. “Lirian could’ve answered.”
He had a point.
Not that I would admit that.
“I need a favor.” I got right to it.
“I know.”
“How—?” I stopped myself.
A slow smile appeared. “You want me to ensure Casteel cannot follow you to Pensdurth.”
“Can you?” I asked.
“I can.”
“Can you do it without harming him?” I clarified.
His smile kicked up a notch, and again, there was something familiar about it. “I will just prevent him from opening the realm. He would have to travel the old-fashioned way. And things should be…over by then.”
Over.
The way he’d said that…
A chill curled down my spine.
“But a favor is not free.”
“What?” I demanded.
He cocked his head, causing a lock of hair not pulled back into his knot to slide against his cheek. “A favor for a favor.”
“What kind of favor?”
“One of my choosing.” Thorne arched a brow. “Can I call you Poppy?”
“That’s your favor?”
“No.”
My hands closed. “Then, no.”
He sighed. “Do you accept?”
I eyed him. I didn’t think his favor would require something…disturbing. Hopefully. Damn it. It didn’t matter. Whatever it was, Casteel was worth it. “Yes.”
“You sure?” His voice dropped, the teasing quality gone. “You sure this is what you want?”
I nodded without hesitation.
Something flickered across his features and in his eyes that chilled my blood. “Done.”
Thorne disappeared before I could take another breath, leaving me staring at where he’d been.
What I’d seen on his face, in his eyes? It had looked like…disappointment.
CHAPTER 54
POPPY
Attes and Valyn returned with Reaver just before the sun set.
Seeing them side by side was…a different experience. Their features were so similar, even their mannerisms. They could almost pass for twins except that Attes looked a decade younger than Valyn. And considering he was likely thousands of years older? I couldn’t wrap my head around it, so I didn’t even try.
Neither Valyn nor the Primal asked about what’d happened with Casteel, thank the gods. But I could tell Cas’s father wanted to, especially when I saw him staring at me as I gripped the arms of the chair.
I couldn’t let go. If I did, I’d likely shadowstep to wherever Casteel was so we could talk things out.
But I couldn’t.
I had responsibilities that went beyond Casteel and me. A duty that affected the lives of everyone in the mortal realm and Iliseeum—possibly even the Continents. What would stop Kolis from eventually turning his sights on that realm and making things worse?
We finalized plans for tomorrow. Reaver and Aurelia would leave in the morning and fly toward Pensdurth, staying close just in case, as Attes had put it. He didn’t elaborate on what that meant, but he didn’t need to.
In case things went south.
We decided to meet in the Great Hall at ten to noon. I didn’t pick the location. Valyn did. I only left the chair I sat in to retrieve Seraphena’s dagger.
Attes had stared at it before taking it, hilt first. “It’s been so long since I’ve seen this.”
“Did Seraphena not wear it?”
“Not after we entombed Kolis and learned about your…about the soul thing,” he said, glancing over at me.
I quickly averted my gaze. I was having a hard time looking at him.
Casteel had to be wrong. But even if he was right, if Attes had been in love with Sotoria, that didn’t mean he was in love with me. We were different people.
That was just the truth.
“Nyktos requested I make this,” he continued, his brow pinching. “I carved it from my bone spear.”
“It’s beautiful,” I murmured as Reaver walked by where we sat in the Solar, apple in hand. I had no idea where he’d gotten it. He stopped in front of the balcony doors.
Attes smiled briefly. “Thank you.” He handed the blade back to me. “We need a plan.”
“I have to get close to him. I know what that means.”
The Primal looked down at his hands. “Do you really know what that entails?”
“I do.” My cheeks warmed as Valyn looked away, his jaw working. “And I’d rather not go into it in present company.”
Attes sat back.
“I do have a question,” I said as what I knew about Attes crept into my thoughts. “Wouldn’t Kolis question your presence? He knows you hate him.”