Page 6 of Damned and Broken Gods
On the one hand, there’s the voice of logic and reason. The voice that has guided me thus far that warns that Leela will turn against me.
She’s a royal. A member of the bloodline responsible for my people’s servitude. They’ll take her from me. Turn her into one of them, and when they do, she’ll reveal my plans.
She could end everything before it’s begun.
But there is another voice that counsels me to remember the woman that Leela is. Loyal and compassionate, she won’t go back on her word—not for fear of repercussion but because she has honor.
The new voice counsels me to trust her, while my jaded companion advises me to remain vigilant, to play the part, keep her close and enraptured, so that in time I can claim my freedom. It counsels me to become whatever she needs, promising me everything I deserve.
“Araz?”
I drag myself out of my thoughts and focus on Keyton, who’s looking at me expectantly. “I’m sorry, what did you say?”
His smile holds empathy. “We’re just wondering what you think will happen now. If Leela is royal?—”
“Clearly she is,” Chaya chimes in. “We all saw the pillars.”
“I still can’t believe it,” Joe says softly.
“Typical,” Eve says with a disgusted look. “Leela gets the prize. Again.”
“What are you talking about?” Priti snaps. “When has Leelaevergotten the prize?”
Eve rolls her eyes. “Oh, come on! She gets the only fire drohi in existence. She gets a talking rat,andshe won the damn gauntlet without even completing it.”
“She nearly fucking died!” Dharma snaps. “You’re pathetic, you know that?”
“And you’re a bitch.”
“Enough!” My voice echoes off the walls, stunning everyone into silence. I turn to Eve’s drohi, Ima. “I suggest you counsel your demigod in a little decorum. I doubt compassion is in her repertoire of emotions.”
Ima has the grace to look ashamed, but Eve simply lifts her chin and glares right at me. “Don’t you dare try to intimidate my drohi.”
“Be silent, Eve,” Ima says. “You’ve said enough.” He pushes back his chair and strides from the room.
“Ima, wait!” Eve hurries after him.
“She doesn’t mean it,” Sylvie says softly. “When she gets stressed or scared, she…she gets mean.”
“You’re too kind,” Remi says. “Considering how shitty she was to you when we got here.”
“Sylvie is a forgiving soul,” her drohi, Pylar, says. “Sometimes too forgiving.”
Sylvie smiles up at him, her eyes brightening, and I’m reminded of the way Leela sometimes looks at me, but that memory is quickly chased by how awfully I usually react. The tea curdles in my belly.
“So…” Keyton says. “Whatwillhappen to Leela now?”
I drain my cup and set it on the counter. “I don’t know.”
“Surely they can’t make her do the tests,” Chaya says. “She’s too important for them to risk her life.”
“She’ll probably be taken to Shahee Kshetra,” Keyton says, coming to the same conclusion that I have.
“She’ll be queen…” Remi says.
Leela’s demigod friends exchange glances, and something unspoken passes between them.
“What is it?” I study them with narrow eyes. I’ve watched them enough to learn not only their names but their body language, and I can tell they share a secret.
