Taran put the knife down, out of my reach, and tapped his chest. “I’m the god it invokes,darling.”
I blinked in mild surprise while Taran carefully watched my reaction.
“Oh, interesting,” I said, because he seemed to want my feedback, but my mind was so unmoored that I couldn’t make my thoughts travel in a straight line.
I had wondered whether he had any area of patronage, and this one made sense in light of his very casual relationship with property ownership. “Well, it’s hardly as dramatic as hurling lightning bolts, but I suppose it comes in handy more frequently?” I suggested when Taran kept waiting for a response.
“Yes, please do spare my ego now, of all things. Think a little harder.”
I tried to understand what he was saying. “It makes you the god of thieves?”
“If I had a little less mortal blood, I would be,” he said, face still tight and expectant. “Or had any worshippers. Which I don’t. Because before I left for the mortal world, everyone thought I wasnothing but one of the Fallen. I never taught anyone a blessing to invoke my power—at least not here.”
“So, that’s why you were surprised,” I said, realizing where he was going with this line of inquiry. I was ready to get there. I’d hear his plan to lie, charm, and seduce his way into the mortal rebellion. I’d finally get some answers too. What he’d really wanted with me.
“That betrothed of yours,” Taran said, and my pulse began to race in anticipation. “The one who taught you my blessing.”
“Yes,” I said eagerly.
“Someone willing to turn the blessings of the gods to his own purposes. Someone who didn’t hesitate to steal a priestess away from the Maiden. Someone you sailed all the way to the Painted Tower for.”
“Yes,” I said again, allowing myself to adore the elegant lines of his face. Beautiful, even in a rage. Taran’s full mouth tilted with grim satisfaction at having put the clues together at last. Here it was—the true story of the two of us.
“Your betrothed joined the mortal rebellion, didn’t he? That’s how I knew him.”
His conclusion was so inadequate that I felt like I’d missed a stair step. A laugh rattled up through my throat, then another. I wheezed. It convulsed in the back of my throat. I couldn’t breathe.
“Do you not realize we are discussing whether I ought to execute you for blasphemy right now?” Taran demanded, face going outraged. “You were almost a maiden-priest, and you were going tomarrysomeone in active rebellion against the gods?”
I laughed harder, tears beginning to leak out of the corners of my eyes. Everything was right there, but he still couldn’t see me through this ridiculous image he had of me on my knees, Wesha’s devoted priestess.
I pulled one of my hands out of his grip and put it against his cheek, replacing it despite his snarl and attempt to move away.
“Taran, my love, my heart, my beloved two-faced lying bastard, Iledthe mortal rebellion.”
If he’d been paying attention, he could have figured that out by now. I didn’t have a lot of practice in deceit, and I’d covered my tracks poorly.
“You?”
That was enough to make him fully release me and sit back in appalled dismay. He stared at me as though I’d just transformed like a Stoneborn in battle.
“Yes! What did you think I did after Death murdered the rest of my temple?” I asked, fatigue making me snippy. “Cry alone while my country burned down? No. I took my kithara and my knife and I started killing death-priests. I started the rebellion. I led it. You knewme.”
“Youled an army against the gods,” he said, horror and amazement warring on his features.
I didn’t think at this point that he mistook my reasons but merely doubted my capability. Which was insulting.
“I’ve told you enough to explain what happened. All the priests had fled, the gods were silent, and the queen wanted revenge for her sacrificed child. I organized the acolytes who were left behind and started fighting back against Death. In the end, he died and we won.”
Taran’s chest heaved, and the bare muscles of his arms tightened as he considered the knife on the floor. His expression was stricken with the same betrayal I’d felt on the day I discovered who he really was.
“Was it you?” he asked, voice dull.
“Me what?”
“Is that why you were so surprised to see me alive? Did you kill us both? Me and Napeth?”
Oh, that made my heart ache, despite everything.
