A big thank you to JLAnders for always creating a fun and often hilarious place to chill. You guys are the best! And to the ARC team for your honest reviews and support.
Most importantly, none of this would be possible without you, the reader. I hope you realize how much you mean to me.
Dedication
To you, the reader. Yes, you.
Map
To see a full-size version of the map, visit
https://theblueboxpress.com/books/afitfmap/
Pronunciation Guide
Characters
Aios – AYY-ohs
Andreia – ahn-DRAY-ah
Attes – AT-tayz
Aurelia – au-REL-ee-ah
Baines – baynz
Bele – bell
Daniil – da-NEEL
Diaval – dee-AH-vuhl
Dorcan – dohr-kan
Dyses – DEYE-seez
Ector – EHK-tohr
Ehthawn – EE-thawn
Elias – el-IGH-us
Embris – EM-bris
Erlina – Er-LEE-nah
Ernald – ER-nald
Eythos – EE-thos
Ezmeria – ez-MARE-ee-ah
Gemma – jeh-muh
Halayna – hah-LAY-nah
Hanan – HAY-nan
Iason – IGH-son
Ione – EYE-on
Jadis – JAY-dis
Kayleigh Balfour – KAY-lee BAL-fohr
Keella – KEE-lah
King Saegar – king SAY-gar
Kolis – KOH-lis
Kyn – kin
Lailah – LAY-lah
Lathan – LEY-THahN
Loimus – loy-moos
Madis – mad-is
Mahiil – ma-HEEL
Maia – MY-ah
Marisol Faber – MARE-i-sohl FAY-berr
Mycella – MY-sell-AH
Naberius – nah-BEHR-ee-us
Nektas – NEK-tas
Nyktos – NIK-toes
Odetta – oh-DET-ah
Orphine – OR-feen
Peinea – pain-ee-yah
Penellaphe – pen-NELL-uh-fee
Phanos – FAN-ohs
Polemus – pol-he-mus
Queen Calliphe – queen KAL-ih-fee
Reaver – REE-ver
Rhahar – RUH-har
Rhain – rain
Saion – SIGH-on
Sera – SEE-rah
Seraphena Mierel – SEE-rah-fee-nah MEER-ehl
Sotoria – soh-TOR-ee-ah
Taric – tay-rik
Tavius – TAY-vee-us
Thad – thad
Theon – thEE-awn
Veses – VES-eez
Places
Callasta Isles – kah-LAA-stah eyelz
Cauldra Manor – kall-drah [manor]
Cor Palace – kohr pal-is
Dalos – day-lohs
Elysium Peaks – ihl-LEES-ee-uhm peeks
House of Haides – howz of HAY-deez
Hygeia – high-JEE-uh
Iliseeum – AH-lee-see-um
Kithreia – kith-REE-ah
Lasania – lah-SAHN-ee-uh
Lotho – LOH-thoh
Massene – mah-SEE-nuh
Pillars of Asphodel – [pillars of] AS-foe-del
Skotos Mountains – SKOH-tohs MOWNT-ehnz
Sirta – SIR-ta
The Carcers – [the] KAR-serz
Thyia Plains – THIGH-ah playnz
Triton Isles – TRY-ton IGH-elz
Vathi – VAY-thee
Vita – VEE-tah
Terms
Arae – air-ree
benada – ben-NAH-dah
ceeren – SEE-rehn
chora – KOHR-ah
Cimmerian – sim-MARE-ee-in
dakkai – DAY-kigh
demis – dem-EEZ
eather – ee-thohr
graeca – gray-kah
Gyrm - germ
imprimen – IM-prim-ehn
kardia – KAR-dee-ah
kiyou wolf/wolves – kee-yoo [wolf/wolves]
meeyah Liessa – MEE-yah LEE-sah
nota – NOH-tah
notam – NOH-tam
sekya – sek-yah
so’lis – SOH-lis
sparanea – SPARE-ah-nay-ah
CHAPTER ONE
The throbbing pain in my throat was fading, and I no longer felt the flames of red-hot agony burning through my body.
Despite the warmth and humidity of Dalos, the City of the Gods, I was now cold—colder than I’d ever been. I thought maybe I was fading because my vision was flickering in and out. I tried to focus on the open doors of the circular chamber I’d awakened in after the Shadowlands siege—in a cage and chained.
I had thought I’d seen a large wolf standing there. A wolf more silver than white.
A wolf I’d known in my heart and soul was him: the Asher, the One who is Blessed, the Guardian of Souls, and the Primal God of Common Men and Endings. The ruler of the Shadowlands.
My husband.
Nyktos.
Ash.
He’d never confirmed that he could shift forms, but I knew it was my Primal of Death. And when I saw the wolf, I’d thought he’d come for me. That I would see him, touch him one last time, have the chance to tell him once more that I loved him. That I’d get to say goodbye on my terms.
But I didn’t see him in the doorway now.
He wasn’t there.
What if he’d never been there?
The arms around me tightened, making my sluggish heart race. Kolis, the false King of Gods, still held me, likely reeling from the realization of who was in his embrace—who he’d fed on.
“Is it truly you?” Kolis’s voice was no louder than a sigh. Tears dampened my cheeks. Were they mine? His? “My love?”
I shuddered. Gods, Ash had been wrong when he said I may feel fear but am never afraid. Because the sound of Kolis simply speaking brought an avalanche of terror. It didn’t matter that it was only Sotoria’s soul inside me. That I wasn’t her, and she wasn’t me. He terrified both of us.
Two leather-clad legs suddenly appeared in my line of vision. My gaze lifted, moving over the shadowstone daggers strapped to his hips. Light brownish-blond hair brushed the collar of a black tunic. The Primal of War and Accord had been facing the doors. The traitorous bastard who’d brought me to Kolis must have seen Ash if he’d been there. Right? In his wolf form, he was massive—larger than any wolf I’d ever seen.
Unless he’d never been there in the first place, and I’d hallucinated him.
My chest hollowed, and…oh, gods, the swell of sorrow was an unbearable pressure, threatening to crush me.
“Your Majesty.” Attes twisted sharply toward us. “She’s not well,” he said. “She’s close to death. You have to be able to feel that.”
“You need to take those embers before she passes,” another voice urged, one that carried a soft lilt. The Revenant, Callum. One of Kolis’s works in progress. “Take them—”
“The embers are the least of your concerns,” Attes interrupted, speaking directly to Kolis. “She is about to die.”
There was no response from the false King. He just…gods, he just held me, his large body trembling. Was he in shock? If so, that made me want to laugh. Which meant I, too, was likely in shock.
“If she dies with the embers, they die, too—along with everything you’ve been working toward,” Callum insisted, drawing my attention to him. He was blurry at first but then came into focus. The Revenant was golden all over: his hair, his skin, and the elaborately painted mask shaped like wings that swept down from his forehead to his jaw on either side. “Take them, my King. Take them and Ascend as the Primal of Life and—”