“It’s nothing.”
Tension tightened the corners of his mouth, and his gaze darted back to Poppy. Time seemed to slow as I stared at the wolven I’d shared a crib with. Warning bells rang in the back of my head as I looked down. His hands were trembling. My gaze slowly lifted to his profile. The way he stared at her told me he was trying to reach her through thenotam.
He drew back, curtly shaking his head. “Talk to me, Cas. Tell me what’s going on.”
“You should be asking me that,” Reaver said.
Clamping my jaw shut, I stretched my neck from side to side.
“I need both of you to look at her—reallylook at her,” Reaver instructed, but he didn’t need to tell us to do that. We already were. “Does she look right to either of you?”
Kieran said nothing. He saw what I did. She sat with her knees tucked tightly against her chest, her toes curling against the stone floor. She didn’t even seem aware of Kieran’s arrival.
“I see her.” I swallowed. “She’s beautiful.”
“For fuck’s sake.” Reaver sounded like he wanted to throw both of us into a wall headfirst. “Do you not smell the stench of death?”
Kieran swallowed. “I do,” he acknowledged. “It’s not like anything I’ve smelled on her before. But sheisa Primal of Death now.”
“No, shit,” snapped Reaver. “But that smell? That stale yet sweet scent? That’s not coming from her.” Reaver dragged the back of his hand over his mouth. “When I felt her wake, she wasn’t the only thing I felt. I sensed thathewas near.”
Cold air poured into my chest. “He?”
“The true Primal of Death. Kolis,” he spat.
My ears buzzed as I went completely still.
“I came here to warn you, but the closer I got to this chamber, the stronger the feeling became. I can still feel him.It’s like a godsdamn frozen fist squeezing my chest,” he bit out, thumping his balled hand on his chest. “I don’t know how, but when she spoke earlier, and when she laughed? I could hear him. And that can only mean one thing. He’s here. And somehow, he’s inside her.”
What Reaver said was on repeat in my mind.He’s inside her.My muscles cramped as I forced myself to stand still. A storm of violence brewed inside me.
“How?” Kieran asked, his voice ragged. “How can that even be possible?”
“Kolis has been freed.”
“We already know that.” Kieran’s voice hardened.
“Look, neither of you has ever known a true Primal god or seen what they are capable of—especially the true Primal of Death.”
“And you have?” Kieran demanded.
“Unfortunately.”
The way Reaver answered caused my hands to fist.
“That doesn’t tell us how something like this could happen.” Kieran’s voice thinned.
“I don’t know how it’s possible,” the draken admitted, looking at me. “You thought he had something to do with the dead Ascended. Maybe that was him…feeding, which somehow gave him more power. More strength. Or maybe he’s always been in her or connected to her.”
“No.” I shook my head, every part of my being rebelling at the idea. “He hasn’t. I would’ve sensed that.”
“You don’t want to see what is right in front of you,” Reaver shot back. “And I get it. I do. But you’re smarter than this. Or so everyone claims. He’s in—”
“Do not speak those words again,” I said, my voice low. “If you do, I won’t be responsible for my actions.”
Reaver clamped his mouth shut.
For about five seconds.
