Chapter 4
THE TRUTH SHOULD SET US FREE, RIGHT?
Chaya and I made it back to Dharti house before everyone came down for breakfast. Dharma joined us first, her dark gaze knowing.
Of course, Chaya must have told her she was going in search of me, but I was glad she didn’t ask questions.
Not yet, anyway. The last thing I wanted to do was cry in public.
The others trickled into the kitchen, and the drohi made breakfast, scrambling eggs, frying bacon, and toasting bread.
Joe took a seat opposite me, and Bina claimed the spot next to him while her drohi, Thanil, went to join the others at the stoves.
Both demigods were dressed in casual clothes today, Joe in a long-sleeved gray tunic and dark fitted trousers and Bina in a fitted cream shirt and gray trousers.
No training uniforms today, and hopefully never again.
Now that I’d made the decision to tell them that the bond between an Asura and their drohi could be broken, the information was a knot in my belly, desperate to unravel.
But it would have to wait until we got to the royal domain.
Until we were in the privacy of the east wing that Chandra had promised to me and my retinue.
I’d tell them everything once we were settled.
“How’d you sleep?” Bina asked, studying me with a shrewd expression.
“Fitfully. You?”
“Like a boulder.” She gave me half a smile. “Looking forward to our Shahee adventure.”
“Your sire is with Pavan Ghar, isn’t he?” Dharma asked Bina. “You’re getting claimed as seedborn, aren’t you?”
Bina shrugged. “So I’ve been told.”
Dharma tipped her head to one side. “You’re not excited?”
“Excited? To be claimed like a brood mare? Hardly.” Our gazes tangled, and I caught a flash of defiance in her eyes, a flare that matched the fire in my chest. Yes, Bina and I were going to be great friends.
Who would have believed that the woman I thought would be a nemesis would be joining my inner circle?
It just went to show that you could not judge a book by its cover, or in Bina’s case by her sneers and sharp put-downs.
The woman had proven herself to be loyal and honest, and her assessment of Vick had been spot on.
He’d taken advantage of our grief and silence at the loss of Priti and fooled the villagers on Shantivan Isle, regaling them with tales of a sea serpent battle and inflating his role in it.
But once back in Prashikshan domain, the truth had come out, and he’d been relegated to the newbie barracks to start his training from scratch.
Maybe he would be matched with a drohi, maybe not.
Either way, he was not my problem. Not anymore.
Mahira placed cups of chai in front of us. “Be careful, it’s hot.”
“Thank you.” I smiled up at her.
“You are so welcome, Leela.” She stroked my hair, her expression tender, and my heart squeezed painfully in my chest.
I dropped my gaze to the chai, taking a moment to compose myself, and when I looked up, I spotted Erabi making her way toward us.
She looked bright and rested, wings folded about her shoulders like a shawl, her petite form weaving expertly between the tables.
She drew plenty of curious gazes, just like she had yesterday.
Pari were not a usual sight here on Prashikshan.
Asura Ione trailed in after her, and when Erabi paused to look over her shoulder at the woman, she was met with a softened gaze and an expression I recognized. I’d seen the same look pass between my friends and their drohi.
Dharma leaned in and whispered, “Did you see that?”
“Yeah.”
The two women joined us at our table. “All rested?” Erabi asked brightly.
“Yes.” I sipped my chai. “Ready to leave as soon as you are.” My gaze flicked over her shoulder to the kitchen entrance.
Where was Blue?
“The second carriage should be here by now,” Erabi said. “If you like, you and your demigod friends can ride together, and I’ll ride with the drohi.”
I fixed my attention on her. “I’m taking an extra drohi with me. Keyton. He was bonded to my friend, but…she’s gone.”
Dharma stilled beside me. I felt her regard hot on the side of my face. Crap, was she upset about me wanting to take Keyton with me? I glanced over at her, ready to explain, but she smiled and shook her head, reading me easily.
Erabi’s smile, however, dropped, her gaze shifting from side to side as if formulating the correct response.
I sat back and folded my arms. “Just spit it out, Erabi.”
“Very well. Do you realize that in order to take him with you, you’d have to claim him and—”
“I know. But I’m not doing that. He comes with me as is. How large is the second carriage?”
“Large enough,” Erabi said. “But Leela, there are rules and—”
“Some rules are bullshit.” My voice rose a little, the vise that was now ever present around my chest tightening a fraction. “This happens to be one of them. And I don’t want to hear the word servitude again, am I clear?”
My voice rang in my ears. Loud and sharp in the deep silence that had fallen around us.
