Chapter 6
ARE WE LIVING THE DREAM?
LEELA
Once we landed on the Shahee Kshetra, the journey to the palace was filled with gasps of awe and wide-eyed wonder as my friends took in the city.
When we entered the Prakaash Maarg, zooming toward the upper level of the domain, everyone let out a cry as our stomachs dipped.
The light vortex deposited us on the uppermost level, and a few minutes later, we were on the silver tree-lined path to the palace.
The fairytale castle came into view soon enough, its gold and white domed turrets gleaming in the sunlight while its many arched windows stared at us like eager eyes.
“Oh. My. God,” Dharma said, head hanging out of the window. “It’s massive.”
“That’s what she said,” Joe muttered. He yelped, glaring at Bina. “Why’d you kick me?”
“Because you were being vulger,” Bina said. “And lying, no doubt.” She smirked.
“Ask Mahira if you don’t believe me.”
“Joe!” Dharma looked over at him in disgust. “Seriously?”
The carriage came to a halt, and a few moments later, Dhoona opened the door. We clambered out onto gravel as the carriage carrying Erabi and the drohi rolled up behind us.
“It’s impressive,” Bina said, head tipped up to take in the palace.
I looked over at Kalani’s carriage. She didn’t get off her seat to let the drohi out; instead, she sat with her gaze fixed straight ahead, reins held in her lap.
Yudh strode over and opened the door. Erabi climbed out, followed by the drohi. Everyone had barely exited when Kalani cracked the reins, jolting the chaysavar into motion. Her carriage rolled past us and around the fountain to our left, heading back the way we’d come.
“Oh…what a wonder,” Mahira said, her hand pressed to her chest as she took in the palace.
Thanil came to stand beside Bina. “It certainly is.”
A woman appeared around the side of the building, small and plump, dark hair threaded with silver piled high on her head.
She was dressed in a maroon skirt with a fitted tunic over the top, a black shawl draped over her shoulders.
She bustled toward us, her lips curving in a huge, welcoming smile as she took us all in.
“Jhanti.” Erabi hurried toward her, arms open for a hug.
The woman’s shawl slipped off her shoulders, flaring up behind her in a shimmer of silver and black. Wings, like Erabi.
The two hugged, and Erabi led her over to us. “Jhanti is the head housekeeper for the palace and a close personal friend of mine, although we haven’t seen much of each other the past few weeks.”
“You’re always so busy,” Jhanti said, her dark eyes crinkling at the corners.
“So are you,” Erabi said.
“Oh, we have been, especially since yesterday when Guru Chandra commissioned a nest for anchors to be built on the palace grounds.” Her eyes went wide.
“He is usually so particular about the aesthetics of the gardens, and the nest will most certainty create an imbalance to the symmetry of the grounds. But he was insistent that the anchors be kept close.” She smiled at me, dark eyes alight with warmth.
“He cares very much for your comfort, blood of Vijayroodra.”
“Please, just call me Leela.”
She blinked in surprise. “I couldn’t possibly be so bold as to—”
“Just do it,” Erabi said with a soft chuckle. “Trust me, Jhanti, it’s what she wishes.”
Jhanti inclined her head. “Very well…Leela, you and your companions must be tired after your journey. Come, let me show you all to the east wing.” She headed back around the side of the house.
“We only use the front entrance for events. You’ll be coming in and out through the east entrance, which also provides access to the east wing. ”
I glanced back to see Dhoon and Yudh standing by their carriage and slowed my pace. “Jhanti, wait…”
The housekeeper stopped and looked back. “Yes, dear?”
“What about Yudh and Dhoona? Chandra added them to my retinue as security, right?”
“Oh, yes, don’t worry, dear, they will be staying in the east wing too. They’ll join us once they’ve taken the carriage to the stables.”
We trooped after Jhanti around the side of the palace onto a gravel path that skirted a stone balcony that hugged the palace’s lower floors.
An ivy-like plant dappled with small pink blooms clung to the side of the palace.
The grounds opened up here, stretching out as far as the eye could see, and rose bushes lined the path leading off into them, the floral scent thick in the air.
The east wing jutted out up ahead. The stonework was darker and older. The windows narrower.
“This is part of the original building,” Jhanti said. “The only part that wasn’t touched by the fire all those years ago. The plumbing has been updated, but the rest…well. Chandra is very sentimental about the heritage.”
