Page 128 of Tale of the Heart Queen

“They’ll have to go through me first,” Nadir growls.

I cock my head and wince.

“Maybe that’s what I’m afraid of.”

CHAPTER 46

RION

THE AURORA KEEP—A FEW MONTHS AGO

Rion shuffled through the papers on his desk with a grim sense of frustration. He’d been working on a new set of amendments to the laws governing The Aurora’s mines. He needed unrestricted access to the labor of the low fae. They were moving too slowly for his liking, and he wanted to extend the length of their shifts while also conscripting more workers.

One of Herric’s journals lay open next to him. In it, the former Aurora King claimed that virulence was an inconstant material. The deposits found closer to the surface were less potent, almost to the point of being devoid of magic. He’d used them to build the Keep, wanting to be surrounded by the material without inadvertently alerting anyone else to its power. It had the added bonus of shielding him from Zerra’s sight as he’d worked on methods to destroy her.

It had been his ode to himself. A monument to all the things he’d accomplished so far and the dreams he had yet to fulfill.

Rion had read those words seized with a sick sense of desire.

How far could he go? How much power could he amass? Would it be enough to fill this aching hole in his chest?

From Herric’s notes, it became clear that the virulence used to create the arks was from a deposit so deep that Herric couldn’t seem to map out its location. In his cynicism, Rion wondered if Herric had purposely created this mystery lest anyone happen upon these notes. The former king also hadn’t deigned to speak to Rion in centuries, further adding to his frustrations. Almost as if he was purposely keeping this information from him.

But it was the strongest virulence the former king had ever encountered, and Rion wanted it.

He returned to his papers, reading them over again.

Once he managed to force these amendments through, Rion could conscript as many low fae as he wanted, no longer concerning himself with their base needs, like food and sleep and water. If one died, he could just replace them, and maybe then he’d find what he was looking for.

He opened the top of his collar and stared out the window before he pushed himself up and strode through the Keep to find himself alone in the throne room. He’d been spending a lot of time here lately. The Torch’s presence had a calming effect, and those warm flames flickering in its mouth allowed him to forget for a short while.

He marched up the dais and dropped onto his throne, leaning back while crossing an ankle over his knee. He pondered in the massive room’s stillness, watching the lights ripple across the sky through the ceiling’s glass dome.

It had been a difficult week. Another riot inside Nostraza, and this time, that girl—Serce’s granddaughter if Cloris Payne was to be believed—had disappeared. He’d already confirmed her two siblings remained behind the prison’s walls, and as far as he could tell, it seemed she’d died in the Hollow. Still, Rion wanted to be sure.

He’d sent his disappointment of a son looking for her. He knew Nadir would keep his secrets. Even if he hated him, Nadir had no choice but to be loyal. Rion had too much insurance to use against him.

Rion had pretended the girl was no one. She might have been the heir of Heart, but her magic was gone, and she was useless.

He should have killed her all those years ago, except that wretched priestess had convinced him otherwise. Why had he let her talk him into anything? She’d convinced him he could use the heir of Heart to claim the land that refused to be claimed, but it was all lies. She had a silver tongue and just enough feigned authority to make Rion fear Zerra’s wrath. Despite his opinions about their god, she was still a god.

When he got his hands on the girl, he’d do what he should have done twelve years ago—end her and do away with the brother and sister, too. This chapter in the history of Heart would finally be over.

You’re on the right track.

A voice popped into Rion’s head, and he shot up in his seat.

Herric.

After all these years.

“What?” Rion asked into the empty space, hardly daring to believe he’d returned.

Heart cannot be claimed as long as its heir lives.

Rion narrowed his eyes. “Where have you been?”

Below. I am the Lord of the Underworld.