Chapter 8
EIGHT
“Can I buy you a drink?” asked a handsome Aazheri later that evening. He leaned against the bar where Zarya was sitting, debating on what to order. Somewhere in the crowd was Yasen, while Apsara and Suvanna sat at a nearby table, chatting and preparing to meet Farida.
This establishment was owned by a member of the Rising Phoenix and was ideal for clandestine conversations due to the constant noise at all hours of the day. The proprietor also had a number of secret back rooms useful for even more private conversations.
Zarya had spent the day holed up in her room, practicing her magic with the last of the ink tipped from the dregs of the bottle, though it hadn’t been enough to do much. And now every drop was gone.
She had to get her hands on more, and soon.
Zarya eyed the man up and down. He appeared close to her age, though she knew that didn’t mean much when it came to Aazheri. He had soft brown eyes and black hair that curled to the tops of his shoulders.
“Who’s asking?” she said with a coy tip of her head.
She’d been enjoying her months in Gi’ana, exploring all the things she’d been missing during her sheltered upbringing, engaging in some harmless flirting, and having plenty of fun. Discovering she had this kind of power was a freedom of its own kind, and it allowed her to explore a new side of herself—one that could be anyone and anything.
“I’m Rahul,” he said, taking the question as an invite to move closer. He hovered over the next seat as if asking for permission, and he was cute enough to pique her interest.
But after last night, the dream forest was weighing on her mind, throwing her off-kilter. She owed nothing to Rabin. Not her loyalty and certainly not her body. He’d lied to her. Betrayed her.
So she forced a welcoming smile and said, “I haven’t decided what I want yet.”
Finally, he sank down as he laughed softly and then ordered himself a drink from the bartender.
“And whatever she’d like,” he added.
“Nothing for me right now,” Zarya answered as she scanned the bar, finding Yasen with a male Aazheri deep in conversation. He, too, had been enjoying himself since their departure from Dharati and sometimes took off on his own to indulge in a game of cards at one of Ishaan’s many gambling lairs where he might find his own handsome stranger. She knew he’d made a few friends, too, though she hadn’t met any of them yet.
Once in a while, he’d come home with a smattering of cuts and bruises, but he’d be smiling and assure her everything was fine. He’d changed so much without the burden of Vikram’s protection and Gopal Ravana’s threats hanging over his head, and she loved watching him flourish.
Apsara and Suvanna were no longer talking, both staring pointedly away from each other as though they’d been arguing. It wasn’t her business, and she knew she shouldn’t pry, but she wanted to see her friends happy. Apsara had grown on her during those weeks in Dharati, and she had a good heart. She wasn’t as sure about Suvanna, but there was a fierce righteousness about her that was impossible to deny.
“Are you from Ishaan?” Rahul asked, bringing her attention back.
“Not originally,” she answered.
He waited for her to elaborate, and when she didn’t, he continued. “What do you do?”
People loved that question around here. Everyone’s station and rank were determined by how they earned a living. The question always rubbed her the wrong way. It was as though people were constantly trying to differentiate themselves from the vanshaj by declaring they had a good job with good pay that they did by choice. It was an underlying thread that governed nearly every interaction in Ishaan.
“A little of this and that,” she said, purposely being evasive. One couldn’t be sure of who they could trust. She avoided bringing people back to her apartment for that reason. She didn’t want anyone to know where she lived if anything went wrong, plus there might be revealing paperwork or other incriminating items scattered around the flat.
“I work at the university,” he said, with a touch of pride in his voice.
“Oh?” she asked because that actually did interest her. She remembered when Yasen had first told her about Gi’ana’s center of knowledge. The massive compound was an hour’s ride from the city, nestled into the base of the mountains. Formed by dozens of golden domed buildings, it was surrounded by lush greenery and a high iron fence.
So far, she’d only had the chance to view it from a distance, but she’d constantly imagined enrolling in a few classes and roaming their libraries, absorbing every bit of information she could. She’d looked into admission, and it was a simple enough test that one had to take. She’d have to study but was sure she could manage it. There just hadn’t been time since they’d arrived.
