Total pages in book: 131
Estimated words: 121924 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 610(@200wpm)___ 488(@250wpm)___ 406(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 121924 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 610(@200wpm)___ 488(@250wpm)___ 406(@300wpm)
One good thing had come of the attack. Atticus now left me alone. I supposed he didn’t want to do anything that would support my claims that he wanted me dead. Whether or not he continued to give me a wide berth was another matter altogether. He’d always been a little reckless.
Noticing that I was again sagging in my seat, I made an effort to sit up. It was hard when my limbs felt so damn heavy.
A few others were present in the library, including the officiates that worked here when they weren’t focused on border control. I hoped I could get a job at the stables if—no, when—I became an officiate. A job here in the library would also be something I’d enjoy, though.
Again, I tried concentrating on the page in front of me, but the letters went blurry. I blinked rapidly, fighting the urge to close my eyes. They felt dry and gritty. Partly because I was tired, partly because—thanks to my earlier trek through the freaking canyons—my eyes were sore from how often the gale blew bits of sand and dirt in my face.
What I’d been able to see of the scenery through the fog had been beautiful. Smooth, tall spires. Winding ravines. Rare flowers. Blooming cacti. Rock walls of various colors such as red, brown, orange, and gray.
But repeatedly slipping on the shaley ground hadn’t been fun. Or encountering a rattlesnake. Or being made to climb slopes and walls. Or almost drowning in the rapids and cutting my legs and arms on the rocks there.
I’d managed to get out of the water without help. Talon had been waiting, but he hadn’t worn his usual, Are you ready to quit now? look. His expression had been blank as he took stock of me with his eyes alone.
That he seemed to have acknowledged I wasn’t going to give up, no matter how many “accidents” I had, was something I considered progress. Part of it, I thought, came from the fact that I hadn’t let the attack from Klemens send me running either.
So I’d smiled at Talon and said, “I make the drowned-rat look work, don’t I?”
With a gruff sigh, he’d walked away.
The injuries were now healed, but the soles of my feet hurt from how many times I’d stood on tiny rocks during our trek.
The daily treks now spanned longer distances. Our sleeps were getting shorter. And if it wasn’t my imagination, our food rations on the aforementioned treks had gotten stingier.
Basically, Xalbia never ceased attacking your mental and physical motivation. And it was getting to people more and more, including those who’d initially been so confident and capable.
There were times that I’d find some staring at nothing, their eyes lifeless or unfocused. People’s footsteps would often drag, and their postures would often slouch. Self-doubt would also occasionally creep into their expressions.
Hell, I was no exception to any of this.
Honestly, I was so drained that my body often conformed to whatever chair I claimed. Some days, I’d be so exhausted that a mental fog would take over. The edges of my patience would be frayed, and my willingness to keep going would show signs of erosion.
But I was still here.
I hadn’t given up. I’d overcome those weak moments. And I was proud of myself.
It was funny how you didn’t know exactly what you truly were capable of until you were placed in a situation where you had to find out. That said, I wasn’t in any way thankful for the opportunity. My life at Phoenixia hadn’t been exciting, but I had at least been safe.
I tried not to think too much on how I’d been yanked from my old life. It would be too easy to get swallowed by the anger and resentment that I hadn’t fully shaken off—those emotions would only distract me, and I couldn’t afford for anything to mess with my focus right now. The consequences of failing Xalbia would be too dire.
As the words on the page once again swam, I rubbed at my eyes. A yawn crept out of me before I could stop it. I was pretty sure my state of lethargy was made worse by the fact that the effects of ichor were still playing havoc with my system.
The power continued to purr beneath my skin, just as it continued to sometimes cause physical sensations like itching and aching. Thankfully, the effects still never lasted long.
Aside from healing even faster than before, I hadn’t shown any demonstrations of power. Really, there was no guarantee I ever would. Allegedly, no Sayers had been fed ichor before—at least not according to Vesper. Even the Sovereigns weren’t sure what to expect.
“What are you reading?” Khalida quietly asked, cutting into my thoughts. “Because it doesn’t seem to be what you should be reading. Tut, tut, tut.”