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)
Kieran.
I stayed completely still and tilted my head. After a couple of moments, I heard his footfalls. A muscle ticked in my jaw as he neared the door. The hand resting against my thigh fisted. I rose before I knew what I was doing and walked toward the door, stopping in front of it.
The silence of the chamber stretched out. I knew he heard my approach. He’d probably caught my fucking scent. I looked down to see my hand hovering above the handle.
Swallowing a curse, I closed my eyes and placed my hand flat against the door. Kieran didn’t knock. He didn’t speak. I lowered my shields. My mind remained as silent as the chamber. I had no idea how long I stood there before I heard him leave and no longer felt his presence.
Chest heavy once more, I pushed away from the door. After using the bathing chamber, I toed off my boots and joined Poppy. I stretched out next to her, weary to the bone but unable to sleep. So, I did what I’d been doing since she first entered stasis. I talked to her. Shared with her how I felt when I learned that she had been taken by Alastir and the absolute terror when I saw her take that bolt to the chest. I told her how proud I’d been when she saved the child’s life in Saion’s Cove and kept talking until I found myself staring at the vaulted ceiling above the bed.
Painted gods stared down at us. All of them. Who in the fuck wanted to wake up staring at that?
I saw the auburn-haired Rhain, the God of Common Men and Endings. He bore a peaceful expression. Beside him, Rhahar, the Eternal God, reflected the same. The artist had captured two black-haired goddesses beside the gods of death. Bele, the Goddess of the Hunt and Divine Justice aimed her bow at us, and Ione, the Goddess of Rebirth, cradled an infant in her slender arms. Lailah and Theon, the twin gods of peace and war, crossed swords and arms. Wisps of wind fell from the fingertips of Saion, the God of Earth, Wind, and Sky. Aios, the redheaded Goddess of Love, Fertility, and Beauty, smiled seductively, and Penellaphe, the Goddess of Wisdom, Loyalty, and Duty—and, more importantly, Poppy’s namesake—held a book. Perus, the pale, white-haired God of the Rite and Prosperity, didn’t even exist, but the artist had also painted him, draped in gold. They all surrounded Nyktos, the King of the Gods, who was never painted with any features in the mortal realm. He was always represented as a being of brilliant, silver light.
Perhaps even the Blood Crown had been wary of truly capturing his features, given he was a Primal of Death and not the Primal of Life.
She hadn’t been painted at all.
I eyed the rendering of Perus and cocked my head. The nearly white pale-blond hair. The heart-shaped face. I squinted. There were even…freckles. I immediately thought of Millicent.
The features were so similar they could’ve been fraternal twins.
Was Perus supposed to represent Seraphena, the true Primal of Life? The Blood Crown clearly knew of her existence. But that would’ve been a really piss-poor homage to her, and why would the Ascended have done that? It didn’t make sense, but who really knew when it came to them?
Shaking those thoughts from my head, I rolled onto my side to face Poppy and smoothed my thumb over her hand. She seemed paler to me, her skin colder.
Real terror seized my heart. I didn’t know how much longer I could do this.
I cursed, knowing I couldn’t do this. But as I lay there, I wasn’t thinking about that fucking promise. I was thinking only about her.
I needed her.
Needed to hear only her voice. See only her in her eyes. Feel her warm touch, her hands guided by only her will.
I needed Poppy.
Her shy smiles. Her throaty laughter. Her blushes that pinkened her skin and sometimes even the entire length of her body. Her curiosity. Her endless questions.
Closing my eyes, I did something I had only done a few times. Maybe lack of sleep had brought me to this moment. Or desperation.
I prayed to the gods.
To one in particular I knew was awake.
“I don’t know how much longer I can wait—that any of us can, but…I need her to wake. I need to see her eyes open again and see only her staring back at me. I need her beside me, even if she doesn’t remember me—even if she never remembers me. As long as it’s just her,” I swore, my voice thick and strained. “If you bring her back to me…” Eyes stinging, I did nothing to stop the tears building in them as I filled my thoughts and voice with all the love I had for Poppy. “I will do anything. Give anything. Please, Seraphena. Bring your granddaughter back to me.”