“Was forcing you to dye your hair red one of the ways he has begun to do so?”
The smug tilt of her lips faded.
“Does he want you to look like her?”
She didn’t answer.
Disgust curled in my gut as the anger deepened. “You follow a god, who has allowed his obsession for a woman who never wanted him, to rule him for millennia.”
Her jaw worked. “A woman who no longer has his love.”
“I never said love. I said obsession. Are you also incapable of telling the difference?”
“Does it matter?” she countered.
It didn’t. I was done with this conversation. I exhaled slowly. “Where has he hidden himself away?” I waited. “Are you going to make me ask twice?”
“You can ask as many times as you like.” Silver eather spat from her fingers, spinning down the length of her blade. “The answer will be the same.”
I let out another sigh.
The god moved quickly, jerking her arm back. She let the dagger coated with essence fly.
But I was quicker.
I disappeared in a shroud of smoke and shadows that shattered the dagger and swallowed the bolt of eather. She jerked back, her gaze darting over the Hall.
I reappeared behind her as I let my hold on the essence snap. The tingle between my shoulders began to burn as bones snapped and fused, slipping through the tears left in the thick material of the coat from the last time. My flesh thinned and hardened. The shadow of twin arcs sweeping upward appeared in the glow of the moonlight reflected off the floor.
I let her whirl around.
Let her see me.
After all, the shock splashing over their faces and the ensuing fear that followed was quite satisfying. Witnessing it gave me something to look forward to.
The god didn’t disappoint. Her mouth dropped open as she stumbled back, tripping over a tangle of vines. She lost her balance and went down on her ass, the scent of her fear coating the air.
My lips curved up on one side. “What was it that you said you would do?”
She stared wordlessly, her gaze darting from the wings to the crown and its staggered spires shaped like antlers.
“I’m sorry?” I tilted my head. “I can’t hear you over the sound of your pounding heart.”
Her throat bobbed on a swallow. “What…what are you?”
If I had a coin for every time I’d been asked that, I’d…well, I’d have a shit ton of coins. “You don’t want to find out. So, tell me where he is.”
She scampered back as I strode forward, the vines retreating to clear a path.
“Tell me.” I knelt before her as a raven landed on my shoulder. “And I’ll make this painless.”
“He is Death,” she forced out between quick pants, eyes darting to the raven. “He is everywhere and nowhere.”
“Is that supposed to impress me?” I stretched my neck to the side as the essence crawled beneath my skin, the raven mimicking the action. “In case you’re wondering, it doesn’t.”
“It should frighten you.”
I laughed, and the sound was full of frosted smoke and chilled shadows. “It does not.”