The Leela from before, the one who’d had her drohi with her, would have been embarrassed to be the center of attention.
She would have ducked her head, apologized for her raised voice…
something. But not me. No. I lifted my chin and unflinchingly met the eyes of several of the demigods and drohi looking my way and was rewarded with smiles and nods for my courage.
Asura Ione cleared her throat and stood. “Back to your meals, please!”
The hum of conversation resumed but lower this time, and I willed my tense muscles to relax.
“You must watch what you say,” Erabi whisper-hissed.
My spine stiffened. “No. I won’t hide what I believe in. I’m a target already, so what does it matter?”
“She’s right,” Joe said. “Fuck everyone.”
“If anyone wants to hurt her, they’ll have to get through us first,” Dharma said.
“Us and our drohi,” Bina added.
Erabi sighed heavily. “Oh, Leela…” She shook her head, but there was a smile in her eyes.
Chaya and Mahira placed plates of toast, bacon, and eggs on the table in front of us.
Erabi beamed up at them. “Thank you so much. This looks delicious.”
The drohi joined us at the table, and everyone began loading up plates. Chaya served Dharma, Mahira catered to Joe, and Thanil filled a plate for Bina. My throat pinched, and the hollow place inside me that was the absence of him yawned wider.
If Araz was here, he’d insist on making me up a plate, and I’d insist on making one up for him. A dull ache bloomed deep in my chest. I reached for an empty plate, and a hand gently grasped my wrist.
I looked up into Keyton’s kind eyes.
“Allow me,” he said.
I opened my mouth to speak but snapped it closed when a sob threatened to spill from my lips.
He loaded up a plate and placed it in front of me. I swallowed the lump in my throat and shuffled up the bench to make room for him. He sat, and I passed him a plate, adding food for him like he’d done for me. When I met his gaze, it was to find him misty-eyed.
I nudged him with my shoulder. “We take care of each other.”
He nodded. “Yes. We do.”
My appetite was gone, but I ate regardless. Bodies needed fuel, after all. Small talk continued around me, but my attention kept drifting to the door. Bina caught me looking and smiled.
“They’ll be here soon,” she said. “Either way, we’re not leaving without saying goodbye.”
The anchors entered the kitchen a few moments later.
Blue was perched on Ida’s back, Lola padding in behind them along with the various other anchors that belonged to the other demigods of Dharti Ghar.
“Blue!” I waved, and he leapt off Ida’s back and vanished between the tables, appearing at my leg a moment later and scampering onto the table.
“Ya won’t believe what’s happening.” He stood, hand on his chest as if catching his breath. “Umbra says we’re movin tomorra. Midday. Only one sleep, chick, and I’ll be with ya. We all will.”
Dharma stroked Ida’s head, and Joe scooped Lola onto his lap.
Garu’s head appeared over Bina’s shoulder, and she reached up to lightly caress his nose.
“Eat up, now,” Erabi said with a smile. “Daylight is wasting.”
Dhoona and Yudh waited on the bridge beside the carriage that I’d arrived in yesterday, but another larger, dark wood carriage was stationed farther down.
This one was pulled by massive black, winged horses with golden manes and eyes like flame.
I’d seen these creatures in stables in the royal domain but hadn’t realized that they were winged.
They waited, still and patient, but I got the impression that if I ventured too close, they’d happily snap their teeth at me.
A woman wearing black pants and a form-fitting tunic sat in the driver’s seat. Her golden hair was coiled at the nape of her head, the rest hidden beneath a hat that reminded me of a bycocket hat from the medieval period of my world.
She glanced over at us as we approached but didn’t greet us. In fact, she made a point to turn her head away in a manner that felt like a subtle but very deliberate snub.
I arched a brow Erabi’s way, and she shook her head slightly, leading me to the white carriage. “Hop on in. Blankets are under the seats.”
I ushered my friends into the carriage but turned to Erabi. “Who’s the other carriage driver, and what’s her issue with me?”
Dhoona joined us, blocking my view of the woman. “That’s Kalani. She’s Danava Arpita’s daughter. Royal blood on the Danava side.”
“Arpita…one of the Authority? Why is her daughter driving a carriage?”
“It’s the way it is,” Dhoona said. “After what the Danava king did, his people and his family have been stripped of status.”
“Except Arpita, who gets a place on the Authority panel.”
“Only because her seat is protected by ancient law,” Erabi said. “I’m sure they would replace her if they could.”
I pressed my lips together. “The Danava king’s actions are hardly her fault. And I don’t see why all his people should pay the price.”