That would require us taking him out, and that’s kind of difficult when we can only assume he’s at Pensdurth, I reasoned, scratching Delano behind his ear.While risking Kolis imposing his will again.
She has a point, Casteel responded.
Kieran was quiet for a moment.There will be a lot of questions.
That’s okay.I slid a sidelong glance at him.You can answer any Helenea may have.
“Helenea?” Kieran spoke aloud, sitting straighter.
My eyes widened, and I slowly turned my head to Kieran while Casteel chuckled under his breath.
“Yes?” she asked.
Realizing that he’d responded out loud, the color in his cheeks deepened. He cleared his throat as Delano huffed out a laugh from between Cas and me. Kieran shot a glare in the wolven’s general direction. “I assume you agree with Alaric about telling the truth?”
Nice cover,I sent him, sarcasm dripping from the two words.
Kieran stared ahead.You are in so much trouble.
“Yes.” Her brows furrowed as she glanced at her brother. “Of course…” She trailed off, clearly waiting for Kieran to say more.
He had nothing else to say.
Deciding to save him, I leaned forward. “As someone who was raised in the Blood Crown’s lies, I also agree with the sentiment. Which is why I’ve told you the truth. The Ascended are not responsible for this. They’re not even capable of it.Heis,” I said, unable to speak his name. Doing so made me suddenly too aware of every inch of my body, and I hated that. I pulledmy hand from Delano’s head and gripped the arm of the chair. I refused to be that affected by a god I’d never met. “Kolis.”
Alaric frowned as he glanced at his sister. “Who is Kolis?”
I ignored the way my skin felt too tight. “The true Primal of Death.”
Kieran had been right.
They had many questions.
Especially Helenea.
We’d answered what we could, which had led to explaining that Seraphena was the true Primal of Life. I figured it was okay since the Fates hadn’t struck me down for speaking the truth. I didn’t go into everything—that wouldn’t help anything. But on Casteel’s advice, we stuck with the basics. Who Kolis was. That the Blood Crown had freed him. And that we believed he wanted to become the Primal of Life and Death and rule over the realms. By the time we finished, I’d learned a few things.
First, the generals had been filled in on Kolis but hadn’t been told the Seraphena part. Lizeth and Gayla were clearly pleased by the news. Sven seemed curious. Murin and Aylard? They were disturbed. I guessed it went back to the reason Aylard was behaving himself.
It had to do with what was between his legs instead of what was in his chest and head.
Whatever.
Secondly, Helenea believed what we’d shared. Alaric was a different story. He didn’t outright reject what we told them,but he had doubts, which was understandable. It sounded more made up than the lies the Blood Crown spewed.
“We need to discuss what is to be done about Kolis,” Sven stated the moment the mortals were ushered from the chamber. “We know very little about him. For example, I hadn’t—at least not directly, I don’t think—heard of him,” he said. From the corner of my eye, I saw Perry rub his temple. “I do recall references to…Primal magic associated with true Death in some of the old journals, though.”
“The kind of magic that killed the draken,” I murmured. “Those old journals? And they’re located in Atlantia?”
“They are.” He tilted his head. “Are you inquiring about certain information?”
“I know how a Primal god can be killed,” I said. “But I don’t know a way to weaken them first. That is information we’ll likely need.”
Casteel’s brow furrowed, but he said nothing.
“Yes. Such information would be invaluable. I’m not sure if it exists, but…” A couple of moments passed. “When we searched the Shadow Temple, it was mostly empty.”
We waited for him to continue.
