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Kyn lowered his glass. “Did I make a joke?”

“It sounded like one to me,” I replied. “No one in their right mind wouldn’t be worried about Nektas.”

“Never said I was in my right mind.”

“Obviously,” I muttered under my breath.

Kyn’s eyes narrowed.

Resisting the urge to flip him off, I focused on Kolis. “You said you didn’t want to start a war. Destroying the Shadowlands will do exactly that.” A sour taste filled my mouth as I continued. “What we discussed before? Between you and me?”

Kolis’s fingers stilled as his entire focus zeroed in on me.

“How will any of that be possible if the realm goes to war?” I reasoned. “How will anything be possible then?”

The false King was silent as the other Primal’s eyes thinned into glowing slits. Seconds ticked by as fury and dread ate away at me.

“You’re brave, Kyn,” Kolis began. “And you’re loyal. For both, you have my gratitude.”

“You have more than that from me.” Kyn turned to the false King. “You have my army and my command.”

Kolis nodded. “Things have changed since we last spoke. Plans…have adapted.”

The look on Kyn’s face gave me the impression he knew exactly what had changed. “But you need those embers,” the Primal replied. I was a little surprised that Kyn knew I had them. “Because the reality of what must be done or what is to come remains the same.”

Kolis nodded slowly. “I haven’t forgotten.”

Exactly what were they speaking of? Kolis wanted the embers so he could Ascend to become the Primal of Life and Death—a being with unfathomable power. If successful, he could wipe out all the Primals and rule over both realms. He wanted power—ultimate, unending power. Knowing the stability of the realms would no longer be impacted by their deaths, why would any other Primal support that?

“I’ve maintained the balance all these years,” Kolis said. “There is no reason that will cease to be sufficient anytime soon.”

The balance? What had he said about that before? Maintaining balance and giving life. He’d said the cold-eyed Ascended were the product of that.

“We will not make any further moves against the Shadowlands unless provoked,” Kolis instructed, pulling me from my thoughts with a wave of relief.

“And if provoked?”

Kolis leaned back, his fingers once more drumming on the arms of the throne. “Then I will do what must be done.” He glanced at Kyn. “I’m relieved to see you don’t look too disappointed by my decree.”

The Primal smiled. “I’m not.”

“And why is that?”

Yes, why was that?

“Nyktos will likely be in a provocative mood once released.” He shifted his focus from Kolis. “Unless you plan to imprison him for a small eternity, he will be a problem.”

Kolis huffed out a dry laugh, causing me to tense. “He won’t be a problem.”

Oh, Ash would definitely be a problem. I felt my lips twitch—

“She draws the eye, doesn’t she?” Kolis drawled.

Oh, gods, not this again.

Kyn gave a noncommittal grunt behind the rim of his glass. I doubted whatever the Primal said would end the way it had for Uros, but one could hope.

Kolis eyed the other Primal for several seconds.