Teeth Are Where Your Heart Was

by Lamia of the Dark

Oneshot. A short exploration of the moment that Zoya fell out of love with the Darkling. (Written for the 100 Ships Challenge, prompt #09: arctic.)

~ Teeth Are Where Your Heart Was ~

For more than half of her life, Zoya had been willing to do anything for the Darkling. Anything to gain his approval. Anything for even a scrap of his attention.

She'd believed there were no limits to what she would do for him.

So it came as a surprise to her when she learned suddenly, violently, where exactly she drew the line.

Anything did not include sacrificing her beloved aunt's life to the Darkling's cause.

He didn't even give her any warning, any chance to save the one part of her family she actually cared about. And in that moment, Zoya knew that he had never cared for her at all, beyond what use she could be to him. And from that moment on, her heart no longer belonged to the Darkling.

It was with the tiger, bleeding in the snow.

~end~