Total pages in book: 401
Estimated words: 390373 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1952(@200wpm)___ 1561(@250wpm)___ 1301(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 390373 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1952(@200wpm)___ 1561(@250wpm)___ 1301(@300wpm)
His head was tipped back against the wall; his eyes closed as he lifted his arm. The flesh had burned straight to the bone. Only two fingers remained. “You think a cloth will help?”
I was going with…no.
“You can at least cover it up.” Crossing the cell, Kieran tossed a cloth in Attes’s direction.
Kieran dropped onto his knees on Poppy’s other side, blocking her from Attes’s view. He inhaled sharply as he glanced at the skin between her breasts.
“It’ll heal,” I told him, even though there was no way to know what draken blood would do to the skin of a Primal that had never existed before.
His gaze met mine as he quickly wet the cloth before handing it to me. Without saying a word, he lifted the robe and gown. Both would have to be removed in case any blood had gotten onto them.
“When he…possesses the Ascended? Or the Revenants?” Kieran asked, looking at the Primal. “Is it like this? He takes control?”
Attes started to respond, then snapped his mouth shut. A moment passed. “He can see through them and take control for a limited period. Like a compulsion.”
“A compulsion only lasts minutes—if you’re lucky,” I said. “This has been a day. Maybe two.”
He was quiet again. When I looked at him, he was staring at Kieran’s back. “She was in stasis, far more vulnerable to…a deeper possession.”
Something about that seemed like a lot of bullshit. I didn’t know why, though. And I couldn’t come up with a reason for the lie. “Can he get to her again?”
“As long as she’s in stasis, she’s vulnerable.”
I closed my eyes, pushing down the rising anger. I wanted to say that wouldn’t happen, but he’d gotten to her without us knowing before. It could happen again.
“What else is he capable of in this form?” Kieran asked.
“In this state, he could influence others by inciting fears,” Attes continued. “Beyond that, I don’t know. I’ve never seen a Primal reduced to such a condition and live.”
Kieran held the pitcher for me to dip the cloth in. Gritting my teeth, I saw that a small piece of charred flesh had flaked off while I carefully cleaned the wound. My gaze flicked to her face. There was no sign that she felt it.
“She’s probably exhausted,” Kieran quietly said as he reached over and lifted the other side of the robe.
I didn’t say anything because I could taste Kieran’s concern. It increased with each pass.
“I have a theory,” Attes said, his voice rough and uneven with pain. “You said she remembered herself at some point after waking up but hasn’t given any indication since?”
“Yes.” I took the fresh, damp linen from Kieran. “The last time I could be sure I was talking to Poppy was right after she woke up. I called her…sweetheart.” I twisted my head as I worked my jaw loose. “She knew I’d never called her that before.”
“Not remembering oneself can happen.” Something dark briefly passed over his features. “But her alternating between being aware of herself and not could be because her Ascension isn’t complete.”
Kieran drew back in surprise. “How? She was asleep for about six days before this.”
“I’ve seen a Primal’s Ascension take over a month,” Attes tiredly replied as he glanced down at his hand. He had wrapped the linen around it. “There’s no set time.”
“Gods,” Kieran muttered, and I knew he had to be thinking the same thing I was. The Culling for Atlantians never took that long.
“But if her Ascension was interrupted when you were injured,” Attes continued, unknowingly twisting the knife deeper into my chest—or perhaps, knowingly. “That could also explain…how vulnerable she was to outside influences.”
I stiffened, my hand tightening around the cloth.
“Didn’t we already discuss this?” Kieran’s tone dripped scorn. “What’s your point?”
A part of me was surprised by the way he was speaking to the Primal god. I’d heard him keep a respectful tone until the moment he ripped out the throat of those who demanded less respect than a Primal god. But he spoke with about as much deference expected of me when speaking with a Primal, and no one had high expectations regarding that.
“My point is, she is likely returning to stasis,” Attes stated as I finished cleaning her the best I could with the small cloth. “Possibly even a deeper one.”
Kieran sat back, his shoulders hunching as I lifted my gaze. I stared at the wall for several moments. “And you don’t know how long?”
“No.”
A hollow weight settled beneath my ribs, the kind of ache that made me want to punch a wall. Instead, I tossed the soiled linen aside and swallowed against the gnawing helplessness.
“You should get her out of whatever she’s wearing,” Attes said after a few moments. “Just in case any of the draken blood got on it.”
I’d already planned to do that but kept that retort to myself. Glancing around the cell, I spotted the quilt against the wall. “Can you grab that for me,” I asked, jerking my chin at it as I lowered my voice.