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Kolis couldn’t be killed.

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

The realization that Kolis couldn’t be killed occupied my thoughts long after he left, only allowing me a few hours of restless sleep—if that.

Kolis was the Primal of Death. He carried the true embers of Death.

Ash was a Primal of Death. He did not carry the true embers of Death.

And since Kolis had ensured that none of his Court were left to Ascend to the Primal of Death after he stole the embers from Eythos, he was it.

I couldn’t believe it.

With a dull throbbing in my temples that spread to my jaw every so often, I paced restlessly while Callum read from whatever book he had in his lap. Glancing at the porcelain pitcher on the table, I debated launching it at his head for no other reason than it would make me feel better.

But only temporarily.

Frustration dogged me as I made another pass in front of the door. Ash may not know who’d truly created the realms, but he and everyone else, especially the Fates, had to know that Kolis couldn’t be killed.

So why in the whole wide realm had Holland, a Fate, spent years training me to kill the Primal of Death? Why would Eythos put Sotoria’s soul in with the embers, positioning her, through me, to kill him? Especially when doing so would wreak havoc and destruction throughout the realms.

I had to be missing something.

Rubbing my temples, I walked from one rounded corner of the cage to the other. First, I’d learned I couldn’t kill Kolis because Eythos’s plan had gone sideways. Now, I’d learned that Kolis couldn’t be killed—

Stopping, I looked up at the diamonds in the center of the cage.

The Star diamond.

It could hold Primal embers. After all, The Star had been created to contain the embers of a fallen Primal.

I lowered my hands from my aching temples as I stared at the strange, almost milky light the diamonds reflected. My stomach soured. If I could get a hold of the Star diamond—and that was a big if—I doubted it could be used to hold a soul and the embers simultaneously.

But unless I’d spent my entire life training for something utterly pointless, the Arae must have believed they could get their hands on The Star again. It was the only thing that made sense.

“What are you doing?” Callum asked.

Tearing my gaze from the diamonds, I started walking again. “Praying.”

“Really?” came the dry response.

I turned to him. “What are—?” The embers in my chest suddenly thrummed. A Primal was near.

I took a deep breath, preparing myself for whatever Kolis had in store today while hoping he would bring news of Ash’s release.

You need to tell him that you will die without me.

My mouth dried as dream-Ash’s words floated through my thoughts.

Callum frowned, following my sudden shift in attention to the doors. “You feel a Primal?”

Unfortunately. “Yes.”

“That makes no sense.” Callum flipped his book closed. “Kolis is occupied.”

My brows rose as I eyed the doors. Interesting. “What is he doing?”

“If he wanted you to know, he would’ve told you.” Callum rose, picking up the dagger lying on the cushion.