The Chariot at Dusk

by Swati Teerdhala

  “Mayank is my friend. We had plenty of time to get familiar, what with the kidnapping, palace coup, and your absconding with the only heir to the throne. Mayank stepped in when I had no one else I could trust. He helped the Blades take the palace.”

  “Oh, and he did that for no reason? No motive?”

  “He certainly did. He wanted his title back and I gave it to him. He earned it,” she said simply. Kunal narrowed his eyes but said nothing.

  They were close to each other again and Esha thought back to their kiss at the temple, and to the many before. She wanted this fire between them to be doused. She didn’t want to deal with this confusion of emotions every time she saw the soldier, not when she had made up her mind. They were an impossibility. A myth. A warning for others.

  “That was all?”

  “You’re being impossible.”

  “I’m not trying to. I’m merely observing,” he said.

  “Well, then, perhaps you shouldn’t have left,” she said, stepping up to him. She poked him hard in the chest and couldn’t help but feel the nostalgia that washed over her.

  “I shouldn’t have,” he agreed softly. “And if I could go back . . .”

  “Don’t lie to me,” she threatened.

  And tried her best to hide away her heart, just in case.

  There was so much to say, but Kunal didn’t know where to start.

  “See,” she hissed. “You can’t even admit it.”

  “What are you even talking about?”

  “Just say it.” Esha came up closer to him, her lashes fluttering as she glared up at him. Her chest heaved and his eyes trailed over her, down her turquoise sari and across the hand that was now poking him.

  Sun Maiden’s spear, he couldn’t handle it anymore.

  He pulled her into him sharply, kissing her with the passion he had been bottling up for weeks now. She returned the passion, digging her nails into his upper arm so hard that he gasped. Esha looked up at him, her eyes dark and twinkling with satisfaction.

  She pushed him onto the table so that they were at the same height and his body reacted immediately. He knew this was a bad idea, knew they should be talking instead. But he wasn’t strong enough to push her away.

  Esha captured his lips, again and again, pushing down on him with a passion that made his blood rise in return. When she nipped his lip, he gave a little gasp, looking up. She glanced at the mostly closed door, seeming to come to a decision. With firm movements she tugged his uttariya off, her hands roaming over his bare chest. His hands curled around her hips, pulling her into him.

  She grinned against his mouth, and when they broke apart, her hands twined their way down to his waist sash. He tensed up. Her eyes were dark, and he could tell that part of her wanted this.

  But he also realized that if he answered her passion right now she would be his for the moment, but her heart might be hidden away from him forever.

  “No,” he said.

  Kunal thought he could feel his heart shattering at the look on her face.

  Esha paused, going still as death, and Kunal imagined he could feel the shock—and embarrassment—radiating from her. He caught her before she leaped up, pulling her into an embrace where she couldn’t avoid his eyes.

  “Not like this,” he said gently. Her eyes shot up to his and he was caught in their fiery embrace. “Not here in the war room with everyone just paces away. Not when I can see the pain in your eyes, the Viper seconds away.”

  “The Viper will always be seconds away,” she said, her voice low, pained. “And that’s not pain; it’s fury.”

  Kunal flinched. “Then even more so.”

  Esha tried to wrench herself away, but he caught her. He pulled her back to his chest, trying to show her that he wasn’t saying no, just not right now.

  He didn’t want their first time, his first time, to be out of anger.

  Not with Esha.

  “Esha . . .” Kunal kissed her neck and for a moment he felt her soften, but the edges of her anger were still too sharp.

  She yanked herself away, fixed the pins in her hair and turned to leave.

  She was a fool. An utter fool.

  Her cheeks flushed and she fumbled with her hair, anything to distract herself from Kunal’s rejection.

  Kunal came closer to her and reached out to her. She didn’t push him away and he cupped her cheek, pulling her closer to him sharply with his other arm. The heat between them rose with a roaring flame. He looked down at her with a heavy-lidded gaze.

