Page 87 of A Match Made in Hell
Sath won’t meet my gaze. He tricked me. All to give me hisjob. I stare at the heart in my hand. I’d be Queen of Asphodel. I’d control the gates.
I could hurt the Sorter. The demons. But –
‘I didn’t pass though.’ I’m almost slurring, struggling to form words, thoughts.
‘The tasks are supposed to prove your ability to resist sin. Itwould be far too risky to hand this much power over to someone with no restraint. To someone unworthy. But they’re not a requirement. The current ruler can pass the heart to anyone he or she chooses,’ Sath says.
‘And you chose me. I’m honoured.’ My words are monotone. I wait for an emotion to come – anger seems like a good bet – but there’s nothing. I’m too shell-shocked. One word rattles round my skull:liar, liar, liar.
There’d been a moment, right after failing wrath, where I’d been happier than I’d ever been. Daydreaming of a future I never thought possible: travelling Asphodel with my friends, Harper,him.
A future that could never have existed, because he’d been planning this all along.
Not a single word he’s ever told me has been the truth. Not a single one.
Liar, liar, liar.
‘Listen.’ Sath steps in front of me, blocking my view of the Sorter, although there’s another loud sigh from behind him. ‘We can talk later. Please, Willow. The only way to keep the gates closed is for someone capable of resisting sin to take the heart. It can’t be her.’
He should have taken one look at me and realised it couldn’t be me either. I’m way too much of a mess to be left responsible for an entire Hell dimension. I’ve proven Ican’tresist sin.
‘Then you take it.’ I try to shove it at him. ‘I can’t do this. I don’twantto do this.’
An image of me sat on the snake throne flashes across my mind, but I toss it aside. I might have chosen Asphodel over Earth but that doesn’t mean I want torule.I don’t want this. I don’t.
‘He can’t,’ the Sorter chimes in. ‘And I’m bored. Hand it over now, and we’ll be spared the tediousness of watching you fallapart. The gates are opening, one way or another. Give me the heart and it’ll be over quickly.’
I’m getting a little tired of people telling me what to do.
More than that, I’m gettingverytired of people’s low expectations of me. The Sorter has no idea who I am or what I can do. She saw what was on my clipboard and believed the same thing as Mum: that I’m a failure who can’t do anything, who gives up at the first hurdle.
But I’ve proven I’m not now. I jumped six hurdles and knocked over the seventh because Ichoseto. I fail when I’m trying to be something I’m not, but when I’m me, I can succeed.
Right now, what I am is angry.
I nudge Sath to one side – I’ll deal with him later – in order to give her the full force of my best glare. She manipulated me as much as Sath did. Pretended to let slip there was a way out, when she was hoping all along Sath would suggest I do the tasks. Made me doubt anyone here would want me when she was worried I was about to change my mind.
‘I’m going to kill you,’ I tell her.
She tuts. ‘You can try. But without the heart, Sath has no power. He can’t protect you.’
I don’t need Sath’s protection. I have something better.
The heart pulses like it’s sensed what I’m about to do. I hold on to my anger, my fury at being put in this position, letting it override the terror simmering underneath.
I have no idea what’s going to happen when I do this. All I know is I can’t let her win. I have to keep the gates closed.
I killed Aric to protect Harper and the others. I’ll do this for them too. For me, even, because this is my home now, and I won’t let the demons overrun it.
‘Tick-tock, Willow.’ The Sorter moves closer. ‘You know you can’t do this.’
‘What I know,’ I tell her, ‘is that I failed wrath on purpose. I’mnot as weak as you think I am. And I’m sick of people telling me otherwise.’
Her eyes flare when she comprehends what I’m saying, and then she’s lunging for me, lightning-fast –
I slam the heart straight into my chest.
30
