Page 43 of The Divine Lies We Weave

Leela glanced around the dining room. The heat was stifling. That, or it was the countless eyes on her. She twirled her hair. She hadn’t noticed it earlier, but everywhere she looked, Gilded Thorns glared in her direction, specifically at her shadows. She supposed that was a given, considering the Flame she harnessed. She cowered in the bench and told herself to find a weapon later.

Leela realized she hadn’t heard or felt the Viperess all afternoon. There was a heaviness in her mind whenever the Viperess stirred and heat on her spine whenever the Flame was trying to control her, but now there was nothing. And that scared her more.

“This is Vedant, he’s a Vessel to the Bull, and Navya, Vessel to the Peacock,” Iravan said. “They’re all in the Silver Gild of the Thorns with Rajesh.”

“Pleasure to meet such a celebrity,” Vedant said. He leaned back with his arms crossed and a sneer. “Who do I have the pleasure to thank for standing in your grace?”

Leela frowned. “I…”

“Ignore him,” Iravan said, tone tight.

“What?” Vedant said. “We have the Viperess in the vicinity of the Scorpion. How are you, of all people, calm?”

“Stop talking, Ve,” Hema said. “No one cares about your opinion.”

Vedant barked. “Oh, you’re funny, Hema.”

“Either shut up or leave,” Iravan snapped. “I’d like to keep my bloodfruit down, thank you.”

Vedant shook his head. “I was just saying⁠—”

“I know you were ‘just saying,’ but don’t. Shut the fuck up. I’m trying to catch up with an old friend,” Iravan said.

“Why, did you fuck her too?”

Leela gaped. She had no idea who this man was, but she really didn’t like the arrogance of his tone. It reminded her of the bullies back in the village, and of the men in the Crimson Palace who ordered her to submit to the palace rules. Any asshole deserved to be crushed.

Iravan threw the bloodfruit at Vedant, who simply parried it. “If I could, I’d rip your fucking skin from your face.”

“But you can’t, can you?” Vedant said, a taunting glint in his eye.

“He can’t, but I can,” Leela said. She stood and leaned over the table. “What is your problem?”

By now, the few people who were sitting nearby had tuned in.

“Problem?” he mocked. “Nothing. Except you standing there, acting like you’re a tough bitch. What are you going to do? Call the Viperess onto me? I must tell you, bulls kill little snakes who get their feelings hurt.”

Heat flashed down her spine, and before Leela could blink, warmth dug into her skin. Yellow coated her vision and she blinked before it disappeared.

Vedant’s smile vanished from his face. Fear blanketed the sarcasm, and he got up and stormed off.

Leela glared after him, anger sizzling through her. Hopefully, that was the last time she ever came near that arrogant asshat again. She flexed her fingers, nails digging into the table.

“What is his issue?” Leela asked.

“Vedant is… How do I say this?” Hema started.

“A fucking asshole?” Iravan suggested. “Say it like it is, Hema. He can’t hear you.”

Hema shuffled. “It’s the Bull. Sometimes, it takes over.”

Iravan rolled his eyes. “You say it like it’s all the Bull’s fault. Vedant was strong-willed and arrogant beforehand, which is why he is the perfect Vessel for the Flame.”

When the warmth subsided from Leela, she sat. “What does that mean?”

“Vessels have to have a sort of personality or skill for the Flame to harness them,” Iravan explained. “Harness the Bat, and you have a good sense of navigation. The Camel? Emotionally vulnerable people. Caracal? Stubborn people. You get the idea.”

“Unless you’re a Peacock,” Navya said, twirling the bloodfruit between her hands with a bored expression. “You only get picked if you’ve nearly died.”