  “I didn’t say no before because I don’t want this,” he said, making it very clear what this was. “But I want more. I want you, Esha. I want all of you.” Kunal’s voice was fierce, composed, but Esha detected the hint of desperation below it.

  And she so wanted to say yes. To give him all of her, to give him her heart once again and hope that this time, he would handle it more gently. But Esha was no stranger to the pain that people could cause. How did she know he wouldn’t turn away and leave this way again if his duty was called into question?

  The uncertainty was too much for her, the potential cost too high.

  “There’s no more of me to give,” Esha said. She stepped into his embrace, wrapping her arms around his neck, easing her fingers into his hair before she pulled him down into a searing kiss.

  “This is it, Kunal,” she said. “Take it or leave it.”

  Kunal looked down at her, eyes dazed. That she was good at, that she knew how to do. Esha smirked.

  He opened his mouth to say something in his dazed state but then stopped and shook his head. When Kunal caught her gaze again, his eyes were sharp, clear, focused.

  “No,” he said, pulling away. “No deal. I’m not giving up. Not anymore and not on this. I’ve been wondering what I wanted to fight for since the day I turned my back on the Fort.” Kunal’s eyes flashed a dark gold. “This is it. I’m fighting for you.”

  A rustle sounded in the outer hallway and they broke apart.

  I’m fighting for you.

  Esha couldn’t deny she wanted him to try.

  Chapter 27

  Esha tore into her cumin-encrusted flatbread, dipping it into the hot, spicy lentils and scooping them into her mouth. She resisted the urge to let out a sigh of pleasure.

  Harun chuckled from her right. Esha cocked her head at him.

  “Nothing,” he said in response to her unspoken question. “That look on your face. How’s the food?” Harun’s tone was teasing.

  “Can’t remember the last time we saw that face,” Arpiya said.

  “When we found those extra bushels of mangoes downstairs two days ago,” Bhandu said.

  “Ah, yes,” Arpiya said. “I heard about that one from Aahal.”

  Aahal looked up from his plate with large eyes, realizing he had been mentioned. He opened his mouth to respond, but all four of them looked at him and said in unison, “Finish chewing, Aahal.”

  Aahal gave them a grumpy look before returning to his food. There was a firm knock at the front door. Esha dipped her hands in the bowl of water to the right of her plate and then walked over to open the door to their room. Their team had taken to meals in the privacy of Esha’s rooms more often recently, to seek respite from the rest of the palace’s inhabitants.

  A short girl with a tight, long braid and in training gear was at her door.

  “What is it?” Esha said sharply. Not again. She was beginning to dread the sight of Laya, the young Scale in charge of her messages. They were never good. Didn’t she deserve some good news, for once?

  “I didn’t have time to read, Viper,” she said. Laya handed her the small note and Esha unwrapped it quickly.

  Her jaw tightened as she read. “I was right,” she muttered to herself. She repeated it louder. “I was right.”

  “You usually are,” Aahal said helpfully from the corner.

  “Care to tell us what’s in the note?” Harun said, abandoning his plate to peek over her shoulder.

  �
��Vardaan has taken a garrison of ours in the west.”

  There was a beat of silence in the room, a moment of heaviness that weighed on them all. His threat was real now. It couldn’t be ignored, which would mean a rounding of troops, an inevitable war, and certainly lives lost. All of them had been children during the start of the War of the Brothers, and they had barely survived through the long ten years that followed. No one wished to return to that life, especially not when magic was finally back.

  Erratic and unreliable but back.

  Esha continued on. “It was always likely that he’d take that garrison. The soldiers there are far west enough to give their loyalty to whoever has the largest amount of coin.”

  “Mercenaries,” Bhandu spat out.

  “Vardaan has those too.”

  “Why are we not more worried about this?” Kunal asked. Everyone jumped. When had he come in? Once again, Esha wished she had those powers.

  Esha frowned. “I think we’re perfectly worried. He’s amassed a small army by now, especially if he’s able to convince the soldiers at the garrison to follow his cause.”

