Page 99 of Lost and Stolen Gods
“In third place is demigod Priti,” Eben continued.
Priti sagged on the spot, relief leaving her loose-limbed.
Dharma grinned at her sister. “Told you…”
“In second place we have demigod Dharma.”
Dharma looked up at Chaya in confusion while everyone broke into conversation at once.
“Quiet!” Guru Chandra said. “You will not question the judgment of the ankh.” Was it my imagination, or did he look a little frazzled? “Eben, please continue.”
“In first place is demigod Leela.”
There was a beat of stunned silence in which my heart threatened to break free of my chest, and then everyone was talking at once. Pashim drew me closer, holding me up when my legs threatened not to.
“What the fuck?” I looked over at the spot Araz had been a moment ago, but he was gone. “Pashim. I didn’t get past the halfway point.”
He looked just as thrown as I was.
“Quiet! Quiet!” Guru Chandra ordered.
The commotion died like the smiles on my fellow demigods’ faces. All I saw now was confusion and in some cases suspicion.
“This makes no sense,” Chaya said. “My demigod completed the gauntlet in record time.”
“Silence!” Umbra admonished.
“I am certain that Eben has an explanation for the…surprising grading,” Guru Chandra said coolly.
Umbra froze, her gaze darting to the regent. I guessit wasn’t proper for anyone to question the ankh’s judgment, even for a regent.
The air vibrated, and this time it wasn’t Eben’s voice that we heard but a breathless androgynous one that, like the Shakti, sounded like it was several speaking at the same time.
“Points are allocated not only for the event itself, but for the time spent in preparation. By choosing to spend every evening running the course, demigod Leela has gained enough points to put her above demigod Dharma by a single point. The sacrifice of her free time and the determination to succeed have aided her triumph this day.”
“That’s not fair!” Eve called out. “No one told us that we could practice after hours.”
“You did not ask. You did not take the initiative. And therefore you, demigod Eve, are in last place.”
Eve’s face went bright red, and she looked like she was about to spew some curses, but her drohi slapped a hand over her mouth, pulling her back against his chest and effectively silencing her.
“Rejoice that you all passed the gauntlet,” Eben continued. “Some of you may not be taking your first pareekshan this time, but youwilltake it soon enough.”
The lights on the smaller stones dimmed, and Eben’s face melted back into rock.
“Congratulations to the chosen,” Guru Chandra said. “You will be briefed on your pareekshan in thecoming days. In the meantime, train hard, and be ready.” His gaze swept over me as he exited the room, and my stomach hollowed with guilt because despite what the ankh had said, I didn’t deserve this, and it felt like I’d stolen the limelight from Dharma, but when I looked over at her, she was all smiles.
“You deserve it,” she said. “I knew you were working every evening; I could have come with you, but?—”
“You didn’t need to. Because you’re good enough already.”
Umbra approached us. “Grading isn’t simply about skill. It’s about heart and the will to do better. Tobebetter. Your grade and place on the pareekshan are also well deserved.”
“She’s right,” Pashim said. “Now you must focus on getting your strength back.”
“Return to your barracks and celebrate this milestone,” Guru Mihir said. “This will be your last reprieve, because you are all officially on the path to the labyrinth. Not all of you will make it, and not all will survive, so take this day together, for who knows what tomorrow may bring.”
Part Five
