Page 90 of The Lost Reliquary

“And how long have you been watching us in Cyprene?”

“Since soon after your arrival.”

“So why haven’t you killed us?”

“Well…” Avery’s chin lifts, a questioning look in his eyes. “Because then I wouldn’t have an explanation for why I’m alive.”

“The Goddess is merciful. Maybe I can be too.”

“We both know the Goddess’s mercy would never stretch so far as to spare a known heretic, especially one masquerading as their cleric.”

Can’t argue that. “You’re right. Maybe it was a mistake.”

I draw a sickle and move toward Avery, forcing him to step back. But with the statue of Tempestra-Innara behind him, there’s nowhere to go. I see a flicker of fear on his face; he’s wondering if he’s miscalculated. Only for a moment, though; after it passes, he simply waits, as if resigned to his fate.

Good. If his resolve had broken, if he’d broken down and begged for his life, I probably wouldn’t have been able to get the next part out.

Nolan isn’t the only one beginning to get desperate.

“You want to know why you are alive?” I say. “Because I know what you are trying to do.” His fear turns to uncertainty as I resheath my weapon and take a breath. “There are two key parts to this situation. The first is that you and your heretical friends tried to kill Tempestra-Innara, and that you plan to try again. The second…” Here we are, the crux of the matter. The part that’s likely to get me killed, one way or another. “The second—and far more important one—is… is that I want to help.”

I give him a minute with that. A generous one. After all, it’s not every day that one of the Goddess’s Chosen professes to wanting to take them out. And I need it too; finally speaking that truth aloud feels like an unexpected blow to my solar plexus.

Like skin flayed back, revealing innards below.

Like the emptied aftermath of a particularly bad case of food poisoning.

I cross my arms over my quivering gut, willing my heart to slow. To not give away my own apprehension. This seemed like a good idea a minute ago. And maybe it is. But I don’t have Nolan’s silver tongue, his calculating subtlety that might have navigated this game with intricate caution. I’m showing Avery my whole hand and hoping I haven’t fucked up completely.

I expect more fear from him, confusion, maybe even an accusation of mistruth, but he merely nods his understanding.

Which needles. “Youbelieveme?”

“Are you lying?”

“No,” I say. “It’s only that… well, I expected to be challenged a bit more on that particular revelation. I’ve only been keeping it secreted away for most of my life.”

A smile touches his lips. “It’s certainly a first in regards to confessionsI’ve heard. And yes, hard to believe. I had my suspicions but… I never really imagined that any of the Goddess’s Chosen would—could—turn on them.”

“What can I say?” I shrug. “I’m not like other Chosen.”

“After what you said to me in the woods, about the Goddess’s mercy… when you didn’t kill me even though you must have known who I was…” He trails off. “You’ve been a mystery, Lys, ever since we met. I’m glad to finally have some answers, even if I still don’t understand why.”

“Why what?”

“Why you would betray such a coveted life.”

Suddenly, I feel like the vulnerable one. As if my revelation were a blade I handled, only to have Avery turn it back on me. “I shouldn’t have to explain myself to a heretic.”

“So-called heretic,” Avery counters. “I know the power of the gods. What I don’t believe is that we were meant to be ruled by only one.”

“And I believe that when the Goddess is dead, I’ll be free for the first time in my life. Thateveryonewill be liberated from an era of divine rule that’s obviously run its course. Actually, no, I really only care about me. The rest of the world can take up worshipping frogs and fiddleheads for all I care. So long as I don’t have to be a part of it.”

Another patient smile.

“Here’s the deal,” I continue, done with that subject. “We know about the reliquary.” No reaction; he must have known—or at least expected—we’d been informed about the particularhowssurrounding the assassination attempt. “Emmaus failed because he was too weak to handle the effects of the dead god’s blood. But I’m already chock-full of divinity; I’ve been blessed by it, and survived that blessing. Which means the chances are much,muchhigher that I’ll be able to control it. I came here to find it, take it from you. But we can make this easy: Hand the reliquary over, I’ll take my shot at my dear blood mother. Hopefully, I’ll win. And then we all get what we’re after, yay!”

“Lys…” Despite the unparalleled offer, Avery has theaudacityto shake his head. “It’s not that simple.”