Page 80 of Damned and Broken Gods
“So what did you do?”
“A navigation test. We were given a route and a map.” He points far east. “There are a bunch of islands that way, close together, and we had to navigate small ships between them.”
It sounds tame, but people died anyway. A basic test turned lethal due to the weather.
Bhartina joins us on the beach, using her hand as a visor to look out to sea. “There they are!” She points toward a row of black dots bobbing toward us. They approach fast, growing larger. Six ships, much smaller than Vairanya. No sails, just bare masts. And clinging to the masts are figures—drohi?
As the ships reach shallower water, the sea erupts around each one as the Shattiraksha lift their heads out of the water. My breath catches as the true face of the entourage is revealed. They snap at the air with beaked mouths, triple horns gleaming in the sunlight, water falling off the wide ridges that project from their cheeks. Their heads are built for battle—to slice and maim—while the warriors on the ship react with tridents and arrows. An ascended would use his astra—the divine weapon that chose him or her. And an astra can do a lot of damage.
Bhartina ushers everyone toward the boats. It’s time to meet the creatures up close. Leela looks at me, bright-eyed, and makes a face. The one that I’ve come to know means,We’re doing this, right?
I smile down at her and nod before scooping her off her feet.
She cries out softly, her arms going around my neck on instinct. Warmth flushes my veins as her eyes lock with mine, and for a moment, I’m back in our bedroom, watching her unravel. My heart too large for my chest. My body on fire to claim her.
Her mouth parts on a breath.
Is she remembering too?
Playing with fire…
The words flit across my mind. And yes. Yes, I am. And it isn’t fair to either of us. I rein in my thoughts, tear my gaze from hers, and carry her into the water, to the waiting boats.
She deflates in my arms, sensing my withdrawal. And as much as it hurts to pull away like this after what we shared last night, it’s the only way to reset boundaries. The only way to protect both our hearts.
The boat rocks as I set Leela in. Priti climbs in next to her, and Joe joins them. Keyton, Mahira, and I get in last and begin to row.
Bhartina’s boat has already sailed ahead carrying Vick, Bina, and her drohi Thanu. Dharma, Elata, and Alia, along with their drohi, sail beside us.
The Shattiraksha grow larger, and the magnitude of their power hits me. They snort mist and glare at us with inky eyes ringed in gold, waiting to take in our resonance and know us.
Bhartina brings her boat to a halt in front of one of the majestic creatures and waits for us to join her.
“This is Rajnanga, the leader of this bale. You will climb aboard and allow him to know you by the echo of your boots and the resonance of your voice, and through him, the others will also know you.”
We row the boat around the Shattiraksha. The sides of the shell are steep, but there are ridges for climbing. I stay close behind Leela as she hooks her hands and feet into the nooks and ascends. She does it effortlessly, and pride balloons inside me.
The deck is slippery from sea foam, the masts dotted with algae, and ocean flora clings to the sides of the hull. When not in action, the Shattiraksha sink fully below the waves. But the ship is part of the beast, born from it, the wood a living thing connected to it, so it withstands the element just as well as the shell does.
A bare-chested drohi I’m unfamiliar with approaches. His skin is speckled with salt, and his dark hair is wet. “Welcome to Rajnanga. My name is Hulani. Take a moment. Walk around. Let him know you.”
Behind us, Vick appears on deck, and Priti helps him up. Leela joins them. I track her while Hulani speaks to Keyton and Mahira.
“Araz?” a familiar voice calls, and I turn to find Jasha striding across the deck toward me. “Well met.” We grasp forearms, and Jasha grins.
His attitude hasn’t bothered me too much until recently. I don’t like the way he speaks to Leela. My gaze goes to her now. She’s with Vick portside. He’s walking backward, a grin on his face. He doesn’t see the rope coiled behind him, but Leela does. She grabs his arm to stop him from tripping, and he grabs on to her in turn, pulling her forward just as she shoves him to the side. She stumbles and trips over the rope.
I’m too late to catch her.
“Fuck!” She groans and pushes up on her palms.
I hook an arm around her waist and haul her up. “Are you hurt?”
“Just my pride.”
“I can’t believe it,” Jasha says, walking over to us. “You? A royal? A female who can’t even stay upright on a stationary deck?”
I look to Vick, waiting for him to explain that Leela had been saving him, but he looks away, his mouth pressed in a tight line. I wait for Leela to explain, but instead she crosses her arms and glares up at Jasha.