“What do you do there?” she asked.
“I teach science and math,” he replied. “Both fascinating subjects.”
He went on to describe some of his courses in more detail, and Zarya found herself enraptured by all of it. She swore she’d find the time to sit the exam soon.
The door to the bar swung open, and Zarya saw Farida enter with the Chandra siblings.
“Sorry,” Zarya said, interrupting Rahul. “My friends are here. It was nice chatting with you.”
Rahul’s eyebrows pulled together in surprise, and she hoped he wouldn’t cause a scene. “Sure,” he said. “Can I take you out sometime?”
“Perhaps,” she replied and smiled before heading towards the door.
“Where will I find you?” he called, and she spun around to shrug.
“Around,” she said with a wave of her hand before turning to the Chandras.
“Hi,” Zarya said, hugging Farida and Rania. “How are you?”
“We have news,” Farida said, her eyes darting around the bar. They all headed towards the back of the room to their usual secluded booth.
“I do, too,” Zarya said.
She gestured to Apsara and Suvanna. “And some people for you to meet.”
Zarya knew Ajay would have already briefed the two women on their arrival.
Farida gave them both a warm smile while Rania eyed Suvanna and Apsara up and down as they approached. Though she always regarded newcomers with a healthy dose of suspicion, she was obviously impressed.
Apsara and Suvanna were impressive with those wings, blue hair, and the fact that they both radiated unflinching power and confidence. Zarya had grown somewhat used to it, but now she was seeing what Rania saw for the first time.
After introductions, she then went on to explain who they were and how they’d aided in defeating the blight in Dharati. While Zarya was talking, Yasen made his way over, sliding into the booth next to Ajay.
“While I’m honored you’ve chosen to aid our cause,” Rania said, “we’ll need some assurances that you will keep our secrets under any circumstances.”
Suvanna’s navy eyes flashed. “You dare question our honor,” she hissed as she slammed her fist on the table, and Zarya had to admire the way Rania held her ground.
“Of course,” Apsara said, playing the diplomat, placing a hand on Suvanna’s wrist and giving her a pointed look. “We understand what’s at stake and that we need to be careful. That you need to be careful. But we want to help.” Apsara appealed to Farida, who quietly watched the exchange. “Please.”
Everyone waited. While Ajay and Rania tended to be more vocal in their leadership, likely due to their upbringings, Farida presented a more contained front. Ultimately, additions to their inner circle were only made with her approval.
Farida asked Apsara and Suvanna a few more questions about their pasts and their roles in their realms. She also questioned the state of the rebellions in their homes, weighing each of their responses carefully.
When she was done, she folded her hands in her lap and dipped her chin. “It sounds like we could use some powerful allies such as yourselves,” she said. “Welcome to the Rising Phoenix.”
Apsara smiled as Rania leaned over the table and hissed, “Should you betray us, then thousands of lives will be on your heads.”
“Understood,” Apsara said as Suvanna nodded her assent with her arms folded tightly.
With that done, Zarya turned to Farida. “What were you planning to share?”
She exchanged an uncomfortable look with Rania and Ajay. “We received news from the palace,” she said. “They’re ransacking vanshaj homes and are threatening the entire district if someone doesn’t come forward with information about the Rising Phoenix. They’ve threatened imprisonment…and worse.”
“What could be worse?” Yasen asked.
Farida inhaled a deep breath and then blew it out, her body trembling. “They’re threatening to break apart families and banish them to the Saaya if no one talks.”
“What?” Zarya sat up. “That’s preposterous. That land is completely uninhabitable.”
“I know,” Rania said. “It’s basically a death sentence. Rumors are suggesting they plan to secretly start mining diamonds and using vanshaj labor to do so. It’s the perfect solution.”
“Solution for what!” Zarya cried out in exasperation, recalling the Saaya was unceded territory between Gi’ana and Andhera, where hundreds of abandoned diamond mines lay untouched due to endless disputes over ownership. “What are they all so afraid of?”
Farida shook her head, the threat of tears lining her eyes, while Rania’s thunderous expression could split mountains in half. If these laws passed, they might be separated forever.
