The Archer at Dawn

by Swati Teerdhala

  Another turn to the right and Esha stepped into a little nook of a hall, quickly unlocking the door and letting Arpiya in.

  “We only have a few minutes,” she said after shutting the door. “You can take the main way to the courtyard to set your distraction.”

  Arpiya grinned at her. “Like old times?”

  “The same. And the others?”

  “Right on schedule,” Arpiya said. “Stay in the hall for another five minutes and then go to the corridor. We should be out of there by then.”

  Arpiya slid away, pulling her stolen uniform tighter as she left.

  Esha hurried back to the main hallway in time to run into Harun.

  “Harun, what are you doing out here? You’re supposed to be in there, mingling before Arpiya sets off the distraction. The gates will be opened in half an hour for our and Mayank’s men,” she whispered.

  “I had to find you, Esha. Before all of this. So you’d know it wasn’t an afterthought,” he started saying hesitantly, and then with more confidence.

  “What?”

  “Walk with me,” he said.

  “Harun, there are eyes and ears—”

  “Let them talk,” he whispered back hotly.

  “They’ll start to say we’re involved, that there is something between us,” she said with a sigh. “It does matter.”

  “We are involved, Esha,” he said, stopping and putting his hands on her shoulders, his touch hot against her skin. She looked up at him; his hooded gaze was entirely focused on her. “We’ve been involved for years.”

  “Okay, but is this the time to be having this discussion?”

  “When else? I was too stupid before and then you were always on missions and I fear there’s no other time. This fight between us, it made me realize a lot of things.”

  Esha’s heart stuttered, a hint of hope surfacing despite the years she had buried it. Even if it was too late now.

  “It made me realize how much you mean to me, Esha. How much this means to me. You are everything I need, you are the only thing that makes me better. For years you’ve been by my side, and I have only become who I am because I’ve been able to be your friend.”

  Her throat began to close, heat rising up her cheeks.

  “That’s very flattering—”

  “Be my queen, Esha,” he said, the sincerity in his voice turning her throat to ash. “After all of this is over.”

  “Harun, you’ve had too much to drink.”

  He grasped her arm, pulling her a bit closer. “I haven’t had a sip.”

  “It’s the only reason you’d ask me this. Now. Here.”

  “I’m sorry for that. And I know this is backward.”

  “It is. Especially after making it clear for years that you had no feelings for me,” she said. She didn’t even know why she said that, except that she had wanted him to—for years.

  “Did I really do that? Or did you assume? You were fine with our arrangement.”

  “Only because you were fine with our arrangement! I buried my heart for years, thinking yours wouldn’t be mine,” she said, her words sparking embers. Her mouth tightened as she realized how much she had given away. Esha turned to leave, ready to bolt, but Harun moved to block her path.

  “Esha . . .”

  “Go ahead. Laugh at me.”

  “Why in the Moon Lord’s name would I do that?” He moved closer, his hands on her shoulders. “It seems we both made assumptions.”

  “You never challenged them,” she said.

  “I was young, stupid. I thought I had to keep myself apart to lead.”

  “You’re still young and stupid,” Esha muttered.

  She tilted her chin up, and Harun took the opportunity to lean in, placing a light kiss on her lips. It was a shock to her system, and she stood still, staring at him. He reached down and pulled her into another kiss, and she didn’t resist. Not when her body responded before her heart could catch up, familiarity and passion flooding her limbs.

  She broke it apart seconds later, pushing him away.

  “I can’t.”

  “Why?” The simple question was so distraught, so heartbroken, that Esha looked up at Harun. His dark eyes were wide, his hair mussed like it used to be after one of their romps. But it was the expression on his face that broke her.

  “Because of Kunal,” she said, shaking her head.

  Because I think I love him.

  He stepped back, folding his arms. “I had a feeling,” he said quietly. “Though I thought it was a passing interest.”

  Esha didn’t say anything, not trusting her own voice at that moment. “I think I owe it to myself to figure that out,” she said finally.

  “And what about us?”

  It was a good question.

  It was also when she finally broke.

  “I can’t do this, Harun. We had years and we never got it together. Years,” she said, her voice desperate as she remembered nights when she had stayed up, curled in his arms, mornings she had left, carrying her heart in her hands.

  He rubbed his face with his palms, covering it for a moment before pulling away. “I thought we’d have many more, Esha. I truly did. I didn’t think this would be the end of our story.”

  “This isn’t the end of our story,” she snapped. She tried to calm down, giving a light laugh. “Don’t be ridiculous. We still have to finish this mission, and after that, don’t think you’ll get rid of me that easily. You’re still one of my oldest friends.”

  Harun looked as if he wanted to respond to that, his face contorting. He sighed. “I can’t say I’m going to give up on you. On us.”

  Esha looked away, trying to force back the wetness that was collecting at the corners of her eyes. Even in this, the gods teased her.

  She could still imagine, with great detail, a life by Harun’s side, and the past month here at court with him had only made it clearer. But that had been before she had met Kunal.

  “That’s your choice, Harun. As your friend, I can’t say I advise it.”

  “Good thing you’re not my official adviser, then,” he said, his voice strained.

