Page 33 of The Divine Lies We Weave

The Viperess hissed, the sound vibrating in Leela’s skull.

Before Leela could deliberate any further, Rajesh led her into an area where the sun blinded every edge of a domed room, split by a table in the center.

She froze, muscles locking and feet sinking deep.

Leela’s pulse quickened, thumping like a sandstorm. She could only focus on his shadows. No… She was clearly dehydrated, because there was no way Rajesh’s shadows were shaped like a scorpion and a man.

Rajesh turned to her with a sad smile.

He had taken her here to show her this. Leela knew for certain, because the look in his eyes told her all she needed to know. There was no way to get out of the giant shadows haunting his frame. She wanted to slap herself for not checking his shadows, because while she was hiding her Flame, so was he.

Traitor!

Did you know?

Liar!

Did you know!?

The Viperess hissed. Obviously not, mortal, otherwise I would’ve had his head rolling on the ground!

A surge of heat rode Leela’s spine. Leela stumbled into the light, gripping her head and teeth grinding, before falling to the ground. She barely registered her knees hitting the hard rock. All she could focus on was the overwhelming anger running through her like hot liquid, burning everything in its path.

When Leela glanced up, a yellow hue was covering everything, as if she were looking through someone else’s eyes. Her body lurched forward on its own accord, fingers arched, and she fumbled forward as if she were learning to walk all over again. Her foot caught on the ground, and Leela slammed against the table. It all happened so suddenly that Leela barely got the chance to realize the Viperess had gained control—or tried to.

Leela focused on her body, feeling the Flame coil back into the depths of her mind. The Viperess was like an overwhelming void inside her, spreading warmth through her skin. It was that heat that told Leela when the Viperess was closer to controlling her.

When Leela finally managed to regain control, she gazed up.

Rajesh stood perfectly still, face slack and eyes widening.

“No… not you…” he whispered.

9

LEELA

Rajesh stayed silent, his head now drooping. He grabbed onto the rocky bench before him, fingers gripping it tightly. Leela didn’t know what to say either. She felt like everyone, including the Viperess, knew what was happening. The incessant small splits of heat rode up and down Leela’s spine, and the sun wasn’t helping.

But the sweat and the smell were the last thing on Leela’s mind.

Rajesh harnessed the Scorpion.

Leela housed the Viperess.

“When?” Rajesh asked, too softly for Leela to hear at first.

“When what?”

Rajesh snapped his eyes to her.

She jolted backward from the infernal rage crossing his expression. He had never once looked at her like that. Sure, perhaps whenever they had problems with their friendship and then their relationship. But he’d never given her a look that felt like a dagger twisting her heart in two.

He stood tall and wiped a hand through his curls. “Since when did you harness the Viperess?”

There was no point hiding it now. Her shadows were always going to give her away. Perhaps, now that someone knew, they would help her get it out.

Not likely!