Total pages in book: 362
Estimated words: 347293 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1736(@200wpm)___ 1389(@250wpm)___ 1158(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 347293 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1736(@200wpm)___ 1389(@250wpm)___ 1158(@300wpm)
The eather rolled over the ceiling, and cracks appeared in the walls, the floor, and above us. The screams continued as the celastite in the walls held firm, serving two purposes: to keep the essence of the realms out and the Primal essence inside.
Eather pulsed, washing the space in a crimson glow. My boots sent loosened dirt and small stones scattering when I stepped back, watching the light fade into the fissures that had formed shapes. Circles with a vertical line through them.
The symbol of Death.
Nearly the same as the Mierel Crest.
Ash rose as the last of the eather seeped into the walls. He turned to me, but my gaze returned to Kolis.
The true Primal of Death was nothing but bone and empty flesh, already turning gray.
Ash returned to my side, taking my hand as I breathed in, and it felt like the first real breath I’d ever taken.
CHAPTER SIXTY-THREE
We walked from the underground chamber onto one of the many cliffs overlooking the Stroud Sea, the salty breeze washing over us. Bright sunlight reflected off the white-tipped waves crashing against the rocky shore below.
Behind us, the earth shuddered. Stone tumbled, and dirt fell in sheets as Attes collapsed the tunnel that led to Kolis’s tomb.
It was done.
As Ash’s arm draped over my shoulders, I closed my eyes and breathed deeply, leaning into Ash. I was so damn tired, exhausted to the bone, but my lips split into a wide smile.
Kolis was entombed, and he would remain that way forevermore.
We’d won.
“It’s over,” Ash said, tipping his chin to the sky.
My smile froze and then faded. I should be celebrating. I wanted to continue smiling. We’d won. I should be cheering. It was over.
For now.
But Kolis’s promise haunted every step I took as I left the tunnel. So did the damn prophecy.
Keella’s warning whispered through my thoughts, the image of the air warping around Callum’s remains forming in my mind. I’d forgotten about that as the old Temple was destroyed. And something about that caused a great sense of unease to rise.
Ash’s arm tightened around me. “Let’s go home,” he said, brushing his lips over my temple. “I want you checked before we take care of Sotoria.”
That wasn’t the only thing we needed to do. I had to make sure the bone army returned to their slumber. We needed to check on the state of things in the Bonelands. Help our wounded. Count our dead. But…
A chill crawled across my neck and then slithered down my spine. Tiny hairs all over my body began to rise when I looked up at Ash.
His hand slid over my upper back, and he turned to me. “Sera?” Concern darkened his eyes. “What is it?”
I wasn’t sure, but the unease intensified, causing my pulse to speed up.
Ash turned me so I was facing him. He clasped my cheeks. “Sera?”
“What’s going on?” Attes asked, joining us at the cliff’s edge, the blood spotting his face turning pink in the sunlight.
“I don’t know.” Ash’s gaze searched mine. “Talk to us, liessa.”
My heart pounded. “We need to take care of Sotoria now.”
Ash’s jaw immediately hardened. “I think that can wait until Kye—”
“It really can’t.” I swallowed. “We need to do it now.”
His eyes narrowed. “Is your vadentia telling you something?”
“I don’t know, but remember what Keella said about the prophecy?” I reminded him, and Ash swore. He knew how important it was to free Sotoria before the Fates did something idiotic, but he was battling with his need to make sure the babes and I were okay. I twisted toward Attes. “I need you to take us to The Star.”
Attes frowned. “I can do that, but I’d prefer if we backed up a second first because you are acting—”
“No,” I interrupted. “We need to go there,” I insisted. “Now.”
Attes led us through the maze of halls forged from shadowstone deep beneath his palace in Essaly. His armor had vanished, and he’d dropped his swords upon entering. We were all tired, and the wound in my shoulder had faded to a dull ache, but our steps were fast.
Flames ignited from the torches lining the hall as we passed, casting an amber glow that beat back the darkness.
I walked beside Ash, my hand held tightly in his while he continuously smoothed his thumb over the top of it. The whole time, I kept telling myself we still had a chance to truly stop the prophecy from coming true. We’d entombed Kolis. All we needed to do now was release Sotoria. If so, Kolis would remain where we’d put him, the Ancients would stay in the ground, and Sotoria would be given a choice—something she hadn’t had in far too many years.
Then everything would be perfect. We could relax. Iliseeum would change. So would the mortal realm. Ash and I could have the future he’d spoken of the night in the throne room.