  “They might not be given a choice, Esha,” Kunal said.

  Esha dipped her head. “You’re right.”

  “If that’s the case, should we offer an alternative?” Lord Mayank said from the side. He’d taken to joining their little impromptu meals. After gaining his title back, his presence had been more in demand than ever—mostly from people who wanted something from him.

  Esha could see that the attention was weighing on Mayank. He had known what he had been fighting for when he had sought to get his title reinstated, but Esha supposed that sort of responsibility was difficult no matter how mentally prepared you were for it.

  She could relate to that. Now that Harun was healed, he could take up more responsibility of the Blades. But the palace itself was still a shared problem between her and Mayank, with Reha’s increasing help. Reha had proven herself to be more than capable to start to run the country. . . . It just didn’t seem as if she was always that willing.

  Of course Esha understood that discovering at sixteen that you were the next queen, after thinking you would rise to be a rebel leader, was jarring. But Reha would have to get over it. No one’s life turned out exactly the way they expected.

  That gave her an idea.

  “Yes, we should provide an alternative,” Esha said. “Offer them new positions here, in Gwali, or wherever they want to be posted. Whoever makes their way back to the capital will be rewarded, and any information about Vardaan’s new army will be rewarded. Handsomely.”

  “Won’t that cause worry among the citizens?” Kunal asked.

  “Exactly.” She turned to stare at Kunal. “Vardaan’s made his move. The threat is real and we need to mobilize our citizens. Do you think anyone in Jansa wants to return to Vardaan’s rule?”

  “Actually, there are groups—” Aahal started.

  Esha sighed. “There are enough that don’t. Let’s empower them to protect their own country. Mayank, notify the city councils and town leaders of the threat. Tell them to gather their militia and close their walls at night. We don’t know where he’ll attack next.”

  Lord Mayank nodded.

  “You should attend to the military as well. Prepare them,” Harun said.

  Esha agreed, having already arrived at the same thought.

  “I’d like to come,” a voice said from the door.

  Reha shut the door behind her. She wasn’t a rare sight in their little gatherings, but Reha had friends in the palace and in the city, and Esha had been giving her the space she needed to come to terms with her responsibility. With a team of Blades watching her every move, of course. Especially after the little conversation she had overheard between her and Kunal.

  She’s too good at goodbyes.

  Moon Lord, she would be an idiot to take her eye off their future queen, despite the successful speech Reha had delivered.

  Kunal looked like he might protest, and Harun was eyeing his younger sister with curiosity. They had been spending more and more time together, and the fact that Harun didn’t object or suggest that he should come along, aside from the fact that introducing the prince of Dharka to Jansan soldiers would be a nightmare, reinforced her decision.

  Esha glanced at the girl. “All right. They’ll need to answer to their queen one of these days. Might as well get them used to the idea of you.”

  Reha’s face grew pale, but she had a decisive look in her eyes. Finally, she nodded.

  The barracks were stuffed with soldiers, overflowing with men at every corner. Many had clearly just run there, perhaps having heard that the acting general and the young princess were coming.

  There was a heavy silence as they walked into the room. A few rows of the men immediately bowed with their palms together as Mayank crossed into the room. His men, most likely, though the numbers indicated that Mayank had won over quite a few to his side since his appointment. There was a scattered line of women too—fresh new recruits courtesy of Mayank, who had overturned the ban on women in the Jansan army.

  Esha narrowed her eyes at the other men who took a few seconds too long to bow. One of the soldiers broke away and came forward.

  “My lord,” the man said. “What brings you here?”

  “An announcement,” Mayank said. He glanced over at Esha and Reha. Esha tilted her head in acknowledgment, pleased that he had deferred to her. She could get used to this amount of power, she knew.

  Esha stepped forward, nudging Reha as well. The girl didn’t move, though.

  “We have news of Vardaan’s movement in the west. He’s gathered a small army of mercenaries and former soldiers.” Esha emphasized the latter to indicate it would be the fate of any who decided to defect for Vardaan’s cause. “And you know how the Jansan army treats deserters.”

