Heaven Hath No Rage - Book Two

Carriages and Conversations

Ava could feel her head pounding. She had such a crippling headache and it wasn't made any easier with the constant swaying and bumping from the carriage. It had been a long night of packing with little sleep. She was fighting the need to get some rest and every time she blinked, it was more difficult to open her eyes back up. She was going through a physical struggle but also, an internal one. She didn't want to go to The Center. She was terrified of what her father would say to her but what made it even worse was the person in the carriage with her.

"It's not a short journey," Viv said, her eyes trained on Ava even though she was paying her no mind, "You could speak. It'll make time go by faster."

"I have nothing to say to you," Ava replied, crossing her arms over her chest and fighting a yawn.

"There is a lot you could say. Perhaps even 'thank you for saving me from a ship that smells and a life of needless selflessness.'"

"Has anyone ever told you that you're a monster?" Ava said and finally looked over, locking eyes with Viv.

She smirked, "It's one of my favorite compliments."

"How did you end up this way? Did your mother not love you enough? Did your father drink and say mean things to you?"

"What stinging words from a Lady," Viv laughed, "some people can just be bad without having tragedy befall them."

"So you know you're a bad person," Ava pressed.

"I don't think I am, people tell me I'm a bad person and it's a perception that matters," Viv shrugged, "I just do what I need to survive and if that means I'm a bad person, then I am. I'm sure you know a thing or two about compromising morals to do what's needed to survive."

"We are not the same."

"You're right," Viv chuckled, "you haven't experienced true hardship a sun in your life."

"I don't need to prove myself to you. You can stop speaking now," Ava bit.

Viv just laughed and slumped back against her seat. Her eyes were still trained on Ava, unwavering. Ava didn't indulge her, she kept her arms crossed and her gaze focused on the window of their carriage.

"So, you and Theo were a thing, huh?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Ava said and didn't whip her head over to her companion like she wanted to.

"Please," Viv laughed, "I knew the moment she was fussing about your safety in Niveal that she was a goner for you."

"Apparently not, since Theo's the reason I'm back here," Ava looked back over at Viv.

"Oh, I thought you blamed me for that?" Viv taunted, "What's your lover got to do with it?"

"Nothing," Ava shook her head. No one outside of the crew knew the truth about how she had arrived home and she wasn't going to offer up free information. Now that she was talking, she needed to seize the opportunity to get information, "how did you find out who I was?"

"I was following a lead. Figuring out who the person behind the pirate hunt was," Viv explained, "I stood to make a lot of money from that information, by the way, before your dear Captain fucked me out of my fair payment."

"That doesn't answer my question. I need details."

"You're quite demanding, princess," Viv said with a slight raise to her brow then leaned forward, "I came to Northern Elox following some information. Your father had your face printed and distributed all over his dominion. Some sort of reminder of what they had taken from everyone or whatever narrative he was trying to push. At the time I didn't think much of it. But that's a face you don't forget and when I saw you in Drokian, I knew I had hit a bigger jackpot than what I had been chasing."