My eyes widened. The playground?
“And then you threw me in anyway,” Auriel said. “And I survived.”
“Clearly.” She tilted her head to the side. “Go. Leave here. I have no interest in seeing you, or in treating with you. Unfaithful.”
“You are calling me unfaithful! How dare you. You know you cannot send us away!” Auriel snapped.
“Can I not? Can I not do as I please in my own court? You have no jurisdiction here. Not anymore. Your power is notwhat it once was, Auriel, Guardian of the Green Ray. You are diminished from what you once were—no matter how much the light from her breast tries to heal you.”
I shook my head, feeling desperate. We had to enter. We had to get what we came for. I didn’t care what animosity there was between Ma’Nia and Auriel, or how stubborn the Afeya could be. I was not leaving here without the red shard.
Auriel held up his scroll. “Then our bargain is broken. I will make copies of the Valya again. Share what I know.”
“Share what you know?” The Queen lifted an eyebrow in challenge. “What you know is worthless. Have you forgotten? It’s been a thousand years. They won’t believe you. They’ll say it’s a myth. A story. It will be dismissed.”
“You don’t know that,” Auriel sneered.
She shrugged. “Maybe. Maybe not. It won’t change things. You see, some knowledge is priceless. This knowledge, these writings you clutch in your mortal fist, is not. It is worthless without the missing piece.” She gazed at my heart, and red light reflected in her violet eyes. The red ray of the Valalumir. “Go, Auriel. I did not invite you here.”
“No?” he seethed. “But Mercurial made sure I became flesh. He pulled a lot of damn strings to bring me back.”
Queen Ma’Nia stiffened. “Mercurial, First Messenger of Her Royal Highness, Queen Ishtara, also has no jurisdiction here. Whatever he did or did not do will not sway my hand. Go north if you seek Mercurial.”
“I have every right to ask you to return what I gave you. That was our deal!” he shouted.
“You had the right to ask. And to receive. But only in your original body.”
“This is my original body!”
She tilted her head, tapping her chin. “I can see that it is. And yet—there’s something different. This body was not born.”
“Neither was I born last time,” Auriel shouted.
“I need some to think. Time to consider. To decide if this truly honors our bargain.”
“We don’t have time,” I yelled.
“Shhh,” Ramia hissed.
But I didn’t care anymore. They had a bargain, and Rhyan’s life was on the line. She was going to fucking honor it and I was going to do whatever it took to make sure of it.
“I need your help,” I said. “I am begging you. A Goddess is begging a queen. Mercurial acted to bring us here today, and I know you share a goal.”
“So?” She threw up her hands. “You’re here. He succeeded. That does not mean my hand must be forced. I have something you want, sure, but what do you have that I want? Why would I help you, Asherah?” She peered at me from the corner of her eye. “What could a mortal with only part of the Valalumir in her chest offer to me—when I hold the original shard? What favor can you offer in exchange for it?”
“You know that it’s mine,” I seethed. “And your magic will force you to acquiesce to Auriel.”
The Queen only shrugged. I wanted to rip her hair out. But that wasn’t going to get me anywhere. I couldn’t lose more time. I had to save Rhyan. Find him before Sean did. Before Rhyan hurt anyone else. I knew what I had to do. The one thing no Afeya could refuse.
I lifted my chin. “Give Auriel back the shard. And I’ll make a bargain with you, in exchange.”
The Queen’s eyes flashed with interest.
“I’ll make a deal,” I said. “You name the price.”
“No,” Auriel said. “Lyriana, no.”
“Yes,” I hissed. “You have my word. Make me a deal, and fulfill your end of the bargain with Auriel. Tonight.”