  There were collective whispers from the men. Not all of these men were convinced of their cause, but she knew most were smart enough to acquiesce to the change in government.

  “We’ll need to prepare the gates for a possible siege and mobilize troops to protect our borders beyond Gwali. Lord Mayank has already informed me of—”

  “Does she speak?” The soldier who asked the question was older, gruff in speech.

  Esha merely looked down her nose at him.

  “The girl? Is she mute? That’s our princess?” he said again.

  Some of the men around him murmured in agreement.

  “That’s no way to speak about your future queen,” Esha said calmly.

  He spat. “Future queen of nothing. She’s a runt of a girl.”

  Lord Mayank stiffened beside her, but Esha reached out an arm and stopped him.

  “I’d watch your tongue, soldier.” Esha stepped forward.

  “I’ll say what I like, especially if it’s the truth,” he said. The heads around him were nodding. She’d have to address his insubordination quickly, before it grew. A mutiny would be a nightmare right now with Vardaan already on their borders.

  “That’s a challenge, isn’t it, Vilas?” Lord Mayank said quietly. The soldier in question hadn’t heard him, but a few of the men around him had and they began to back away. A few tried to stop Vilas before he spoke again, to little success.

  “I won’t be following her. She’s barely out of her wet cloths,” Vilas said, louder and more emboldened. One of the men, a friend by the looks of it, tried to grab him and get his attention.

  “Definitely a challenge, my lord,” Esha said, loud enough for everyone to hear. There was a momentary hush.

  “I believe it is one. Vilas, are you prepared to make it official?”

  This soldier, Vilas, would back down now. It wouldn’t be worth it to him to continue the challenge, but Esha looked over at the soldier and his small cadre of men. She was wrong.

  Vilas set his jaw and walked forward. She had misjudged either the strength of his ire at having to follow a girl or his own lack of self-preservation.

&nb
sp; “Yes, I am,” Vilas said, his hand going to his sword. A few of the men around them stepped back, not wanting to be tainted by association. The others remained where they were, curious at what would happen.

  “Are you sure you want to issue a challenge?” Esha said quietly. Only Mayank seemed to heed the low violence in her voice. He stepped back a little, whispering something into the ear of a servant.

  The soldier laughed and slapped his biceps. “I’ll take you on any day, little woman.” A slew of men jeered at his back, heartily enjoying the insinuation in his words.

  Esha was glad Kunal wasn’t there. He’d do something stupid. Harun at least knew to let her fight her own battles. Mayank seemed to recognize it as well.

  “Remember,” Esha said. “You asked for it.”

  Esha reached for her waist sash.

  A hand shot out in front of her, holding her back.

  Reha walked past her and stopped in front of Vilas, a hand on one hip. She played with the edge of her waist sash idly, but anyone worth their salt would look closer and see the two knife hilts that poked out above.

  The princess was almost as tall as Vilas, but he still managed to sneer down at her. Reha took it in stride and looked the soldier up and down.

  “I appreciate the help, but I can handle my own problems,” she said. “A duel, then, Vilas?”

  Vilas nodded, a slow grin coiling up his face, pleased that he had only a girl to beat. He motioned at his comrades to move back and they complied, forming a circle around them. A knife appeared from Vilas’s side, glinting threateningly.

  Reha responded in kind, drawing both of her knives.

  She and Vilas eyed each other, and he had just opened his mouth to say something when Reha, without warning, slashed at the side of Vilas’s leather armor with one of her knives. She stabbed the other into his arm.

  He let out a strangled cry and rushed forward. Out of knives, Reha raised her fists and aimed a flurry of punches at his torso and one at his jaw before dodging away.

  She was a whirlwind of brutality, aiming blows like Esha had seen in the fight houses of Gwali. And she was fast.

  Reha didn’t bother with niceties in real life and she certainly didn’t in her fighting. She went for his weakest areas: backs of the knees, throat, groin.