Page 38 of Damned and Broken Gods
“I’ll wear them,” Araz said. “I will be by your side.”
“Good, that’s settled, then.” Erabi hooked an arm through mine and led me toward the array of lehengas. “I think the midnight blue for you too…don’t you?”
He and I would be matching, then…I liked the idea of that. I shrugged. “Whatever you think.”
“Good, then we have a plan for clothes. Now let’s prepare for the banquet itself.” She went back to the trunk and pulled out a bulging folder. “In here is the guest list of every Asura who’ll be attending the banquet tonight. Names, likes and dislikes, information to help you build bridges.” She fluttered to the table and sat down. “Are you ready to learn?”
“Do I have a choice?”
She smiled sweetly. “No.”
“In that case, we’d best get started.”
My head swamwith the names and descriptions of Asura and their alliances. From what I’d gathered, the hierarchy here was the equivalent of the hierarchy of monarch, dukes, lords, and noblemen from my world. Right now, the Authority was acting as monarch with Chandra as a figurehead.
Below them were the houses, but each house had a duke, or what they called anawab,and a lord orthakur, chosen to work under them. The rest of the born Asura were called raees—nobles. The made Asura had to earn this station or be gifted it. There weren’t many of those, and the ones whowereelevated were all seedborn—made gods who’d been claimed by their sires.
According to Erabi, the three Asura I needed most to impress were Asura Jogyan, Nawab of the Paani Ghar, Asura Bheema, Nawab of Dharti Ghar, and Asura Rajni. Yeah…thatAsura Rajni—Droona and Yudh’s sire. He just happened to be the nawab of Pavan Ghar.
All three were on the Authority, but I couldn’t impress them directly; no, I had to do it through the lords—the thakur who worked beneath them, Thakur David, Thakur Gillian, and Thakur Dhani. Earth, water, and air respectively.
It was a lot to remember, but Araz assured me that he had it all noted in his beautiful brain.
And now it was time to dress. To wrap myself in midnight, smile, bow, and smile some more. Sweet words, sweet laughter, and no guile. They needed to believe that I was malleable, that they could mold me into any shape they desired.
Tonight, I’d have to hide my fire and be an ember.
“Oh, Leela, you’re glowing…” Erabi stood behind me in the mirror, hands clasped beneath her chin, eyes misty as she took me in.
I was weighted down by luxurious fabrics, face stiff from powder, eyes lined with kohl, head heavy with the intricate hairstyle that added waves and curls to my thick hair. I looked…magnificent.
Not like me.
But like the person I could be.
“I’ll go fetch your shoes!” Erabi hurried from the bedroom.
I adjusted a curl, gaze tracking to movement behind me.
Araz filled the doorway, midnight fabric lovingly hugging his powerful shoulders. His dark hair, streaked with gold, had been brushed to a shine and half pulled up, the rest spilling over his shoulders. I ached to touch it, to run my fingers through it, to bury my nose in the tresses and inhale him.
His fiery gaze met mine in the mirror, darkening, mouth parting. My stomach flipped. Hard.
I swallowed past the thickness in my throat. “Hey…” The word came out as a whisper. An invitation.
Araz moved to stand behind me, and I swayed, leaning back into his heat, my gaze still locked with his in the mirror.
He leaned in, his lips brushing the sensitive shell of my ear, his gaze still snaring me. His lips grazed my skin, the briefest of contact, but it sent lava flooding through my veins. Heat rose to hug my neck, and my eyes fluttered closed.
“If anyone touches you tonight,” he said, his voice a delicious rumble, “I won’t be responsible for my actions.”
His heat retreated as breath exploded from my lungs. My eyes snapped open in time to see him slip from the room.
Damn him, pushing the boundaries.
“Here we go.” Erabi returned with silver sandals in her hand. “Oh dear, you look flushed. Is it too warm in here?”
She had no idea. “I’m fine. Let’s just get on with this.”
