Page 134 of The Divine Lies We Weave

Leela…

Darkness crept into the frills of his mind, sliding over his eyes as an icy chill sucked him under like water would under freezing temperatures.

He wished he could’ve told her how he felt. He tried to remember the last words they spoke to one another. Were they kind? Loving? Argumentative…?

“I—” Rajesh choked on blood. “L—loved…”

Hold on, I have you…

The darkness dragged him under its icy claws, taking the memories of holding Leela in his arms with it.

The Viperess won.

Rajesh laid down his weapons all in the name of divine lies.

32

LEELA

Leela couldn’t breathe. She was stuck inside her mind as her greatest nightmare unfolded before her eyes. The hopelessness in her bones finally gripped her, tightening its claws and sinking deeper… deeper…

Rajesh was dead, lying in a pool of his own blood.

Dead.

No more talking.

No more long night discussions.

Nothing.

All she could do was scream into the endless void, the glass before her quivering. She had banged against it the entire time, trying with everything in her power to stop the Viperess. But she’d failed. The Viperess had been too powerful, and with every detail, Leela couldn’t help but realize it was all too staged.

A revenge plotted right down to the final piece.

The Viperess had always been powerful, but she’d allowed Leela small acts of grace to make her think she had control. No. Leela was so naïve. She had never had control over her body or mind. The Viperess was always going to control her, at least until Rajesh birthed the final monster of love.

The Viperess stood in Leela’s mind and wavered before the glass with a vacant look, lips shaking. I… I did it.

Leela curled her lip and glared at the Viperess. Does it feel good?

The Viperess tilted her head. It will sink in, mortal. This should be a good feeling.

Leela burst into more tears. She screamed. She cried. She curled into a ball in the darkest pits of her mind and wallowed until she couldn’t breathe anymore. Everything hurt and grew numb all at once, emotions twirling like rapid sandstorms she couldn’t control.

It was over. The Viperess had won, but the Flame didn’t even look pleased with herself. Her centuries-old revenge, and she had done it. She had hunted down the one person she wanted, and now, Leela’s love was dead.

She should’ve been stronger. Should’ve persevered against all odds and driven a katar through her own heart. Anything to stop this from happening.

“The curse is lifted,” the Viperess said. “The sandstorms will finish with his bloodline.”

Leela didn’t give a shit. She ignored the Viperess and continued to rock in place. The motion didn’t calm her, but she had to do something or else she would feel like she was being sucked into a black pit.

“There is no one here with his bloodline, so he is free,” the Viperess said. “Rajesh played his part perfectly.”

At that, Leela snapped. She flung herself at the glass standing between her and the Viperess. “Don’t you dare! Don’t you fucking dare talk about him like that!”

The Viperess gave her a sad smile. “I am sorry, Leela. I know what it is like to have loved and lost.”