Page 10 of Queens

I attempt one more running jump, then plop onto the grass beside David’s chair. He shifts, seemingly intending to give me his seat, but I wave away the offer and collapse onto my back.

“Do you think I’ll be able to do it?” I ask.

“Do what?” David can be so fucking dense.

“Do you think I’ll be able to sneak into Greed and kill Mammon?”

“Oh.” David pauses to think, which isn’t the most encouraging sign. “I think you have the physical ability to kill Mammon. You’re strong, intelligent, and determined as hell. I don’t believe there’s much youcan’tdo. You’re not subtle, though. I’m worried you’ll get angry and expose who you are.”

I think that’s about the kindest thing David’s ever said to me.

“What if she kills me?” I ask.

David snorts. “ThenI’llhave to sneak into Greed to avenge you, and we all know how that’ll turn out.”

Not well. Valeria would have better odds of surviving, but only because she’s a fate. If Mammon caught her, there’s a high possibility she’d torture Valeria for information. If Valeria were tortured, I’d have no choice but to come back from the dead. I don’t know anything about the afterworld, but I suspect it’s not easy to escape.

I clear my throat. “Do you remember Luca?”

I was only five when he died, and while I have a few memories, I don’t remember much about his personality. I’ve heard hundreds of stories, but secondhand knowledge isn’t the same.

“A little,” David says. “I remember you throwing a fit when you found out Luca was a Wrath. You liked being Aziel’s only biological child, mainly because it guaranteed you his title. You promptly announced that Luca was your enemy, which immediately made him my best friend. The enemy of your enemy is your friend.”

David laughs, then continues. “He was this tiny, little helpless infant who stood no chance against you. You were surprisingly kind to him, but I didn’t trust you. I took it upon myself to protect him.”

I faintly remember that. David was exceptionally protective of Luca, and he was always threatening me to get me to stay away. Once, when I got too close, David began crying and screaming, claiming that I had hit him. I’d done no such thing, but my parents didn’t believe me. They punished me. It was bullshit, and I’m still angry about it.

“Did you know Daddy Aziel refuses to have more children?” David asks.

“No,” I admit. “Is it because of me?”

David shakes his head. “Mom miscarried his first child, and then Luca died. He’s convinced he’s cursed.”

Aziel is dramatic. Miscarriages are normal for humans, and Luca died because Mammon’s a vengeful bitch. Besides, I don’t believe for one second that Aziel would ever turn down Mom’s request for another baby. She tells him to jump; he asks how high.

I lie back in the grass and shut my eyes, trying to relax. Spring is Lust’s best season. Wrath is already sweltering this time of the year, and the cool breeze in Lust feels amazing.

David sits up, drawing my attention. “It’s about that time…”

I know, and I’m not looking forward to it. The quickest way to burn through the tonic is by provoking my anger. David greatly enjoys it, and he’s practically chomping at the bit.

“All right,” I say, rising.

David stands, and I chew at my bottom lip as he sets his hat and sunglasses on his chair. His bright-brown eyes are filled with unfiltered excitement. It makes him look so human. Valeria and I inherited the black eyes of our fathers, but David was unlucky.

I hardly have time to prepare before David tackles me to the ground.

He sits on my stomach, his knees digging into the grass on either side of my hips. He feels insanely heavy when my power is dulled, and I fruitlessly shove at his shoulders as he grabs my wrists and pins my arms beside my head.

“David!” I hiss, trying to wiggle free. “What the fuck are—”

Every thought in my head vanishes as he leans forward and puckers his lips, letting a giant droplet of saliva slip from his mouth.He’s going to spit on me. My chest heaves, panic coursing through my veins as I thrash underneath him.

“You better fucking stop!” I scream. “This isn’t funny.”

His methods these past few days have been effective. He’s slapped me. He’s pushed me to the ground and continued pushing me down every time I tried getting back up. He’s even poured a pitcher of ice water over my head. All worked to break the hold on my power, and he’s never resorted to something so vile.

My blood heats, wrath and disgust rising and rising until I’m pretty sure my skin’s about to burst into flames. David notices the subtle shift and takes that as encouragement to continue. I’ve never fought so hard in my life. My arms, shoulders, and legs burn with strain.