The Chariot at Dusk

by Swati Teerdhala

  And yet, it was beautiful.

  The landscape as they traveled back was vastly different, greener than he’d seen in a decade. The Bhagya River flowed again, though it now gushed erratically over the tops of the mountains and into the dried-up ravines in the northern Jansan towns they passed. The wildlife was slowly returning as well, hoots and chirps and whistles filling the air all around them.

  It didn’t take long for them to realize that everyone could feel the changes—not just those of them who could shift. Laksh sensed that there was a stream nearby only a few seconds after Kunal had earlier that day. He could still picture the confusion and then wonder on Laksh’s face.

  There wasn’t much they could do now but collect information as they traveled back and regrouped. Uncertainty showed itself in all of them.

  Esha and Harun talked in hushed tones, Arpiya and Bhandu play-fought louder than usual, and Reha kept to herself. Kunal tried his best to engage the young princess in conversation and not dwell on what exactly Harun and Esha were discussing. The overall mood was somber. The worry seemed strongest from Esha who, despite her best efforts to be cheery with others, couldn’t fool Kunal.

  He had tried, once or twice, to talk to her about the kiss. She avoided him at every turn, but Kunal knew it for what it was. She hadn’t given up on them. Not truly. And he was realizing he hadn’t either, despite his frustrations.

  But he couldn’t wait to return to the palace.

  There, he could get Esha alone to talk.

  There, in the Great Library, might be answers about the broken bond.

  He hoped.

  It was their best chance to stop Yamini.

  There was a welcome party at the gates of the Pink Palace as Esha and the team arrived: a smattering of Blades—and one very angry Scale in the form of Zhyani. If Esha had learned anything about the woman so far, it was that she did not enjoy being left in the dark—and that was exactly what they had done here.

  It was clear that, while news of the bond breaking had not formally reached the city, some of its more well-informed residents were already aware of the changes occurring around them.

  Zhyani waited till Reha was inside the throne room to unleash the torrent words that were built up inside her. Esha might have felt the same way if she were in Zhyani’s position. It never felt good to be the last one to know, or even the second to last. And there was clearly a history between the two of them. Esha winced, thinking about how she had lied to Harun about Kunal’s parentage.

  This might not be fun. She considered escaping but found herself too curious to see how Reha would react. Esha walked over to help a servant unpack their supplies, all the while keeping an ear to their conversation.

  Zhyani cornered Reha in seconds. “What did you do?” she said, a barely contained fury in her voice.

  Reha’s face dropped into innocence, though she snuck a look at Esha, who pretended not to hear. “Us? Nothing.”

  “The land is green again,” Zhyani said, as if it was the worst outcome possible.

  “The merchants’ guild found a new way to fertilize crops?” Reha said weakly.

  Zhyani ignored her. “It can mean only one thing. You went behind my back with those . . . Blades. I told you I didn’t trust them.”

  “Look, you should be happy,” Reha said. “The land has returned to its former glory. Why do you care how that happened? It’s not a big deal that you didn’t know.”

  Zhyani almost growled. “I’ll decide what’s a big deal or not.”

  “You’re overreacting.”

  “You don’t get to tell me that. First, you run away to the mountains with the Archer, of all people. Second—”

  Reha stifled a laugh. “Is that what you thought?” Silence. “Wait, that’s what you thought? Zhyani, I would never—”

  “Just stop. You’ve been lying this whole time.”

  “Why are you so angry?” Reha said, pulling herself up to her full height. “Isn’t this what you wanted? Didn’t you want the land returned?”

  Zhyani glanced at Esha quickly before lowering her voice. Esha didn’t bother to look away this time.

  “Not like this,” she said. “Not by these foreigners. This should’ve been our doing. Who knows what those Dharkans have done to the bond? Perhaps they severed it for themselves.”

  “Zhyani. Be reasonable. It wasn’t just Dharkans there. And we didn’t plan for this to happen.”

  Zhyani wrenched away. “Why would you help them?”