  Esha didn’t know if she was either. She was the Viper, co-leader of the Blades, used to searching for every edge case and playing them against each other, and yet, she hadn’t seen this. Or she had willfully ignored it, gods knew why. Perhaps to save her own heart from the uncertainty of loving a prince.

  He ran a hand through his hair, unsure of what came next.

  “I’m sorry,” she said quietly.

  “Don’t be,” was the immediate response. “It’s not your fault I waited.”

  “Part of me wishes you hadn’t,” she said. “But what’s happened can’t be undone.”

  He nodded, looking away.

  “It’s getting late—we should get in place before the team arrives from the citadel,” Esha said, turning to go.

  “Esha.” Something in his voice made her stop. “I loved you—I love you, you know that?”

  She shook her head, words suddenly difficult. She tilted her face away, up to the Moon Lord, asking him for strength.

  Harun was outlined in the moonlight, the only thing visible the quirk of his mouth.

  “I won’t say anything else. Not now. I’ll see you on the other side, Esha.”

  He turned away, and she found herself unable to tear her eyes away, or move.

  “I loved you too,” she whispered, quiet enough that only she could hear, as she walked the opposite way.

  Chapter 35

  Esha paced outside the entrance to the Great Hall, trying to compose herself before she had to go back in and face any more courtiers. She took a deep breath, trying to find her center and push away old memories of the past that refused to let her go.

  Tonight was about Reha, the future.

  Esha’s hands clenched and unclenched, missing the weight of her whips and the surety they always brought her. She stepped forward, staring down the hallway Harun had taken, weighing a decision
to follow him, swallow her previous words, when a rush of voices flooded down the hall. Esha pushed herself flat against the wall, sliding into the nearest nook.

  Two soldiers turned into the small area, their voices hushed.

  “—I saw them going that way.”

  “Well, King Vardaan wants them back immediately.”

  “But, sir, one of the servants told me to escort them to the eastern wing.”

  “You’re taking the word of a servant over mine? I’m your captain. Bring the Falcon Squad back—we’ll be presenting the boons in an hour. The king wants to speak to them beforehand.”

  Esha’s grip on her belt knife tightened, the sharp, cold steel cutting into her palm. The sliver of pain drew her out of the rage that swallowed her every time she heard the Falcon Squad’s name.

  She had stepped away that day on the rooftop. Kunal’s argument had resonated with her, stayed in her mind since that day. And she could hear it still.

  But today?

  Harun’s expression, lost and sad, haunted her. She’d abandoned her past once already today.

  Everything was in place, the squad was in position, and they’d have Reha by the end of the night. What harm was there in a small visit?

  Esha waited for the soldiers to leave before quietly following them down the hallway.

  The night breeze whipped around Kunal as he flew to the meeting point, careening downward. Bhandu and Alok were already there, specks against the ground.

  Kunal dove down, picking up speed as he went, until the end when he pulled up short, rolling onto the ground and into human form. He bounced up onto his feet, brushing off a few twigs and some dirt as he walked over.

  Bhandu and Alok were staring at him with their mouths open.

  “It’s odd when you see it in person,” Alok said. “Compared to in your imagination.”

  “Agreed,” Bhandu said, eyeing Kunal like he would shift back at any moment.

  “At least I can land now,” Kunal muttered.

  “What?” Alok held a hand to his ear.

  “Nothing. Let’s move. We need to get to the outer wall before Arpiya’s signal.”

  The other two nodded.

  “Farhan and Aahal are set up below. They’ll be lookout once they’re done,” Bhandu said.

  “How will they let us know if they see anything?”

  Bhandu tapped his nose. “I’ll know. It’s an old signal we’ve had since we first started going on missions together.”

  Kunal tried not to huff, deciding he didn’t have time to push Bhandu on this. They needed to move if they were going to be in place in time for Arpiya.

  “You both ready?”

  The quickest way to the outer wall would be to fly to the top of the parapet, like he had scouted before. From there, they’d make their way down.

  Kunal closed his eyes and found the harmonies of his song. When he opened his eyes, large golden wings sprouted from his back, engulfing the other two men. A surge of energy coursed through him, renewing his strength.

  Bhandu and Alok exchanged nervous glances.

  The soldiers carved a path diagonal from the main hall, taking Esha farther away from the party and Harun.

  Once she had started following them, Esha found she couldn’t stop. Not when she was getting closer and closer to what she had wanted this entire time—to find her parents’ killer.

  But every step forward was beginning to feel like it was also dragging her backward.

  “Who was this servant? I’ll have their hide for this.”

  “Sir, she was just a girl. Probably got the wrong order from someone else.” The other soldier sounded worried.

  “Doesn’t matter, she’s risked the king’s ire by delaying the ceremony. Plus, no one is even supposed to be in the east wing. It was closed off this morning due to an incident.”

  “Sir—”

  “There’s only ten minutes left till ten.”

  Esha stopped and whipped around. Ten minutes till ten. She had lost track of time, and Kunal and the others would soon need her to be at the walkway.

  She’d been so preoccupied in her haze of revenge that she’d almost forgotten. She needed to turn back now. But if she gave up this chance, would she ever be able to forgive herself? Would her past ever let her go?

