Page 74 of Damned and Broken Gods
“Blue?” Bhoomika’s voice is muffled. “Cake time.”
“In ’ere!”
The sound of rummaging follows, and a moment later, I see lantern light. A hand reaches down. I grab hold, and Bhoomika lifts me out. I stand on ’er palm and dust meself off.
“How did you get in there?” she asks, amused.
I glare up at her. “Ask your eight-legged resident.” I point up at the ceiling where Madame Spider sits in a corner, surrounded by silvery webs, eyes gleaming. Fuck, she’s huge.
Bhoomika looks up at the ceiling with a frown. “What?”
“The spider?”
She chuckles. “You got frightened by a spider? How sweet.”
“Sweet? Look at ’er.” I point at the ceiling, right at Madame Spider.
Bhoomy shakes her head. “I don’t have your eyesight, Blue. There’s no way I can see a tiny spider from all the way down here.”
Tiny? I stare at her, at the mirth in ’er eyes, and realization creeps up on me. She don’t see it. She don’t see Madame Spider at all.
Chapter 25
My Demigod
ARAZ
Leela climbs the ropes to the crow’s nest like an expert, moving fast despite the wind and the rain lashing at her and threatening to dislodge her. Dharma is close on her heels, Priti not far behind. Leela makes for the bridge—a thick stretch of rope that extends all the way to a slippery wall of wood with hidden notches for climbing. Vick is halfway up it already, clinging to it, his face a mask of terror.
Leela looks across at him, and I can hear her mind working. Her desire isn’t to finish the course but to help her friend.
Admirable or stupid, I’m not sure.
Over the past week, Vick has proven himself to be a liability. Failing again and again at the tasks set to prepare the demigods for the test to come. For their introduction to the Shattiraksha and whatever voyage lies ahead.
This fake ship and the course built around it is designed to build endurance and strength and hone balance. Cogs whirr, and the whole contraption begins to sway, just as it would on the sea.
Fuck.
I’d hoped that Leela would have crossed the bridge by now.
Bhartina, the sea trial trainer, stands below the fake ship, her head tipped up, arms on her hips. Ramashi’s mother is one of the most powerful water djinn working with the Asura to help train the troops in the way of the Shattiraksha. She brooks no argument and takes no nonsense, and it’s because of this that the demigods have come so far in a mere week.
Ramashi joins me under the canopy of the training hut. A small building for the demigods to catch their breath, grab a bite to eat, or get cleaned up.
“Leela’s doing well,” he says. “She has the strength of a royal.”
“Yes, but her heart is too soft. Watch…”
The fake deck sways. Leela braces herself and reaches for the barrier rope that runs parallel to the rope bridge. The bridge is wet; one false step and she’ll plummet to the deck beneath.
My chest is tight as I watch her take a moment to gather herself before starting across, her hands gripping the barrier rope, guiding her with careful, measured precision. She allows her body to move with the deck, just as we’ve practiced. Good girl. Good?—
A gust of wind hits her. She stops, knees bent to brace against it, and for a moment, she wobbles. My heart slams into my ribs.
Ramashi gently grips my arm, and I realize I’ve taken a step forward.
He shakes his head, his mouth a thin line. “She must do this alone. You can aid her during the trial, but only if she is in mortal danger.”