  “They’re our allies,” Reha said. “Why have you stayed here if you didn’t feel the same?”

  “Fine,” Zhyani scoffed. “Allies they are, but that’s all. And that doesn’t answer my question.”

  Reha hesitated, running a hand through her hair. “Zhyani—I’m going to stay.”

  Esha held back her surprise, even as it eased the tension in her heart.

  “Here? In the palace? Why in the Sun Maiden’s name—”

  “I’m the lost princess.”

  Zhyani laughed, a full-bellied one. “Good one.”

  Reha sighed in a manner that reminded Esha of Harun.

  “Zhyani, haven’t you wondered why the princess hasn’t gone out into the city yet?” she asked. “I only found out before the Winner’s Ball, right before we left for the mountain. When I got back I said I’d help them with the bond, but now that it’s broken, we’re sitting ducks here. Jansa is at risk and I can’t leave now. There’s too much to do.”

  “And you’re the right person just because you have a title with your name now?” Zhyani said with a sneer.

  It was hard to miss the venom in her voice. Reha flinched.

  “No,” she said. Reha reached out to Zhyani, wrapping her arm around her elbow and drawing her closer. Zhyani wrenched herself away.

  Fingertips grazed Esha’s own arm and she looked up into amber eyes. “Let them be,” Kunal said. “They have things to discuss.” His voice was soft and Esha knew he was right, but he had to tug at her elbow to pull her away.

  They walked out of the main wing in silence.

  “It’s not going to be easy for her, is it? Staying here?” Esha asked quietly.

  “No, I don’t think it will be,” Kunal said. “But she’s staying, and I can’t deny I’m happy about it.”

  “Me too,” Esha said, and she realized it was true.

  Somehow, somewhere, the girl, her old maid, her unseen enemy, had become a vital part of their team.

  Maybe she had been too harsh on the young princess.

  Maybe.

  Kunal finished his training as early as he could that morning. He was desperate to do something today, something that would move them forward. He hated all of the waiting they had to do, so he instead buried himself in research with Farhan at the Great Library. It let him feel useful without having to face the others.

  For some reason, he had held back from the rest of the team. He couldn’t stand the despondent faces of the people he had grown to care about, especially when he had no solution to offer. No new plan of any sort.

  Esha had been cooped up in meetings with Mayank and the acting Senap commander for the past two days, trying to assess what the resurgence of magic meant for the land. Kunal had been invited, but something had prevented him from going. A hesitation that had put him here in the library, where he could be more useful.

  And where he wouldn’t have to make any more decisions that could ruin the entire land.

  The only small spot of good was that this time, none of it was his fault. He had done his best to fix his mistake and the others seemed to acknowledge it now.

  He nearly ran into Esha when he turned to walk into the library antechmanber.

  “Soldier,” she said, surprised. Esha stepped back. “Why weren’t you in the meeting? Even Reha was there and you know how much she hates them.”

  “I thought I’d be of more help here, with Farhan,” he said.

  She narrowed her eyes at him. “You’ll be at the next meeting.
If I don’t see you there, I’ll get one of the Scales to drag you in. I know how much you’ll enjoy that.”

  “Esha, I’ll be of more use here,” he repeated more firmly. Their demeanor to each other had changed since their kiss. It was unsure yet friendlier than before. Having magic back in the land opened up an uncertain world for them all.

  “You can’t avoid them forever. And I expect you to bring your ideas to my meetings. Not all of them are horrible, soldier. I mean, the last one, but other than that. . . .”

  He reached out and grabbed her wrist to stop her and she jumped at the contact, her bangles clattering together. Her eyes darkened and she glanced down at his hand on her wrist and up at him.

  “Esha, we should talk—”

  “I have to go, but tell Farhan I’ll be back later for a report,” Esha said quickly, avoiding his eyes. “Arpiya will lead the meeting now since it’ll be heavily focused on redrawing that map.”

  Kunal let go and felt as if his skin had been scalded. “I’ll be here.”

  She nodded curtly before disappearing around the corner.

