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)
The realm suddenly tilted as a wave of dizziness crashed over me.
“Cas?” Kieran’s face blurred as I blinked several times.
Disoriented, I felt my body list to the side.
“Cas?” Kieran sounded like he was a hundred miles away as he lifted onto his elbows. “What’s wrong?”
“I…” Cold sweat broke out across my forehead. My skin was suddenly clammy.
Pain lanced my chest, causing me to sway as my father’s and Delano’s voices faded in and out.
Kieran caught my arm, steadying me. “Talk to me.”
Something was wrong.
I needed to tell him that, but I couldn’t get my tongue to work as a hollowness opened in my chest, wide and aching. I tilted, half-falling, half-dragging myself off him. I planted my hands on the cold marble floor, my breath caught somewhere between a gasp and a curse. A dull tingling sensation erupted along my palm, and then darkness.
CHAPTER 57
POPPY
One moment, I was standing. The next, I was airborne as red-hot pain tore through me—blinding and absolute. My chest locked tight, lungs seizing before I could even take another breath or scream.
I crashed into something hard—maybe a pillar? Whatever it was, it knocked out any air that was left in my lungs. Falling forward, I couldn’t get my arms or legs to work to stop the fall. I hit the floor with a sickening crunch of bones as a fire raged in my skin and under it, shorting out my senses. I lay there, the realm dark and silent, completely absent of light and sound.
No.
The realm wasn’t dark. I realized my eyes were closed as waves of agony coursed through my body, locking every muscle. The breath-stealing fire lessened with each pass but all that did was leave room for other pain. A dull ache in my ribs. A burning in my shoulder. Each breath I took required effort as I lay there, the scent of death and…charred flesh filling lungs that felt shrunken.
The charred flesh…
It was mine. It was where the essence had hit me. I could feel it: the torn, seeping skin. It wasn’t a direct hit, and it wasn’t a killing release of eather. Either the blow to his heart had weakened him or—
My hearing returned, bringing with it the sound of something dripping, and the smack of bare feet against stone. Something I couldn’t afford to acknowledge skittered down my spine, stroking the eather. Bitter acid gathered in the back of my throat, along with a faint metallic taste. I peeled my eyes open. I was staring at the dome, which meant I was still on my back. Get up. I needed to get up. I knew this. I couldn’t remain down. Vikter had drilled that into me, but my brain was having trouble getting the message to my arms and legs.
A deep voice hummed softly. “You really thought you could fool me.”
We had, but that didn’t matter. What did was the fact that I needed to get control of my body and move.
“That you could take me on.” His laugh filled the silent Hall.
The essence throbbed as I pulled on every ounce of willpower I had in me. I managed to roll onto my side with a groan. The Hall spun, a dizzying rush of crimson and ivory before my vision cleared and everything came into startling clarity. Red furniture. White walls. Red smeared on the marble tile. Something in a messy heap, smoking—something in black with golden-bronze skin.
Attes.
My heart stuttered as I stared at the body lying on the other side of the Hall, closer to the door. The chest of his black tunic was torn open, and blood pooled under him. He wasn’t moving, and the sickening smell of burning flesh wasn’t just mine.
The sound of footsteps drew closer and then stopped.
Kolis.
Move.
My fingers spasmed, and then my hand. Move. A rush of pins and needles swept up my arm. Fight. Squeezing my eyes shut, I focused on the hot feeling in my chest. Not the pain. I forced all my attention on the essence as white crossed into my line of sight. Pants. White pants drenched in crimson. The thin material was pulled taut, lifting and then stretching over knees as Kolis knelt beside me.
“You’re lucky, so’lis.” His blood-streaked hand appeared. Cold fingers grazed my forehead, causing me to flinch. His chuckle deepened, becoming rough. “That you are so loved.”
My insides withered.
“He took a direct hit for you—for someone who doesn’t even remember all he’s done for you. All he sacrificed for you.” Kolis’s fingers trailed over my temple. “Or perhaps I should say all he forced others to sacrifice for him.”
I had no idea what he was talking about, and I didn’t really care. Not when all I could do was roll onto my side. Not when he was touching me.
“He’s not dead,” Kolis shared. “Not yet. Not until I want him to be.”