  The answer came almost immediately. She had the ability to choose.

  And she knew the one thing she’d never forgive herself for would be endangering her team. They were the family she had found, ones she had cherished and who had cherished her back. If her parents were here . . .

  But they weren’t. And that was a pain that would never fade, that would be constant. But she had love, and she had family, and right now, they needed her.

  She cursed, quickly looking around the palace hallways to orient herself. There’d be time later to berate herself. Now she needed to find her way back.

  Esha tucked the end of her sari into her waist so she could move faster, sprinting back down the hallways. She reached the end of a hallway, one she could’ve sworn had two corridors, but there was only one and she took it, speeding up.

  The same thing happened again at the next hallway, like the second corridor had simply vanished. Esha slowed down and backed up to where the other corridor had been, reaching a hand out to touch the walls.

  A streak of gray came off onto her fingertip. Paint.

  She spotted a hastily tied rope below a window to the right. Esha walked over quickly and bent down to move a box that was pushed against the wall, tracing a finger over the dusty footprints underneath. A light breeze gusted through the window, and Esha stepped back as she put it all together.

  Sudden shouts and screams filled the air, from the direction of the main hall, rending the peace in two.

  Esha ran toward the hall, taking a sharp turn right and away from it as she came closer, heading for the kitchen cellars instead. She found the small closet that Aahal had mentioned previously and clambered into it.

  Esha’s heart hammered in her chest as she leaned over and looked through the small window that peeked into the main hall from the kitchen. It was barely more than a slat, but it was enough.

  The main hall was overrun by men and women in animal masks, wielding blades and bows. Half the guests were slumped against the floor, drugged by the looks of it, spears held to their throats by those in servant uniforms. The rest of the nobles were looking around in terror, goblets of spilled plum wine clattering against the floor as they raised their hands in surrender.

  Esha saw what had caused the screams.

  The doors and windows were blocked—by the limp bodies of soldiers and servants, haphazardly stacked into a wall.

  A large flag with the titled, golden scales of Naria had been planted where the table of food had once been. The table was shattered, the delicacies strewn about the ground like fallen soldiers.

  In the middle of the room stood a tall lady in an ornate sari, a tiger mask on her face. She turned and the light caught the angles of her mask, a scar etched down one cheek.

  Zhyani.

  The Scales had infiltrated the palace.

  Kunal could tell Alok was trying not to scream as they flew. Bhandu had actually been the easier, though heavier, of the two. He’d enjoyed flying and hadn’t resisted, while Alok felt like a weight in comparison.

  They neared the top of the parapet, and Kunal slowed down as he gently placed Alok on the stones. His friend sagged in relief.

  “Let’s never do that again,” he said, leaning over the wall to dry heave.

  Bhandu bounced on his toes. “Don’t know what his problem is. That was amazing. You think you could fly me to the sea?”

  “We can figure that out later,” Kunal said, motioning them over to his side. They were hidden behind a stout column of stone, a flue for smoke from the smithery below.

  They moved to the right, where a second staircase led to the fifth-floor rooms. They’d timed it so that no one would be on patrol here. They arrived at th
e window, and Kunal tugged at the lock, one he had loosened yesterday.

  It took a few tries, but the window opened, and they ducked into the room. It was recently empty, a few teacups half filled on the table, the sheets rumpled. Alok moved forward, checking the four corners of the room before giving the signal for all clear.

  Bhandu nodded and moved forward.

  “You know our Fort hand signals,” Kunal whispered.

  “Spent a month learning them while I was in j—” Bhandu paused. “There’s a lot you don’t know about me, cat eyes. Take me flying after this and I’ll tell you my stories.”

  Kunal chuckled, low. “Deal.”

  They walked through empty rooms, creeping down the levels one by one. Kunal caught Alok as he walked in front of him, grabbing his arm.

  “Alok, I never asked you much about how you came to the Fort or your time before.”

  “And now’s the time?”

  Kunal waited, and Alok sighed.

  “I was drafted. When I was thirteen.”

  Kunal calculated quickly. “So you arrived at the Fort before me, before the coup?”

  Alok swallowed, his jaw tightening. “The general picked me out. I was even on an elite squad with your uncle, before I realized that I hated the things I had to do to stay there.”

  Kunal inhaled sharply. The suspicion that had hit him the night he had stopped Esha was coming to full life. “The Falcon Squad.”

  “How’d you know?”

  “Guests of honor.”

  “Oh yes,” Alok said. “I wasn’t officially part of them, just tagged along on the night of the coup. I never told you, did I? The things I’ve done . . .” A sorrowful expression came over Alok.

  Kunal gripped his arm. “Tell me later, after we survive tonight.” Kunal could only hope he was wrong. That Alok hadn’t been the soldier who had killed Esha’s parents.

  “Are you two done chatting?” Bhandu barked. “I already checked this corridor.”

  Alok moved ahead to scout, and Kunal and Bhandu brought up the rear. They stopped when they arrived at the circular stairwell, one that led to the hidden second entrance into the lower levels. They’d found it on the schematics.