  “Tell me again why we’re all here,” Bhandu asked. Esha pointed at his feet, which were on the table, and at the scholar who was watching him with a pinched expression.

  “Feet off the table first,” she said, and then sighed. “We’re gathering information again, trying to see what we may have missed.”

  Esha had come back to the Great Library, mostly out of a need to do something. She much preferred action to idle thought. But in their current situation, action did nothing. An underlying air of tension sat on top of their meeting today, everyone slightly at odds, uncertainty of the future tainting the atmosphere.

  The sun barely peeked over the hills outside the open windows of the Great Library. The faint smoky smell of incense drifted in from the early-morning prayers held by the priests below. Many of the team were yawning and rubbing sleep from their eyes. Farhan had slept here, of course.

  “Farhan?” she asked, stifling her own yawn.

  “I still don’t have a working theory,” Farhan said. He looked up from his scroll at Esha, who frowned back at him.

  “That’s helpful,” Esha said.

  Farhan shifted in his seat. “I’m trying to figure out why it didn’t work out, same as you. And you only asked me this last night. It takes time!”

  “I’m sorry. You’re right,” she said, properly chastised. Farhan’s shoulders inched down from his ears and he gave her a short nod. “I’m on edge. The magic is back and unstable. We don’t know quite what to expect. This is not only an opening for Yamini but an invitation for every other nation who has been eyeing our lands. We’re sitting ducks here.”

  “We’re all on edge, Esha.” Farhan ran a hand through his long hair.

  Esha took a better look at him. He was right. The normally-put-together Farhan was disheveled, his cotton uttariya untucked and his hair sticking up in the back into a cowlick.

  “We did everything right,” he said. “Even King Mahir was of the same mind. The texts all say that the original ritual had two artifacts that were used.”

  Bhandu nodded. “It looked like we had done everything right. We had the artifacts. The right blood. And it was done at Mount Bangaar.”

  “The home of the spirits, most holy place since the Age of Darkness,” Esha said, agreeing. “I keep going in circles about what might have gone wrong. We had everything. It was as if it still wasn’t enough for the gods.”

  “Wait . . . ,” Farhan said. “Repeat what you just said?”

  “We had everything?”

  “Not that. Before.”

  “Home of the spirits, most holy place since the Age of Dark—”

  “That’s it.” Farhan lit up like a spark and shot to his feet. “That’s it.”

  “What is it?”

  “Location. Locations change throughout history, everyone knows that,” he said as if it was the most obvious fact. Esha got to her feet, compelled by his excitement.

  “They do?” she said.

  “Capitals, borders, city boundaries.” Farhan flitted around the room like a bird. Esha tried to follow him, but he was moving too fast, speeding around the library and collecting scrolls from various sections.

  “I don’t understand,” she said.

  “And you know how our little Viper hates not understanding things,” Bhandu said from his seat.

  “Grab me that one, with the brass handle.” Farhan pointed ambiguously to the shelf of scrolls to his right as he contemplated a row to her left. Esha looked around in confusion. The whole row of scrolls had brass handles.

  “It has a purple mark on the side,” Farhan clarified, his voice growing more distant.

  “Did you find something? Do you know why the artifacts failed?” Arpiya said, clearly having lost her patience.

  Esha grabbed the purple-marked scroll and walked over to find Farhan poring over a mound of half-opened scrolls. A little bubble of excitement grew in her chest—she tried not to let it rise too high.

  “No,” he said. Farhan glanced over at Arpiya, finally answering her question. “But I might have an idea.”

  Well, that was better than what they had before. Esha nodded quickly.

  “Tell me what you need.”

  “First, I’ll need—”

  The doors to the library banged open and two Blades rushed in. Laya held a small scroll tied with a red ribbon and she jogged over to Esha. The other stood at the door as guard.

  “Esha, an urgent note,” Laya said. Esha accepted the scroll and unraveled it, curiosity speeding up her actions.

  Her heart plummeted at the first words.

