Page 43 of Damned and Broken Gods
“All that hard work ruined, and for what?” Chandra asked, raking a hand through his hair so that it resembled a chaotic mess that echoed the situation.
The guest house was dark, only a couple of lanterns lit in the sitting room where he paced, back and forth, slippers slapping the floor in a rhythm that matched my pulse.
Araz stood by the stairs, arms crossed, expressionless as the regent vented.
But he wasn’t the only one who was pissed. “Seriously? The bastard hit a pari.”
“Bastard? You…” He exhaled through his nose. “Leela, if you don’t let me guide you, then we can’t—” He pressed his lips together and took a deep breath. “What happened was awful. Yes, it was uncalled for. But. It. Happens. This is our world.”
“And you’re okay with that?”
“Of course I’m not. I don’t condone such treatment of the people who are good enough to serve us. But your actions have made it so much harder to change things.”
I forced my fists to unclench, forced myself to stand down. To back up. “I understand what you’re saying, but I can’t…Iwon’tapologize for standing up for her.”
He exhaled through his nose, shoulders relaxing. “Of course you won’t. Such a Vijayroodra trait. He was known for his just rule. For being a champion of the weak and downtrodden. And now that Rajni has seen that trait in you, he will do his best to make sure your path to the throne is a barbed one indeed. He has the confidence of too many.” He chewed on his cheeks. “I need to think. We have till high sun tomorrow to fix this.” He clipped toward the doors. “Get some rest, Leela. Leave this to me.”
“Fuck…” I flopped onto the sofa and dropped my head into my hands. “Araz, what have I done?”
“You did what you felt was right,” he said. “That’s all you can do.”
His tone was tight. Too neutral. Oh god, I’d just fucked up his chance at freedom. “I’m sorry.”
He crossed to the sofa and crouched before me, taking my hands in his. “Never apologize for who you are, Leela. But guard yourself. Think before you act.”
“You think I should have let Rajni beat that pari?”
His nostrils flared. “Yes.”
I pulled my hands from his grip. “What?”
“One pari’s pain, to free all others of the same treatment…” He tipped his head to the side. “In the long run, she would have thanked you.”
“That’s some kind of tactician move, but I’m not a tactician.”
“Really? You took the information that Erabi gave you and used it to charm several raees. You had a plan. A solid one. But your soft heart thwarted it.”
I pressed my hand to my chest. “I can’t just stand by, Araz…”
He sighed and reached up to graze his knuckles down my cheek. “I know, Leela…I know…But if you truly wish to effectchange, you’ll need to learn when to stand down, when to bide your time, and when to strike.” He stood and held out his hand. “Come, I’ll run you a bath and then we sleep. We cannot change what has been done, but we can hope for a positive outcome tomorrow.”
“You think there’s still hope?”
He smiled, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “There’s always hope.”
I took his hand and allowed him to lead me up the stairs, telling myself that I’d imagined the pity in his eyes.
Chapter 15
I See You, Queen
ARAZ
Leela’s mouth parts, soft breath teasing the air as it evens out. She’s serene and vulnerable in sleep, but I’ve seen the fire at her core. The flame of rage burning in the depths of her beautiful eyes, and I can’t unsee it.
I want to damn her for ruining my chances of a speedy release from my prison, but I can’t deny the pride that burgeons in my chest at the memory of her standing up to the Asura bastard.
The strength in her spine. Her grip, biting and sure. She would not have backed down if not urged to do so by Chandra. Warmth blooms in my chest as the possibility of being by her side a little longer takes root.
