interesting plans for each of you."
She gestured toward the amber heart with her scaled hand. "This artifact has been calling to worthy vessels for centuries. It requires someone with the capacity to channel its power, to serve as a conduit between its ancient wisdom and the modern world."
Pierre's inherited memories stirred uneasily. Stories his father had told about things that slept in deep places, waiting for the right person to wake them. "You want me to bond with that thing."
"Want is such a crude word. I need you to fulfill your purpose." Moreau's golden eyes gleamed with fervor that bordered on religious ecstasy. "This heart belonged to one of the Great Serpents, beings that ruled the seas before the current age began. With it, I can reshape the balance of power across all four seas. No more Navy tyranny, no more Revolutionary failures, no more corrupt Marquis playing games with ordinary people's lives."
