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)
When Kieran rose to retrieve the blanket, I cut my gaze to the Primal.
“I’ll keep my eyes closed,” he said, likely feeling my glare.
Kieran returned, and together, we stripped her of the ruined clothing and wrapped the quilt around her.
“Casteel,” Attes said when we finished. “I need to speak with you. It won’t take long.”
The message was clear, causing Kieran to fill with wariness.
“Can you go ahead?” I asked. “Get her some fresh clothes and a bath ready.”
He hesitated. “Will you be…fine?”
I looked up at him with an arched brow. “I’ll behave myself.”
“Doubtful,” he muttered, pushing to his feet. He turned to Attes. “Are you sticking around?”
“I’m just sitting still until I can regain some of my strength before returning to Iliseeum,” Attes answered.
Kieran nodded, then released a heavy breath. “Thank you for your help.”
“You’re welcome.”
Kieran then bowed to the Primal, receiving a rough chuckle from Attes. “No need for that.”
Straightening, Kieran turned to me. His gaze met mine for a brief second, then he left, leaving the door ajar.
Silence filled the cell as I brushed some limp strands of hair back from Poppy’s face. “You wanted to speak to me?”
When he didn’t answer, I looked over at him. His eyes were still closed, and once again, I was struck by how much he looked like Malik and our father. Like me if his hair was darker and his face leaner.
“You’re staring at me,” he said.
“I’m waiting for you to speak.” I smoothed my thumb over Poppy’s cool cheek. “And it’s unnerving as fuck how much you look like my brother and father.”
“The feeling is mutual.” There was a pause. “I should’ve expected this.”
“I’m learning that Reaver tends to leave key details out of discussions,” I said, figuring he was talking about that.
“As all the draken do,” he replied wryly. His eyes opened. “I was awake during and after the fall of the deities. That was when I met…an ancestor of yours.”
“Elian?” I frowned.
Attes grimaced. “He was young then—younger even than you have to be.”
“I was told it was Lailah and Theon who joined Nyktos when Elian met with him.”
“They were there. I was more so in…the background while they discussed the bonding,” he said. “So was the Queen.”
“Of course. After all, it wasn’t Nyktos who bonded the first Elemental and wolven.” I thought about how angry Poppy had been to learn that Nyktos was recognized for it. The grin on my lips was brief. “So, what are you? Our great-times-a-hundred grandfather?”
“Something like that,” he murmured. A moment passed as I frowned. “You’re nothing like Elian.”
My brows rose. “That’s a bold assumption from someone who doesn’t know me.”
“You’re of my bloodline. A strong one that is traced back to the beginning,” he replied. “Twins are not the only thing that runs in our family.”
Twins?
I glanced at Poppy, picturing two little versions of her. I sucked in a sharp breath, my stomach and chest fluttering in a…funny way.
“So do our temperaments,” he continued, drawing my gaze back to him. “We’re also known to be impulsive, which, when combined with our fiery temperaments and often-wrathful natures, can create a volatile mix.” A muscle spasmed at his temple. “Especially those more closely related—those who carry more of the essence in them.”
Well, I couldn’t argue with that. “Then I probably would’ve gotten along with your children.”
Attes laughed, then winced as he jostled his hand. “I would hope so.”
My frown returned. I was beginning to think Primals were as vague as the draken, and my patience was wearing thin. “Is that what you wanted to speak to me about?”
“In part.” He shifted his wounded hand closer to his chest. “Kolis knows just how impulsive and temperamental our bloodline is. And he clearly knows you are a descendant.”
I fixed the quilt around Poppy’s shoulders. “Sounded like you and he got along well.”
His gaze slid to Poppy, causing me to tense, and I wasn’t even sure why. He’d helped her. “We used to. Kolis was once…” His throat worked on a swallow. “He will be gunning for you and all those of my bloodline.”
My jaw tightened.
He continued to stare at her, the lines of his face taut. “But especially you.”
I lifted my hand from Poppy’s cheek. “Because of her?”
He nodded.
Muscles all along my spine tightened as I posed the same question I’d asked Reaver. “What does he want from her?”
“He…” Pressing his lips into a flat line, he shook his head. “I’m not so sure anymore.”
So, he thought he knew but was no longer sure? “What does that mean?”
“Exactly what I said.”
Irritation spiked. “How is our patience in our bloodline? I’m assuming it’s short.” Eather throbbed. The breath I took did little to calm the stir of essence. “And you should stop staring at her.”
Attes’s gaze slowly moved to mine. “Perhaps you should have told your wolven to remain with you.”