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A cold sweat broke out across Hel’s body. An itch started at the back of his mind. He did vaguely remember learning about a tournament to become a god. If his own, if Val’s had been placed into another, then how would they get it back? “Who are the three rumored to have our immortality?”

“Come now, Hel. You’re intelligent. If you were on the council and wanted to give immortality to three someones, who would they be?” Synick asked.

Someone he loved. A child. A lover. If memory served, the tournament they held long ago was for thosethe councilnominated; not just anyone could participate.

Hel felt the blood drain from his face. Pricilla’s heir. He’d used Soulender to cut off his head. Pricilla hadn’t attacked him when he shoved her son’s head on a pike. Had he destroyedhis own immortality or Valeen’s or Thane’s?Fuck, had she sacrificed her own child and checkmated him?

There was the potential for taking someone else’s but he didn’t want someone else’s immortal strength. He wanted his own. It was a part of him. Anything different would feel wrong.

“Give me names,” Hel snarled.

“I said I knew where they were. By that I meant inside someone else. I don’t know who.” The decaying side of his face twitched as something skittered inside it.

“Why didn’t you tell me this before?”

“When have I ever given you a completed puzzle? I give you pieces. That’s the way it’s always been. I gave you Rogue and you killed him. I gave you this. It’s up to you to find out more.”

There was more he knew. As much as Hel wanted to drive his dagger through the fucking bastard, he might need him.

When he was young, Synick intimidated him, scared him. There had been a small measure of respect for the primordial, even if he hated him. Now looking at his sickly, dirty state, Hel wondered what there ever was to be afraid of. Though caged beasts were dangerous when trapped and cornered. He turned on his heel and left the cell, slamming it closed without ever touching it. He faced his former mentor; the sad state of someone he once thought was untouchable reminded him of his own vulnerability. Anyone could be a step away from freedom to being chained in the dark like an unwanted animal.

“I want food, Hel. I want a bed and a fire. It’s colder than the winter goddess’s tits down here. I’ve given you two valuable pieces of information. You owe me.”

With a snap of Hel’s fingers, a bed made of straw and covered with burlap appeared. “A bed and a blanket for two pieces of information. But I don’t owe you anything. It shows my utter benevolence just keeping you alive. After what you did to my wife and her sister, you owe an eternity of favors.”

After making certain the lock was secure, and the guard waiting went back to his position, Hel found a bench outside. He laid on his back and stared up at the white puffy clouds, letting the sun bathe across his face. He should have seen this coming. Should have known they’d give the most precious gift of all, becoming a god, to others. “Fuck, I need a drink.”

“Me too. We could go to Nerium Oleander and meet dear sweet Evalyn.”

Gods, why does the Maker insist on torturing me?Hel took in a slow controlled breath before he sat up and faced the dragon wench he wanted dead. Varlett stood with her arms crossed, one hip popped out. No horns or talons out today. Which only made him more suspicious of her. And was she wearing… face powder? The pink cheeks weren’t usual. Was she trying to make herself look less threatening?

He deadpanned, waiting for her to explain her unwanted presence.

“No?” she dropped her hands to her sides. “It will be fun. We can drink until we forget all the terrible things we’ve done.”

He continued staring. Hopefully making her uncomfortable. He might growl and hiss if he thought it would make her go away. Just looking at her made him want to set fire to something, preferably her. Her hair in bright orange flames, her skin melting away, it would be glorious… if a dragon could burn. “There isn’t enough alcohol in all the realms to make me forget what you did. I could be passed out, nearly dead, and I’d still fucking remember.”

She huffed as if he was being absurd. “And you’re so perfect? You are without a blemish on your record? We’ve all done terrible things. Even your precious Valeen.”

“Name one thing that Valeen has done that’s even comparable to you?”

“She stole Soulender and started the war of the realms.”

“Gods, you’re siding with the council now, aren’t you? You’re going to betray us in the end. I can already see it.” She was like a plague that slowly ate away at everything good until it finally claimed life.

“I made my bet on who is going to win. I gambled my life on Valeen, otherwise, I’d have never tied myself to her.”

Hel grumbled and stood, shoving his shoulder into her as he passed. “It’s not wise to remind me of that fact.” He kept his eyes on the gravel path ahead, willing her to just disappear behind him. A soldier leading a white horse came toward him. The clop of the hooves only brought on fantasies of jumping on and running her down.Crunch.Crack.

“If you can be forgiven for all that you’ve done, I should get that chance too. I was young, jealous, and stupid. You can understand that at least.”

Hel whirled on her and shoved a finger into her chest. “I can understand that you lied to me. I can understand that you played us all against each other up until a few weeks ago when you were found out. You aren’t stupid or young, Varlett. Jealous, certainly, but you knew what you were doing.”

“There was no point I could have ever confessed without you immediately killing me. I wanted the truth to come out, but you haven’t exactly been stable or forgiving.”

Heat crawled up his spine. His hand trembled with the urge to wring her neck. “Get out of my sight.”

“You’re the one who told me to be here. I was fine in the woods alone.”