I go rigid, my body automatically making space between us. Yorl watches us with voraciously curious emerald eyes. My mouth still works, at least, even as my fingers are consumed with the maddening itch to snatch the heart from Varia’s palm.

“You’re lying,” I say, hard. I nearly killed her brother. There’s no way she would offer me my heart.

“I do many things, Zera,” Varia says to me, dully staring down at the bag. “I omit. I plan. But I don’t lie. If you teach the valkerax beyond that gate to Weep, I will return your heart and release you from my service.”

“You could just command me to teach it to Weep.” My words are lightning striking earth and making wildfire in its wake. “Why bother bribing me?”

“Because I can’t command you to teach it,” she lilts, tilting my heart and bringing her fire-touched finger closer to it, the arteries glowing brighter and hollower. A horrible heat blazes through my empty chest—like the fire is inside me—and I pull back, her command urging me on as the pain does. She nods lightly to Yorl, a command on her lips. “Tell him what dying feels like.”

My mouth suddenly bursts into movement. “Like nothing. Like a great, empty coldness. There’s a white behind your eyes, and then it’s like falling asleep, but all at once.”

Yorl’s gaze narrows slightly at me behind his glasses, his silver-armored tail swishing, but his expression never changes. Varia strokes my heart in her palm like a beloved creature, a pet, her featherlight touch emanating deep inside my chest.

“Now,” she commands. “Tell him what Weeping feels like.”

The hunger mirrors her voice, dark and imperative, and I can feel the magic moving through my unheart like an ocean current—racing for my throat. But unlike the earlier command where everything came out instantly, my body doesn’t obey. I expect my tongue to burst into movement and sound and explanation, but there’s…nothing. I move my jaw experimentally, waiting for words to pour forth. Absolute silence.

I could tell him if I wanted to. I could keep it to myself if I wanted to.

“See?” Varia stops petting my heart and looks up at me, the organ beating earnestly in the dimness. “Anything regarding Weeping is impossible to command. Or, trust me, I would’ve done exactly that the moment I led you down here. I don’t want to give you your heart—you don’t deserve it after what you did to my brother. I want to teach you exactly the consequences of hurting him. But I’m being magnanimous. I’m putting aside my own wants in order to stop this war.” She sighs. “But you…you don’t have to sacrifice anything for what you want. I’ll give you your heart. You’ll have your freedom. All you have to do is teach the valkerax first.”