The fire…of course this was where the royals had perished. How had that not occurred to me before? A whole bloodline had almost been wiped out here. My bloodline.
Jhanti led us into an entranceway that was wooden floors and rustic bare brick walls. A dark wood staircase wound up and out of view, and there was a door to the right of the staircase and another to the left of it.
Jhanti ushered us toward the door to the right and into a vast chamber decorated in shades of crimson, cream, and gold.
Joe let out a low whistle, tipping his head back to study the impressive chandelier.
There was enough seating to accommodate us all and several more if needed.
Landscapes and still life paintings hung on the wall.
Decorative, but nothing super eye-catching.
Jhanti crossed the room and pushed open another door. “If you wish to read…”
I followed and peeked in at the small library, my gaze drifting to the cozy-looking window seat with a view of the palace gardens.
“Ooo, this is lovely,” Erabi said, peeking around my arm.
I used to love reading, but it had been a long while since I’d picked up a book for pleasure, and I doubted this library would have anything that would interest me.
I ducked out, and we followed Jhanti into the hallway just as Yudh and Dhoon entered the wing.
“Oh, good,” Jhani said. “You’re just in time for bedchamber allocations.
But first, the sitting room is that way.
” She pointed toward the door to the right.
Then to the one on the left of the staircase.
“Dining room is through there. You can all explore it later.” She climbed the stairs, and we trailed up after her.
“There are five bedchambers on the first floor. Each has its own washroom. The second floor has four rooms, three smaller ones and a larger suite that will be yours, Leela. It is up to you to decide where everyone is located, but Chandra insists that Yudh and Dhoona stay on the second floor close to you.”
She stopped on the first-floor landing, waiting for me to make up my mind.
I looked to my friend. “I think the demigods who are sharing with their drohi should have the larger rooms down here. Keyton, do you mind being on the same floor as me?”
He inclined his head. “I would like to be part of the security team.” He looked over at the stone-faced brothers. “If you will have me.”
The brothers exchanged glances, then nodded. “Another pair of eyes would be helpful.”
“Then it’s settled.” Jhanti clasped her hands together. “I’ll leave you all to get comfortable. Would you like to dine in your rooms or in the dining room tonight?”
“Dining room.” I smiled at everyone. “Together.”
The second floor opened onto a landing with four doors coming off it. Only one was a set of double doors.
My room.
Jhanti let me in, then left me with Erabi while she went to help the others settle in.
Erabi waited by the door as I wandered inside. The plush crimson and cream carpet swallowed the sound of my footsteps. A bold choice for flooring. I’d have to make sure not to trek mud everywhere.
The room was twice the size of the one I’d had at the guest house and sported a balcony that opened out onto the gardens, but my attention was drawn to the bed—a huge, circular thing with gauzy net drapes hanging from the ceiling, providing a tent-like canopy.
There were several pillows and cylindrical cushions in gold and crimson, and my first thought was of how much space Araz and I would have.
The thought was a dagger to the heart, leaving me momentarily breathless.
“Leela?” Erabi lightly touched my arm. “Would you like me to stay with you tonight?”
I looked down at her sweet face, warm brown eyes brimming with concern, and the fist that was now perpetually clamped around my heart squeezed. I fixed a smile on my face.
“I’ll be fine.”
Her brows pinched slightly. She clearly wasn’t convinced, but she nodded, giving me the grace I needed.
“Very well. But if you change your mind, you can summon Jhanti, and she will come get me.” She pointed to a bell pulley system attached to the wall by the door.
Two of the bells looked like they’d been there for a while and had a tarnished look.
They were labeled as kitchens and head housekeeper.
But the shiny new bell was marked simply as Chandra.
“I have a bell to summon Chandra?”
She pressed back a smile. “He can be here in a blink.”
Of course. He could teleport. “Um…thank you. I think.”
“You probably won’t need to use it, but Chandra wants you to have access to him anytime you wish.”
“What is the deal with you two?”
“The…deal?” She tipped her head slightly, looking up at me with a confused frown.
“Your relationship?”
The frown cleared. “Oh…I see. He is the closest thing I have to family.”
“What about your family?”
“They died when I was a child. Chandra took me in. My parents were part of an uprising. An attempted one against the Authority. They were found out and executed. I was meant to join them, but Chandra intervened and claimed me as his. He saved my life. He’s been like a father to me.”