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)
“I’m relieved to hear that.” He drew a finger down the center of my chin. “But something happened with us earlier.”
Falling quiet, I debated whether to pretend I had no idea what he was talking about, which seemed very…un-queenly.
“You locked up,” he continued quietly, almost carefully. “And I could taste your sudden unease.”
“You really need to stop reading my emotions.” I leaned back, returning my cheek to his arm.
Ash’s touch followed, his fingers picking up another strand of hair. “If it makes you feel any better, it was harder than usual.”
My eyes narrowed. “So, I wasn’t projecting? You went searching?”
The hair slid between his fingers. “When you locked up, I was afraid I had hurt you.”
The evident concern in his voice extinguished any irritation. “You weren’t hurting me. At all.”
He dragged the curl over my upper arm. “Then what was it?”
I gave a one-shouldered shrug. “I don’t know. I think maybe it’s what you said. My body—my head—has been through a lot. So, it was just a weird moment.” And that was all I would allow it to be. “But all the other moments? They were amazing. Beautiful.” I leaned over and kissed him. “I think I can still taste myself on your lips.”
A sexy rumble vibrated in his chest. “Do not mention that.” Twin silver pools locked onto me, and my body immediately reacted, curling and tensing in a delicious, heated way. “Because it makes me want to taste you again, and I have something I need to say—actually, I have several things I need to say.”
“Okay,” I murmured as the image of him with his head nestled between my thighs took up residency in my mind.
Ash bowed his back so our eyes met. “That also means you need to stop thinking about it.”
“I’m not.”
“Your arousal is so strong I can taste it.” Ash nipped my lips, making my breath catch. A brief grin appeared as I pouted at him. “If you keep it up, I’m going to get myself deep inside you yet again.”
Shockingly, tiny knots of coiled lust formed in my belly. “Was that supposed to convince me to stop thinking about exactly that? Because if so, you failed.”
He chuckled, guiding my head back to his arm. “For some unknown reason, I’m not disappointed to learn that.”
Unknown? I snorted.
“But we need to behave,” he advised. “I know there is a lot we should be talking about—a lot we need to do.”
There was.
Tension crept into my muscles. The moment I remembered who I was until this very second felt like a dream. One where the world didn’t exist outside of this chamber. A fantasy I had never even dared to allow myself.
But the world did exist.
“We need to talk about Kolis.” My stomach soured, but he wasn’t the only thing we needed to discuss. There was so much more.
“We do,” Ash said. “But he’s not a problem.”
I tipped my head back so I could see his face. “How is he not a problem? He is the problem.”
“Right now, he’s not a problem,” Ash clarified. “Kolis was already weakened before your Ascension. You rising as the true Primal of Life not only has him holed up in Dalos nursing his wounds, but every god and Primal in Iliseeum felt your Ascension.”
My stomach took a sharp tumble. “Why does that last part sound like bad news?”
“It is neither good nor bad.” He traced small circles on my arm. “I’m sure most of the Primals are in shock and don’t know what to make of your Ascension, even those loyal to Kolis.”
My mind immediately jumped to the worst-case scenario per usual. “And what if they’re unhappy about my Ascension once they’ve wrapped their heads around everything?”
“Then we will deal with that.” His fingers continued making designs. “Together.”
I didn’t need any special, ancient knowledge to know that dealing with unhappy Primals would be violent and bloody. I could feel my chest tightening—a telltale sign of my old friend: anxiety. The corners of my lips turned down. I’d survived the impossible, Ascending into the true Primal of Life, and I still had crushing anxiety?
Seemed rather unfair.
“The other Primals’ shock and the blow dealt to Kolis has bought us some time,” Ash assured me, obviously picking up on my anxiousness. “Not a lot, but enough that they can all wait right now. Sooner rather than later, Nektas…” He paused, his brow creasing. “I have a vague recollection of him being at the door.”
The corners of my lips tipped up. “He heard me screaming and was worried. You threatened to murder him if he didn’t leave.”
His brows lifted. “I think I owe him an apology.”
Another giggle snuck free.
Vibrant wisps of eather appeared in his eyes. “Your laugh.” His lashes swept down. “It’s such a beautiful sound.” He swallowed, letting out a ragged breath. The eather had calmed in his eyes. “I love it.”