“He had no reason to be concerned,” Cas quickly interjected. “None at all, Poppy.”
I tried to smile, but I was sure it looked more like a grimace. It went beyond just what Nektas had said. There was the prophecy. And an instinctual part of meknewit was talking about me—or at least some of it was.
“But I didn’t really stop…Isbeth,” I said, proud of how I spoke her name without my voice cracking. “I actually turned out to be the Bringer of Death and Destruction by freeing Kolis, just like the prophecy said.”
“Wedidn’t really stop Isbeth,” Cas corrected, his hand tightening around the back of my neck. “Andwedon’t even know if that is what the prophecy truly means, Poppy. All we have are guesses and interpretations.”
That damn feeling returned; this time accompanied by an actual physical sensation: a faint tingling along the nape ofmy neck. There was this…feeling that I knew exactly what the prophecy meant but couldn’t quite figure out what it was. Frustration sparked. There were all sorts of thoughts floating around, but it was like trying to grasp shadows when I focused on them.
His hand left my neck. “Okay?”
I pressed my lips together and nodded as my gaze flickered over the chamber’s ivory walls. I drew in a deep breath. “Speaking of Kolis…”
Every part of him tensed, and the essence flared in his eyes. “Let’s not go there yet.”
“How can we not?” I countered. “According to Nektas, it’s up to us to deal with him—the true Primal of Death. While I was napping for an eternity, he’s been out there somewhere, doing only the gods know what. And we know so little about him—what he wants or even what his motivations are.”
“I know, but like you said, you’ve been napping for what felt like an eternity. You need to get some food in you.” Cas swung his legs off the bed and stood. “Thirsty?”
Was I? My gaze dropped to his half-unbuttoned breeches and the thick ridge of his arousal straining against the supple doeskin. The fact that he was still semi-hard was rather impressive. “Yes,” I said in a husky voice I barely recognized.
“I wasn’t asking if you were thirsty for my cock,” he remarked.
My mouth dropped open.
“I was talking about water or juice. Perhaps some tea?”
My face flamed with heat as I forced my stare northward, taking in the tightly packed muscles of his abdomen and chest—
The breath I took lodged in my throat. Next to his wedding ring, there was an inch-and-a-half scar just above his heart. It was pinker than the paler, long-healed scars. Fresher.
My heart kicked against my ribs. “Your—”
“You can have my dick later,” Cas continued. “Patience is a virtue rewarded with unvirtuous acts.”
Oh, my gods.
As he started to step away from the bed, I snapped forward and grasped his arm.
“My Queen,” he purred. “I promise. You can have as much of my—”
“Shut up.” I moved onto my knees again.
Cas’s brows shot up.
“Your chest!” I practically shouted. “I’m talking about your chest. I know that scar is new, and I know whatever happened had to be something serious to leave a mark.” My hands trembling, I placed my fingers just under the jagged bit of skin, lifting my gaze to his. “What happened?”
He exhaled heavily. “It happened when you were in stasis, and I fell asleep,” he said after a moment. “A Rev got into the room—scaled the damn wall and came through the window. He had a blade carved from bone. Burned my skin on contact.”
I knew the scar on his chest wasn’t from a burn. Anger flared hotly in my chest, stirring the essence. “He stabbed—” I sucked in another breath. “Hedidstab you. I think I felt it or…or sensed it.” Frowning, I tried to understand what I was remembering. “I know I felt your pain, and I tried to wake up to help you, but I couldn’t—”
“You did, Poppy.” One of his hands dropped to my arm. “Even asleep, you lent me your power and healed me.”
It took me a moment to understand how that was possible. “The Joining.”
Cas nodded.
Thank the gods. A shudder of relief swept through me but was quickly followed by a cold punch of terror in response to how close he’d come to death.
