Page 49 of Throne of the Wolf Queen

With a huge smile, I glanced from the Vyrium to the God. Pablo stood, a gentle whine escaping him as I blew out a shaky breath. This man… this God could save us. Save Matthias. A giggle burst out of me as I almost offered a silent prayer to Evella. Only, for once, it wasn’t her saving us. It would be Vyrus, the God who’d spent eternity planning our demise.

‘You can help me. You can help Matthias.’

A scowl passed over his face. ‘No.’

He turned on his heel, storming away, and for a moment I was frozen, watching him go, till I clutched Pablo and sped after him.

‘No?’

The shaky form of Vyrus halted, his shoulders drooped.

‘You heard me, sweetheart. No.’

‘But you’re already helping me.’

He rounded on me and I skidded to a halt, almost slamming into him. Red tinged his cheeks.

‘If you⁠—’

He raised his hand. My voice died as my mouth worked. A wicked glint sparked in his eyes as I shaped the words. The prick had stolen my voice.

I stamped my foot.

‘Now, sweetheart.’ He crossed his arms, an amused tilt to his lips as I mouthed the worst swear words I could muster. ‘This is the deal. I’ve been on this festering planet for almost a thousand years. Searching high and low. She thought if I came here, became one of you, I’d understand why she left me. What it is about the little parasites crawling all over this world that was more exhilarating than her bond to a god. I’ve tried being kind, being rich. I battled in wars and yes, I even fucked a couple of you, but I could never work out why she preferred mortals to me.’ He ran his hands through his beard as I glared at him. ‘The only thing that’s made this entire experience bearable is the narcotics and alcohol. I have to give you mortals that. You seriously know how to get shitfaced.’

The glint left his dark eyes as he came close. ‘There’s… you’re…’ A muscle ticked in his cheek as though he wanted to say more. ‘I get you to the rebels, then I’m gone. You breathe a single word of who I am and I’ll…’ He glanced down to Pablo, shook his head. ‘I’ll kill your sister.’ He laughed at my expression. ‘Yep. You tell a single soul about me, and I’ll take her away from you.’

He walked away, and seething and silent, I followed in his wake. By the time we’d returned to our camp, the sun warmed my skin. Judging by the way he kept peering back over his shoulder, he found the entire thing highly amusing. But as I fought back the tears, I worked through different ways in which I could force him to help us.

I was determined Vyrus was staying with me. God or not, I’d drag him back to Asmar and there, we’d free Matthias. He could abandon us and drown in his bottle afterwards, for all I cared. But there was no way I’d let that God out of my sight till he’d returned Matthias to me.

CHAPTER 19

SORROW

Vyrus’s chest lay empty, hollow as the crater his ill-fated meteor had torn from the earth. Evella returned to her people, casting all thoughts of her desolate lover from her mind.

​— ​THE HISTORIES AND PROPHECIES OF THE STAR-CROSSED GODS. CHRONICLES OF VYRUS

I gripped my reins tighter as the God looked back over his shoulder, his brow raised. I wondered how much damage my fist could cause if I slammed it into a divine being or would my knuckles shatter against his jaw? His expression was lost to me, but his amused snort had me twisting the reins. Vyrus had removed his constriction, allowing me to speak again, but my lips remained in a tight line.

A few weeks ago, my greatest threat had been the stepfather who despised me. My husband, my constant, back by my side. Our love expanding every moment we were blessed to spend together. A new family had welcomed me and a great Deviant believed in me. Trained me, never once giving up on me.

And now?

Now, my steed trailed after the God my husband had saved me from. A God. I wondered what Matthias would do if he could see me now. Following Vyrus, desperately racking my thoughts for the words that might persuade a vengeful God to help a Deviant with increasingly erratic gifts rescue the man she loves. Provide me with the balance I sought. Perhaps take on the empress and end this nightmare we’d stumbled into.

And my mind had always been eager to learn more. Absorb every fact and wonder my world held. I huffed as Pablo trotted ahead, the trees pressing in. Imagine what secrets Vyrus held? The stories? He’d already let it slip that the sacrifices were pointless. Each decade, we threw ten mortals into the flames of the volcano named after the God scratching his ass ahead of me. I’d been told my death would appease him. That my sacrifice ensured life on Eusis would continue safe in the knowledge Vyrus would never again destroy our world.

But that was bullshit.

The Brotherhood was built upon poisonous legends. Through fear of deathly reprisals, we submitted to their demands. Some people happily gave their lives in the misguided belief their death protected humanity. I cursed as my horse whickered, sending out a silver thread to calm her thundering heart. Did the Brothers know their grip was based on lies? Did they laugh after they’d sent us to the flames? I shivered. I hadn’t even sought the name of the poor soul who’d replaced me in the Tower. A soul who no longer breathed.

The sky darkened and my horse stamped, her ears fell back against her head as she tugged on the reins.

‘There’s a storm rolling in.’ I gripped the pommel tighter as Vyrus turned. ‘I wouldn’t encourage that horse to slow down, sweetheart.’

‘She’s spooked,’ I hissed. ‘And I am not your sweetheart.’