Total pages in book: 109
Estimated words: 104842 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 524(@200wpm)___ 419(@250wpm)___ 349(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 104842 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 524(@200wpm)___ 419(@250wpm)___ 349(@300wpm)
“I’ll always be happy to see you and anyone you bring along,” I promised.
“Tell Isabella I love her and that the treasure is in her vault.”
Whatever that meant. “You’re less clear in the afterlife.”
“Isabella calls it the Otherworld. Tell her he’s here with me.”
And I knew she meant Cassius because when I looked back again, there was a man with her, waving to me. It made sense I wouldn’t see him clearly, as I’d never seen him alive, and this was a dream, after all.
I was so far away when I looked back again, and she was so small. I felt the clench in my chest of missing her, but the water was so warm and beautiful, and knowing she was happy made me the same. And she was right. I wanted to see Varic.
The smell was strange. Not bad, merely different. Like wet soil and amber, smoke and cedarwood. I was thirsty, so I opened my eyes and rolled over, checking for the tumbler I kept on my nightstand, the one with the plastic straw. It was there, but that was the only familiar thing. The room was clover green, which I didn’t mind, I’d just never considered painting a room green before. There was a floor-to-ceiling window about five feet from the bed, and I was looking out on what resembled a primordial forest. The view was amazing, and though nothing was familiar, it was comfortable, so I was okay.
Sitting up, I glanced around the bedroom and saw a closed door that was beautifully detailed, a crackling fire kept the space warm, and there was another smaller window in the shape of an arch behind the headboard. It was a great room, both warm to look at as well as temperature-wise. I probably could have gone right back to sleep, but I really had to use the bathroom. Putting the water back, I got up and promptly had to sit down. I heard a door open, and there was a gasp behind me.
“Hey,” I greeted Dae-Jung, so happy to see him. If he was here, wherever I was, I was safe. “How are you?”
He just stared.
“What happened?”
“You have been resting.”
That could only mean one thing. “I was in a coma?”
Quick nod from him.
Being as I was not a regular human, the coma I was in would be different from the ones I’d seen friends in over the years. I was not in a hospital, no machines were chirping away monitoring my bodily functions like heartbeat, breath, and brain activity, there was no catheter, thank heavens, and most importantly, no slow waking. Not for me. It was simply time and so I’d opened my eyes since my body was now ready for consciousness.
“Where am I?”
“Here, with me.”
I grinned at him. “Where is here?”
“Ophir, though not in that dreadful castle.”
“It is dreadful,” I agreed with him and then had to ask because it couldn’t wait a moment longer no matter how afraid of the answer I was. “Is Zev alive?”
“He is,” he said with a glowing warm smile that was truly beautiful.
“And Tiago?” I held my breath.
“He lives as well, my consort.”
It was like a heavy weight lifted from my chest and I could breathe.
“Eris and Sibel have left this plane,” he informed me. “But I feel them still, near me, and speak to them often.”
I nodded.
“Their funeral rites were lovely and the prince honored them with a place in the hypogeum, beside where your ashes will someday be consigned. He has designated one for all of us, myself included, so we will be together for all time.”
The tears came fast and he was there with a box of tissues.
“Thanks,” I said after I blew my nose.
“It’s to be expected. The rest of us already shed our tears. You’re catching up.”
Big breath in. “Point me to the bathroom. I need to go.”
“Yes. Let me help you walk. You haven’t been on your feet in over a month. Your muscles will protest this much movement, even though I moved them every day for you.”
“Thank you.” I lifted my arm for him. “Wait. A month?”
“Yes, Jason,” he replied softly, sighing when I put my arm around his shoulders. “You needed to heal your grievous injuries, and for many, many days, everyone sat vigil.”
I had to ask. “There had to have been a catheter at some point.”
“Which the doctor removed yesterday before she returned to the palace.”
“Why?”
He squinted at me. “I asked her to remove it as I had a feeling you were ready to wake but told no one else in case I was wrong.”
“You’re never wrong,” I reminded him.
“No, I am not,” he affirmed, smiling. “But really, let us move slowly. You will not be at all steady.”
He was right, walking was not easy, and I had to stop and flex my legs, then wait because my right foot was asleep, which Dae-Jung thought to massage and I told him to keep his hands to himself because I didn’t want to hit him. His scowl told me he disagreed, but he waited with me, both of us standing still in the middle of the room.