Page 65 of Tale of the Heart Queen

The corners of her mouth twitch as though she’s amused. Or gassy. It’s kind of hard to tell which.

“If you’ll just give me Nadir back, we’ll be on our way.”

“He’s very angry with you,” she says. “I told him what you did.”

“I don’t care. I would have told him too.”

Zerra’s answering laugh is full of derision.

“Of course you would have. Noble Lor.”

“What is your problem with me? Why are you so . . .” She tilts her head in expectation, waiting to hear what I’ll say. But maybe I shouldn’t insult her right to her face.

“Amazing,” I finish lamely. The lie is so obvious she narrows her eyes.

“I’ll pretend you didn’t say that. I have another mission for you.”

A growl builds in my throat. I kept trying to ignore the voice that told me this might happen. She will not keep him from me. I will destroy her.

“I did what you asked. Give me back my mate.”

“But you’re very motivated right now.”

My shoulders hunch with aggression as I take a step towards her. “You promised me.”

“I did,” she says, touching her bottom lip. “But I’ve never been very good at promises, have I?”

White hot rage churns in my gut, burning a line of fire through my chest. She stares at me with that haughty look, and I imagine carving out each eye and her nose with excruciating slowness, leaving her mouth intact so she can listen to the sound of her own brutalized screams.

“You can’t do this! Return him now!”

My voice echoes off the high corners, and I suck in a long breath, trying to temper my reaction, even as I boil with fury inside. “Whatever else you want, I’ll do it if you give him back. I swear it.”

She seems to consider that. “But how can I be sure? I have your loyalty right now, but if I let you go, you might turn against me.”

“You’re a god. Surely you’re not scared of me.”

Her eyes narrow with such coldness that I wonder if I’ve touched a nerve. What does she fear? What does the goddess Zerra worry about? Does she know what the Empyrium want from me? How does she feel about that? I’m desperate to ask, but I’m not sure if the question will set off another list of reasons for her to torture me. She doesn’t seem very happy, but maybe she likes her role, and if she knows I’m to be her replacement, what might she try? I doubt she’ll believe me when I say I want no part of it.

“Of course I’m not,” she snaps. “But I don’t trust you.”

I hold out my hands and approach her slowly, like trying to appease a snarling beast. “Listen, I swear I will do what you ask, but Nadir knows more about Ouranos than I do. He knows all the rulers and can get us an audience anywhere. This will go faster if I have his help.”

I give her a forced smile as she scans me from head to toe. She seems like maybe she’s considering it.

“You must think I’m a fool,” she replies, and my shoulders sag, my emotions cycling between anger and defeat as Zerra makes my head spin.

“No,” I say, rubbing my face and the back of my neck, realizing how filthy and sweaty I am. What I wouldn’t give for a cold shower and some soap right now.

“Besides, you won’t need his help. You already know Aphelion extremely well.”

“Aphelion?”

“You’re friendly with the warder? The rebel leader?”

“I . . . sort of?”

“I want their ark.”