Page 178 of Tale of the Heart Queen

“You’re here because of this.” He reaches into an invisible pocket and draws out the ark of Heart. Oh gods. No. I think back to the notes we found in Rion’s study. I was right.

All this time, we’ve been so focused on Rion’s plans when it was actually the Lord of Hell who we should have been worrying about.

He stops and faces me, twisting the object between his fingers.

“I want you to destroy it,” he says.

“Why?” I ask, stalling for time because I know why.

He wants to kill Zerra and take her place.

His mouth twists up at the corner. “Because I’ve been trapped down here for thousands of years, and I’m tired of it. I have waited a very long time to take my rightful place as a god, and you’re going to help me.”

I blink, cursing my utter stupidity. In my desire to save myself, have I opened the door to something so much worse?

“How does that work? How will it free you?”

Herric grins and tosses the ark in the air before he catches it. He paces a few steps and then pivots around with his hands behind his back. “While everyone believes the Artefacts to be the most powerful objects in Ouranos, this ark is imbibed with years of Heart magic. Mined from the lowest pit of the mountains, it contains multitudes.”

He spins the end on the tip of his finger, the sparkles flashing in the light.

“I’ve spent many years learning how I might break the tether that keeps me bound here, and this is the key. Zerra grows weaker and the barrier between this world and yours grows thinner with each passing century. That’s how I managed to contact the perfect, gullible little pawn to aid in my schemes. The fact that he has absolutely no conscience ensured my plans went off without a hitch.”

His attention drifts to Rion, whose face stirs into the slightest hint of emotion as his brows draw together. Herric tricked Rion into delivering both me and the ark. I had no idea the Aurora King was this big a fool. Clearly, I’ve been giving him way too much credit.

“After I earned his trust by explaining how to steal his father’s crown, all I had to do was wait for the Primary of Heart to appear and the ark to be found. When it’s destroyed, it will generate an immense amount of power,” Herric continues. “It will last for only a few seconds, but it will be enough to harness and break myself out of this place.” He tips his head and mock pouts. “As you see, we are both caged in our own way.

“And once Zerra is dead, I will be able to take her place, right where I have always belonged.” He flips the ark again and smiles. “And you’ve been so generous in helping me with that, haven’t you?”

“I don’t know what you mean,” I answer, hoping he can’t detect my lie. Does he know all but two arks remain? Or has Tyr completed the task yet? Is the ark of Heart all that’s left?

He smiles in a way that tells me he knows.

A thousand thoughts churn through my head.

He wants to free himself and, in the process, kill Zerra with the ark.

I also want to kill Zerra with the ark.

He wants to take over Zerra’s position.

I do not want that, despite what the Empyrium want. Speaking of which, where the fuck are they? Do they not realize what’s happening?

But I can’t let Herric take over.

If I get the ark and destroy it, I can’t do it in his presence.

I press a hand to my forehead, feeling a headache build behind my eyes.

Herric tips his head. “Is she not trying to kill you?” he asks.

“So let her kill me,” I snarl. “It would be a better fate than allowing you to terrorize Ouranos. I’d rather die than help you.”

The Empyrium refused him last time, claiming his heart was too dark. I carry little hope that he’s changed during all his years trapped down here.

Heart might be lost if I fail, but everyone is lost if he escapes this world.

“I thought you might say that,” Herric says. “So perhaps we can make this interesting.”