Page 13 of Hell's Storm

“Then why can’t you look at me?” I snap and look at him. He looks away until he realizes that’s what I was talking about.

“Asura.”

“Get out! I’d rather be alone right now instead of feeling alone with you.”

After a moment, he stands. “I’ll be outside the door,” he says, leaving me alone.

Tears sting in my eyes, and my bottom lip quivers.But I lied. I didn’t want to be alone. I just couldn’t deal with this on top of everything else. Everything feels like it’s crashing down.

I ignore Ozias when I come out of the bathroom, dressed and ready for food. I am still unsure if I can eat anymore because my appetite is ruined, but I know Hazen will want me to. Downstairs, I walk into silence. Agnus stands, moving to me. “I have to go. Maybe I can help find clues at Well’s palace.”

Or what is left of it?“I appreciate that. Thank you. Any tips to help me tame the Flame?”

She shakes her head. “Wells might know. I need to do more research.”

What? Can’t look that up on Google?“Wells is dead,” I deadpan.

“Physically. Mentally, he’ll come to you and help you control the Flame. All the successors have.”

I nod, thinking about how my father has come to me twice. The rage and the sadness were overwhelming, leaving me in the darkness of my subconscious, in a place Circe once was.Now, I believe she’s gone.Where? I’m unsure.I haven’t taken my medicine in hours, and I don’t hear her inside my head, and she hasn’t even tried to take over.

Agnus leaves, and Hades closes the huge gothic doors behind her.

After I sit on the couch, I feel something wet against my foot. I see Cerberus nudging one of his noses against my toe. Staring down at him, I remember when Fenric was small, and we used to put him on the dogs’ back, and Cerberus would let him ride him like a horse. Sadness washes over me.

“I don’t want you to worry about your queenly duties,” Hades starts, making me slowly pry my eyes from his hound.

I almost forgot that now I’m the Queen of Hell. I don’t feel likeher. I feel smaller and weaker than a queen should feel.

“Lucifer and Satan will have control over Hell until you are ready.”

Ready? Will I ever be?

Hazen sets down a grilled cheese sandwich and a bowl of creamy tomato soup. I tell him a quickthank youbefore eating in complete silence. My eyes stay glued to the bowl. I’m so used to sharing a bowl of tomato soup with Fenric. He would make us a bunch of grilled cheese, mainly because that’s all he knows how to do. Afterwards, I look up to stop the tears. All the men are staring at me.

“Can I help you?” I ask.

Inarian stands. “As your hellhound, I think it’s pretty important that you should have told us you were human.”

I stare at him. “That’s what’s on your mind? That I’m human?”

“You have to admit, it changes a lot.”

I scoff. “Like what? That someone is murdering the royal family? Or that I’m the queen?”

“A human can’t be Queen!”

“And yet here I fucking am!” I bark.

He rolls his eyes. “You know damn well the Flame would never have touched your body if Circe wasn’t in there.”

I shrug. “Maybe. Maybe not. You hate it so much, leave. Go back to the academy. Go be a dick somewhere else. I’m not in thefuckingmood.”

He scoffs. “So, you’re just going to drop me like that?”

I am about to sayyeswhen Hades butts in. “No one is leaving, especially not if you are her hellhound. Those assassins could be after you too.”

My eyes lock with Inarian, and I see the pure hatred that he has in his eyes for me. I stick up my middle finger at him.

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