“Who will do their grunt work here?” Suvanna asked with disdain in her voice. “Surely they dare not lift a single delicate finger.”
“It’s the influence of the Jadugara,” Rania said, speaking of the Aazheri sect who were responsible for collaring the vanshaj. “They don’t care if the whole city falls apart, so long as they maintain their power. They’re monsters whispering in the ears of the royal family.”
“We won’t let this happen,” Zarya said to Farida.
“How are we going to stop it? The Phoenix has been working for years and has made almost no progress. Nothing has changed,” Farida said, her voice rising.
“That’s actually what I wanted to talk to you all about,” Zarya said. “You remember what happened with the ink when I touched it with my magic?”
“Yes?” Rania asked, and Ajay nodded. Zarya assumed his sister would have already filled him in on this too. The two shared everything.
“Well, I’ve been trying some things, and I might be circling closer to a solution.”
“What kind of solution?” Ajay asked, his brows knitting together.
For months, he’d been extremely curious about her magic and her interest in the vanshaj tattoos. He hadn’t outright asked why, but his growing suspicion was obvious. When they’d arrived in Gi’ana, it was clear the prophecy about her mother was common enough lore that had she revealed it, everything about her would be exposed.
“I managed to…control the ink,” she said, her gaze sliding to Apsara and Suvanna. They both knew about her nightfire and though she hadn’t asked them to keep it secret, they were perceptive enough to understand the need for discretion.
“How?” Farida asked, sitting forward, a mixture of disbelief and hope in her expression.
Zarya swallowed the nervous knot in her throat. “It’s probably better if I show you.”
“Then show us,” Ajay said.
“I would, but there’s a small problem.”
“What?”
“Remember when I dropped the case in the warehouse?”
“You’re all out of ink,” Ajay said, immediately picking up on the issue.
“Right. To show you, I need more. I also need it to test if my theories are correct.”
“And we blew it all up,” Rania said.
“So, I’m wondering if you know where we might find another source.”
“With the ink so heavily controlled, the only place to find more would be at the Jadugara’s Imarat,” Ajay said, and everyone’s gazes met around the table.
“What’s the Imarat?” Apsara asked, sensing the uptick in everyone’s apprehension.
Ajay’s mouth formed into a thin line. “It’s where the Jadugara live. It’s attached to the Taara Den, where pregnant mothers must convalesce near the end of their pregnancies so they can collar the babies the moment they’re born.”
The laws of Gi’ana required every vanshaj who fell pregnant to register with the Jadugara. Failure to do so came with harsh penalties, and many parents had tried to hide their children over the years, but few ever got away with it. The Jadugara’s mandate also included hunting down anyone who might have escaped their collar and bringing them to swift justice. Or at least, what they considered their cruel brand of “justice.”
“They haven’t closed the den, so they must be using whatever they have left,” Ajay added.
“What are the talks of rebuilding the factory?” Suvanna asked. “Surely, they’re already underway.”
Ajay shook his head. “We have a number of spies from the Rising Phoenix working inside the palace as servants, but so far, they haven’t picked up on anything. Any conversations must be happening behind closed doors.”
“So we should find that out, too.”
“That’s how we can help,” Apsara said. “We can present ourselves as emissaries from our realms, which isn’t untrue.”
“Why will you say you’re here?” Yasen asked.
“Do we need a specific reason?” Apsara said. “We can say we’re here for a visit.”
“You could use the upcoming coronation as your cover,” Rania offered.
“Right,” Apsara said. “It wouldn’t be unusual for representatives from other realms to attend.”
“Do you think they’d welcome you?” Ajay asked.
“Most kingdoms welcome members of the Chiranjivi unless they want to make enemies,” Suvanna said with a sharp look.
“Okay, then. You’ll get inside and see if you can learn anything about the rebuilding plans. In the meantime, we need to find a way into the Imarat.”
Zarya looked at Yasen. “So, I guess we’re planning another break-in.”
Yasen held up his glass and tipped it in a toast. “Lucky for all of you, this is becoming my specialty.”