AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The Primal stared at me for several moments. “You managed to stab him?”
“Yeah.”
“With what kind of weapon?”
“Not one made of the bones of an Ancient,” I muttered. “Shadowstone.”
His eyes widened. “And that pierced his skin?”
I nodded. “He healed up pretty quickly.”
“Shit,” he whispered, surprise evident in his tone. “He’s weaker than I thought. Even with the embers he stole long since faded, he’s still the oldest Primal. Shadowstone shouldn’t have pierced his skin.”
“Well, that’s a good thing, right?”
“It’s an interesting thing,” he corrected. “If he hadn’t healed immediately, that would’ve been a good thing.”
I started to frown.
“It just means the playing field may have been leveled a little,” he added. “But just because he didn’t end up killing you before, doesn’t mean he won’t do it later. And if you die? And her soul is lost—”
“Yes, I get it. Her soul is the most important thing,” I snapped. “She dies, everything is lost.”
Attes’s head tilted. A moment passed. “You matter, too.”
A bitter laugh left me, even as my cheeks warmed with embarrassment. “You don’t need to lie.”
“I’m not.”
Irritation rose. I knew better, which left me even more frustrated. I should be used to that by now. But also? Her soul was important. “So, what are you saying? I shouldn’t attempt to kill him?”
“I don’t think it’s worth the risk,” he shared.
“Then what am I supposed to do?” I demanded. “Nothing?”
“That’s not what I’m saying. Kolis doesn’t know the truth, and that means you’re still his weakness. You can use that to our benefit.”
“Our benefit?” Tension returned as I curled my fingers into my gown. “Funny choice of words.”
Attes ignored that. “Nyktos needs to be freed as soon as possible if there is any hope of preventing the kind of war Kolis spoke of,” he warned. “And we’re already racing toward it. I can sense it.” His eyes searched mine. “You can change that, at least.”
“I know.” I straightened my fingers. “I have a plan.”
“You do?” His brows lifted. “Already?”
“Yeah.” I frowned. “Why does that surprise you?”
“You were only just taken.” His eyes searched mine. “No one would’ve faulted you if you weren’t of clear enough mind yet to develop a plan.”
“Yeah, well, this isn’t the first time I’ve found myself in a situation that doesn’t allow for a whole lot of time to break down.”
He stared. “What kind of life have you lived, Seraphena?”
I laughed, but there was no humor in the sound. Not when I felt like my body was caving in on itself. “Then what? I gain Nyktos’s freedom, and what happens next? You think Nyktos will simply return to the Shadowlands and pretend like nothing happened?”
“If he’s wise, he will.” His gaze held mine. “And you know that’s true.”
My heart skipped a beat. It was. I’d prefer if Ash did exactly that, but he wouldn’t. “He cares for me,” I said quietly. “He feels responsible for me. He won’t do that.”
