Page 125 of Terror at the Gates

His frown deepened when I told him about Saira and the jade, then morphed into a strange anger when I explained what she’d said about the true gods, the Messiah, and the sword she’d called the Deliverer.

I even told him about the Order of the Serpent.

When I finished, he was quiet. The longer he went without speaking, the more fidgety I felt. I rubbed Cherub’s ears to the point that she swatted my hand away.

“Well?” I asked, finally unable to handle his silence. “Is your world imploding, or am I the only one?”

“Not imploding,” he said, scrubbing his face with the palm of his hand before crossing his arms over his chest.

“Do you believe it?” I asked.

“Which part?”

“Any of it,” I said.

I had struggled with religion for years and questioned the teachings of the church, but I’d never expected to have my entire belief system, the thing I’d built my values and ethics on, destroyed. I certainly hadn’t expected to face another possibility altogether, which was the existence of multiple gods.

“The stories come from somewhere,” he said. Again he was quiet, dragging the edge of this thumb over his bottom lip.

“You won’t give the blade back to Lisk, will you?” I asked.

I didn’t think he would, but I still had to ask.

“I wasn’t planning on it,” he said. “But I’d like to know why he wants it.”

I lowered my brows. “What do you mean? It’s in his best interest to keep them a secret, maybe even destroy them. He loses his power, his credibility, if the world finds out thereare other gods.”

Although he deserved that and more.

“Or maybe he gains more power if he reforges the sword,” Zahariev said. “The witch said the blade can open the other gates. Lisk would have a key to end the world.”

“That’s only if the other six doors actually hold fire and water like theBook of Splendorsays,” I said.

“I’m betting Lisk knows for certain,” said Zahariev. “He knew enough to start collecting the daggers. He’s targeting people who speak openly about these gods. He has a lot of information for someone who preaches about the existence of only one god.”

That was true and something I’d been suspicious about when he’d targeted Tori.

“He’ll be at the gala tomorrow night,” I said. “Should we make it interesting and ask?”

“I don’t think he’ll talk without some encouragement,” said Zahariev.

“I could make him,” I said.

The suggestion hung heavily between us. I couldn’t lie; it made me sick to think about. It meant that I would have to harness the desire this man—this monster—had for me, the same desire he’d had for me when I was achild.

But now I could use it against him.

I could ruin him.

“No,” Zahariev said, his voice firm and final.

“Why not?” I asked. I felt a little defensive about how quickly he shot me down. “It’s the quickest way to get the truth and not as messy.”

“Maybe I want to punch him in the face,” said Zahariev. “And I’m not letting you do that.”

“Letting?”

Oh, I hated that word.