Total pages in book: 222
Estimated words: 213974 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1070(@200wpm)___ 856(@250wpm)___ 713(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 213974 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1070(@200wpm)___ 856(@250wpm)___ 713(@300wpm)
“It was not that but rather his lack of displayed loyalty and respect before me.” His tone hardened. “This is not a question of a god being loyal to another Primal, therefore loyal to me. It is about maintaining control and balance both here and in the mortal realm.”
Oh, I saw exactly how this was about maintaining control. “How does any of what has occurred at Court today maintain balance?”
“It shows that every action has a reaction,” he replied.
My gods, I truly believed Tavius could’ve come up with a better response than that.
“Just as the action of questioning my choices, a sign of disloyalty and disrespect would be met with reaction.” His hold on the throne firmed. “One that means immediate death.”
The back of my neck prickled as I told myself to focus on donning my veil of nothingness. To be quiet.
Unsurprisingly, I did not listen.
“Am I to be sentenced to death, then?” I noticed Elias shifting where he stood behind the throne. “I have questioned your choices many times.”
“You have. Perhaps you should cease reminding me of that.” The gold brightened in his eyes. “But you are different. I will not punish you for doing such.”
At that moment, I almost wished he would try.
“Stand,” he commanded.
I blinked. “What?”
“Do I need to repeat myself?”
Having no idea what he was about to do, I stood.
Kolis’s lips curved into one of his fake smiles. “Come forward.”
I inched toward him, stopping at the arm of the throne. The chalice he’d held had disappeared somewhere.
“Sit.”
My brows furrowed as I started to turn back to the pillow.
“Not there.”
The prickling along my neck picked up as I slowly turned back to him.
“Sit with me,” he stated softly. He did not ask. He ordered.
My heart rate picked up. “I don’t think there is enough room for both of us, Your Majesty.”
The forced smile spread as that gleam entered his eyes. “Silly girl,” he murmured, causing my spine to go rigid. “I am not asking that you sit beside me.”
I knew that. I was just hoping he wasn’t demanding that I sit in his lap while he held Court.
That smile of his began to fade. “So’lis, do you refuse me such a simple request?”
Yes!
I wanted to scream that until my throat bled. There was nothing simple about it. Only disgust. But if I refused him? Especially while his guards and Revenants were so close? While the gods and Primals watched? While Attes watched? Who knew what he would do?
Donning that veil of nothingness and holding it close, I stepped between his legs. My gaze briefly met Elias’s as I turned, sitting so I was perched on Kolis’s knee—
His arm snaked around my waist, hauling me deeper onto his lap. Stomach churning, I stared ahead, not allowing myself to feel anything.
“As I was saying,” Kolis began, his voice low as he spoke directly into my ear, “you will not be punished for questioning my past decisions. But continuing to do so?”
My hands balled into fists as I held them in my lap.
“That will make me rethink the deals we struck. Both of them.”
My breath snagged in my chest.
“I will not break them,” he said, drawing his hand across my waist. “But…”
Kolis let the word hang in the air between us. I knew what came after. He could recapture Rhain—technically, he would’ve still fulfilled his deal. He could also delay releasing Ash. There were so many ways out of his agreement that I hadn’t been wise enough to foresee.
Yet another failure.
Worse yet was the knowledge that him simply mentioning the deals we’d made gave him the upper hand.
And why would he ever want to lose that by fulfilling the one that carried the most weight?
Releasing Ash.
Kolis’s nose brushed the side of my face. “Do you understand, so’lis?”
“Yes,” I answered, my nails digging into my palms.
“Good.” Kolis patted my hip. It took everything in me not to give in to the chill of revulsion. “And I’m capable of more than just death.”
Lies.
“I will prove it to you.” He leaned back just enough that I no longer felt his breath on my skin. “You will see.”
I closed my eyes, not giving a damn about him being able to create life when his unspoken threat choked me.
Kolis didn’t need to break his promise. He could simply continue finding reasons not to release Ash. Panic started to unfurl as I opened my eyes and looked at the blurred faces of those who remained in the Hall. Chest tightening and thrumming, I scanned the crowd, catching sight of the cold, harsh lines of Attes’s features, and his brother…
Kyn was seated in one of the alcoves near the dais, a drink in one hand, and the other under the gown of a woman in his lap. Her head was buried against his throat, and based on the way her arm moved between them, she, too, had at least one hand full.