Total pages in book: 248
Estimated words: 236909 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1185(@200wpm)___ 948(@250wpm)___ 790(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 236909 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1185(@200wpm)___ 948(@250wpm)___ 790(@300wpm)
That we felt like more.
I spent the rest of the day with the young draken and Aios, and even if I hadn’t spent the morning training and then playing in the pool, the hours spent trying to keep Jadis from attempting to fly or set something on fire every other minute would’ve sufficiently exhausted me.
A moment to simply breathe without fear of something going epically wrong only came when Jadis scampered over to where I sat on the couch, lifting her thin, scaled arms to me. I bent to pick her up, but in a sparkling silver shimmer, she shifted into her mortal form, right then and there, naked as the day she was born.
Which caused Reaver to squawk and dart from the chamber faster than I’d ever seen him fly. I sort of wanted to follow him as Ector popped his head into the chamber, saw what had happened, and immediately returned to the hall, obviously wanting nothing to do with what was going on.
Luckily, Aios was prepared for the impromptu nakedness, whipping out a tiny light blue nightgown and managing to drag it over Jadis’s dark-haired head as she all but crawled into my arms and buried her face in my hair. She was out in seconds.
“I wish I could fall asleep that easily.” Aios lowered herself to the floor next to the plates of leftover food. I’d managed to get Jadis to eat from a fork again, but if I took my eyes off her for longer than a second, I likely would’ve lost a finger. “And don’t worry about waking her. The palace could come down on our heads, and she’d sleep through it.”
“Must be nice.” I leaned back against the couch’s arm as I glanced down at the wispy dark waves of her hair. “I wonder why she shifted. I’ve seen her sleep in her draken form.”
“None of the draken sleep in their mortal form unless they feel safe.” Aios brushed a wine-red lock of hair back from her face as she crossed her legs. I noticed the shadows had faded a little from her eyes. “Especially as younglings. So, it just means she feels comfortable with you.”
“Oh,” I murmured, glancing down at Jadis again. She’d turned her head slightly, baring one rosy cheek as she kept her hands clenched around my hair. Her lashes were unbelievably thick. “I think it’s my hair. Nektas thought the color might remind her of her mother.”
“Makes sense.” Aios’s smile was faint as she eyed the sleeping draken. “It’s kind of sad but also a bit sweet if that’s the case.” She lifted her gaze to me. “I haven’t gotten a chance to ask how you’re dealing with the delay of the coronation and the news of the summons.”
Keeping my arms folded around Jadis, I tipped my head back. “I really haven’t been letting myself think too much about it,” I admitted with a wry grin. “Probably not the best method, but it can’t be changed.”
“No, it cannot.”
I nodded, even though we might be able to change things if we could find Delfai before Kolis summoned us. However, if we didn’t, and I looked like Sotoria… I said none of that. Aios wasn’t aware of that part, and if she knew that I was Kolis’s graeca, I was sure those shadows would return. But I wasn’t allowing myself to dwell on it. Any of it. If I did, I would be a wreck.
The sound of approaching footsteps drew our attention to the doors. I managed to keep any surprise from my expression. Reaver had returned, now in his mortal form. He wore loose, dark pants and a plain undershirt and carried a roll of something white in his hands.
Blond hair hid most of his angular features as he came to where we sat, kneeling by the couch. “She’ll want her blanket,” he said in that oddly serious voice of his. A tone that seemed far too mature for a child who looked no older than ten years of age.
“That is very thoughtful of you, Reaver,” Aios said.
He shrugged a small shoulder as he draped the soft blanket over Jadis’s shoulders with my help. Once he was sure she was covered, he sat on the floor near us.
I glanced at Aios.
She grinned.
Reaver looked up at me with expectant ruby-hued eyes as if waiting. For what, I truly had no idea, and I was quickly reminded of exactly how terrible I was with children.
“Would you like something to eat?” Aios picked up a bowl of mixed fruit. “I’m confident that Jadis didn’t have her hands in this.”
I snorted softly as Reaver hesitated and then nodded. The fruit was probably the only food Jadis hadn’t had her fingers on—sticky fingers that were now wrapped tightly around my hair. “Do you know when Nektas is returning?”