Total pages in book: 362
Estimated words: 347293 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1736(@200wpm)___ 1389(@250wpm)___ 1158(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 347293 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1736(@200wpm)___ 1389(@250wpm)___ 1158(@300wpm)
Ash’s fingers halted. “What?”
“Kolis,” I whispered, realizing then that I was gripping his arm. I was with Ash, surrounded by his citrusy, fresh-air scent. It was his fingers in my hair. I was in the Shadowlands. Safe. Ascended and strong. Protected. But, most importantly, I was more than capable of defending myself. I forced my grip to relax. “He hated the color and brought it up often.”
Tension poured into Ash’s body, and his skin cooled even more.
Damn it.
I hadn’t meant to take away his peace. Or maybe it wasn’t me who had stolen it. Perhaps it was Kolis—who wasn’t even here.
Ash’s chest rose against mine as he took a deep breath. “Yet another example of how much of a fucking idiot Kolis is.”
“Sotoria had red hair,” I explained, picturing punching myself in the throat repeatedly. “I think that was the issue.”
“I don’t give a fuck what her hair looked like.”
“It’s not like it was her fault,” I said, immediately defending the soul that, courtesy of Ash’s father, had resided inside me until recently. Now, she—the only person who could truly kill Kolis—was in the Star diamond. But I felt protective of her.
I likely always would.
“I didn’t say it was.” His hand delved deeper into the mass of curls, and he gently guided my head back. “Sera?”
“What?”
“Look at me.”
Was I not looking at him? Nope. Face burning, I opened my eyes. Only a few inches separated us, and all I could see were thick, black lashes framing irises the color of cooled iron streaked with white and lit by a glow of eather.
“I wanted you to be looking at me as I make you this promise.” His voice was hard, as icy as the coldest, cruelest dungeon, and so at odds with how he handled me. “I know Kolis can’t be killed. Not yet. But I will hurt him. Badly. I will make him wish he was dead. He will beg for it.”
A shiver danced across my skin. I didn’t doubt that oath. Not for one second. And while I wanted to be the one to cause the bastard unimaginable pain, Kolis had killed Ash’s father and mother. And so many others. Kolis had caused Ash far more pain than I could comprehend.
“I have no problem with that,” I said. “As long as I get a couple of minutes with him. With a very sharp object.”
“Deal.” His fingers curled around the strands of hair.
“I…” I trailed off, distracted. Having gained enough distance that the entirety of Ash’s face came into view, I saw him—really saw him. All at once, the constant, almost chaotic stream of thoughts slowed. I scanned his features, and all thoughts of the realms disappeared. Wonder filled me.
It was like I was seeing him for the first time.
Everything about him appeared clearer to me. Details were apparent, vivid, and varied. His thick, wavy hair—even damp—was an array of browns, some dark and others light, mixed with hints of chestnut. One strand, already forming a loose wave as it dried, kissed the corner of lush lips a color somewhere between pinkish-red and brown. Another lay against the strong, cut line of his jaw. There was a shadow of stubble there I didn’t think I would’ve been able to see before with my mortal eyes.
Good gods. How had I not noticed this the moment I came out of stasis?
Eyebrows that matched the darkest shades in his hair furrowed. “Sera? You okay?”
“Yeah.” I dragged my gaze away from him and checked out the bedchamber, rising onto an elbow.
Only a small lamp by the bed had been left on. Normally, that wouldn’t have been enough to make out any real details, but it was clear to me that Ash wasn’t the only thing I could see better. The entrance to the bathing chamber had been left open, and I saw straight through to the other door that led to a private chamber used for meetings when Ash wanted to be near his personal quarters. I saw the vanity and could make out the faint strokes of gray in the marble. The marks left by a brush when the wood of the door had been stained were also visible to me. Even the glint of the shadowstone walls the lamplight didn’t reach.
My stomach churned as I thought about what the false King of Gods had said about shadowstone. That it was slag: a combination of whatever had been melted by dragon fire—including things like people—and then cooled.
Gods, that still grossed me out.
His hand slipped from my hair and fell to my hip. “You don’t seem okay.”
“It’s my vision. I can see things better. The chamber. You.” I looked down at him. “How was I that unobservant to only notice this now?”
The release of the tension bracketing his expressive mouth was immediate. “You’ve been somewhat occupied since you woke from stasis.”