Chapter 31
SO WHAT’S THE PLAN?
BLUE
Last night I dreamed of the sages. Of the small room with its warm kitchen and window seat. Of Auralia stroking my head and humming to me. Of Veena telling bedtime stories that made me laugh. Of safety and warmth and the ache that slowly abated.
Yeah, I missed Leela at first, but after a while I found meself too. In the company of the sages and in the pages of all the books that I read.
Time passed unmeasured. Years, I’d guess.
Last night I allowed the knowledge to settle, but today, the day of the coronation, it’s time to share what I’ve learned with the people I trust the most.
I gather the anchors, demigods, and their drohi in the sitting room after breakfast. Keyton keeps an ear on the door to make sure we’re not interrupted.
There are no ankh in the palace. No invisible eyes to spy on us, as far as we’ve been told by Erabi. A royal perk, I guess, but who the feck knows for sure.
Dharma and Joe take one sofa with their drohi on either side of them, their anchors at their feet, and Bina takes the smaller sofa opposite. Garu is coiled on one side of her, Thanil seated on the other.
I hop onto the coffee table in view of them all.
“Should we wait for Yudh and Dhoona?” Joe asks.
“They’re with Chandra,” Keyton said. “Part of his security detail for the coronation.”
“Go on, Blue,” Chaya says softly. “Tell us what you learned at the library.”
“You could have told us yesterday,” Bina says.
“He needed time to process, love,” Thanil reminds her.
I nod, grateful for the understanding. “Yeah, it was a lot. But I’m ready now.” I fill them in on Aserathiin’s children and their grandmother, the keeper. On what lay inside her. The four sages and the knowledge they gave me.
No one speaks for a while once I’m done, which is good, cos I needed a minute to catch me breath.
“How long do you think you were gone?” Dharma asks eventually.
“Dunno. A long time. Enough to read every fecking book in that place. Trust me, there were a lot.”
“And you remember everything?”
“I dunno, I mean, I think so. But Auralia said it ain’t about rememberin’ it all in one go, ya know?
The information will surface when I need it.
It’s here, though.” I tap my temple. “History was altered twice. Once when they locked away the primordial evil, and once when they locked away the djinn god Iblees.”
“I remember him! Iblees, that is,” Joe says. “They talked about him on Shantivan. Even had a temple about him.”
“Yeah. And guess what? He was meant to take the throne when the deva left. Not the Asura. There was a war and all sorts. A peace treaty was signed, but the Asura betrayed Iblees. Except he was called Ilyarien then.” Everyone stares at me in confusion.
I shake my head. “It’s…complicated. Look, all that matters is that the djinn god was meant to rule.
He’s been locked away in some mystical prison for feck knows how long.
Probably the same fecking prison that the primordial evil was locked in.
” There’s so much more, but it’s all a tangle in my head.
I have to trust that the correct information will come out when the time is right.
“So what have the Asura been keeping at bay?” Bina asks. “This primordial evil or Iblees?”
My brain itches. “I don’t think the Authority realizes that the primordial evil is real. The deva changed history that time. The Authority probably thinks the primordial evil is a myth and used the name, attaching it to Iblees to scare people. To hide the truth of what he is.”
“Fuck…so what took over Araz?” Joe asks.
Silence falls over us all.
“If it’s Iblees, then he won’t hurt her,” Dharma said. “I mean…he’s not bad, is he? Just…he got fucked over by the Asura, and that’s not Leela’s fault.”
“But if it’s the primordial evil…” Bina shakes her head slowly, her eyes widening. “Chandra must know about Iblees. He’s part of the Authority. He knows Iblees isn’t bad, and he’s still taking the throne…”
The throne…something about the throne—
“Someone’s coming,” Keyton says, moving away from the door.
Erabi enters the room a moment later. “How is everyone this morning? Ready for the big feast tonight?”
“I don’t see why we can’t attend the coronation,” Bina says. “We’re Leela’s trusted circle. Doesn’t that qualify us?”
Erabi sighs. “I wish it did. Not even I’m permitted to go, and Chandra is…He’s like a father to me.” She fixes a bright smile on her face. “But we’ll have fun afterward. Chandra will lead the ascension ceremony here in the great hall once he returns. We’ll feast, then dance…it will be wonderful.”
“While Leela remains a captive of the primordial evil,” Keyton says flatly.
Erabi’s smile dies. “I know. I know it’s awful, and we will get her back, but the Asura…they have protocol and etiquette and—”
“We get it,” Dharma says. “We understand, Erabi. We’re not attacking you.”
Erabi’s eyes mist, and she blinks rapidly. “Let’s just…make the most of it tonight. Who knows what tomorrow may bring?”
She’s right. We have no idea what tomorrow will bring. But if Chandra doesn’t act to bring Leela home once he has the throne, then we’ll have another name to add to our list of enemies.