  “We’ve spotted an army, my lady,” Laya said, repeating the message on the scroll. “From our reports . . . we think it’s Vardaan’s.”

  “Impossible,” Esha said. “He’s been in our dungeons this whole time.”

  The minute she said it she knew it could be possible. They had underestimated Vardaan, again. They should have decimated his camp when they had captured him.

  “What kind of army?” Esha asked.

  “Mercenaries, from the looks of it. Criminals from the prison break. Soldiers from before who remained loyal to him. We’ve alerted the border squads and we’re awaiting your orders.”

  “Double the guard on Vardaan in the citadel. Monitor every person who goes into that level. Move all prisoners from that level to two levels above. We need to take every precaution. Somehow he is communicating with the army from his cell.”

  The mole. Esha couldn’t ignore the thought now.

  But who?

  Laya nodded. “I’ll make sure of it. He won’t be able to sneeze without one of us watching him.”

  Esha grasped her shoulder and squeezed. “Thank you, Laya. And the report on the other thing?”

  The young Blade shifted a bit. “Nothing confirmed. I will keep you updated on the daily reports of the river, but nothing on that yet.”

  “Please do. And find the prince and Lord Mayank; we need to convene.” Esha paused. “Invite Reha and the soldier—Kunal—as well.”

  Laya saluted and left.

  Esha turned to the other Blade, who still stood guard. “Give Farhan everything he needs and let me know how it goes. You know where to find me.”

  She left the room, hurrying back to the war room.

  There was a way through all of this, Esha knew it.

  She just had to find it.

  Chapter 23

  Esha rushed past him so fast that Kunal barely had time to register it was her. Her hair was loose, her curls escaping their haphazard braid, and her neck was unadorned. Typically, Esha loved her jewelry. And something was worrying her, as evidenced by the way her arched eyebrows were knitted together. He would never say it to her face, but she looked . . . frazzled.

  “Esha?” She didn’t stop. “Esha!”

  “Kunal,” she said in a clipped tone. She blinked rapidly, almost as if she had just noticed him.
<
br />   “What’s wrong?” he asked immediately. Esha was lost in thought and she had called him by his name. Something was clearly very wrong.

  She looked down, her hands busying themselves with the ends of her waist sash. Kunal noticed she had forgone the fashionable brocade sashes for a simple, sturdy silk one. Another thing he had missed.

  “You can tell me,” he said softly. “We’re . . . friends.”

  “We are? I thought we were nothing to each other.” She said it in a dead voice.

  “You said allies,” Kunal said, refusing to take the bait. “Aren’t allies friends sometimes? And anyway, lemon boy and demon girl have a history. Friendship comes in many forms.”

  “I still can’t believe they called me demon girl,” she said, though she failed at keeping her face stern. A grin escaped.

  “Lemon boy is more flattering, I suppose. But demon girl? Now that’s someone to watch out for.”

  “True,” she said. A little laugh escaped from Esha, surprising both of them. “All right, lemon boy. You’re going to find out tomorrow morning anyway during the emergency council, but Vardaan has gathered an army. And now I’ve heard Mayank won’t be back till tomorrow evening. We’re losing an entire day to respond to this new threat.”

  “Ah,” he said. “That is bad.”

  Kunal tried not to show his reaction on his face. He didn’t need to add to her concern.

  “I’ve been trying to think of a plan, anything, but I’m drawing a blank.”

  “What about Reha?” Kunal asked. “She is the future queen. Could she drum up support? In the city?”

  Kunal wasn’t good at these political games and it was a grasp in the dark, but a spark lit in Esha’s eyes. She tapped a finger to her lips.

  “That’s an idea. Do you think you’d be open to taking Reha on an excursion tomorrow?” she said.

  Kunal nodded quickly, if only because this was the longest and most amiable conversation they’d had in a moon.

  “Soldier, lemon boy. All labels,” Esha said thoughtfully. Some of her frantic energy had dissipated. “Do you think you’d be ready to take on another one again? As the Archer?”