Page 134 of The Burning Mountain
“I was naive and stupid then,” he said, feeling as if every word he forced out lacerated his throat. “But I’ve learned my lesson. Ilavu is right. After watching the consequences of unchecked lust for power in Virat’s example, I’d rather die than do that for someone I love.”
“Are you prepared to lose her, then? Because you are too much of a coward to go seeking for answers?”
“Are you really the goddess Chandra reveres?” he asked, a frown pinching his brows, even as his heart ached incessantly, silently reminding him of the suffering that awaited him at the thought of living his life without her. “One who would put her through the pain of making a wrong choice at the slightest hint of ambiguity when using your goddess powers?”
“Is she the reason you do not want to do it? Because she would hate it?”
You’re a good person, Veer, and you’re going to be a great emperor of the Saptavarsha. I believe in you.
His vision blurred, recalling the last words she said to him. For the first time, Veer understood what might have passed through Chandra’s mind when she decided she would rather sacrifice her life than do what Virat commanded her to. Some choices were so monstrously heavy to make, it almost felt like dying.
“Not just because of it, no,” he said slowly, his voice gathering strength as he became certain of his actions. “I am the crown prince of Rajgarh. I have a duty, a responsibility to others. The price for this is too steep. Opening the portal would puthumanity in danger from the devas and the danavas. Chandra…” Bitter tears choked up his throat and Veer needed a moment to compose himself. “She placed her trust in me to do the right thing, long before I knew it myself. If she were here, she’d never want me to go down that path for her. I’m not a good person, but for her and in her memory, I will try at least to be better. Even when it is the more painful choice.”
The goddess stared at him with an indecipherable expression. “And are you all right if it means you will never see her again? Like I said, this will be your last lifetime together. The curse is complete.”
“Even then.”
The goddess remained silent for a while and then she sighed. She looked down where Chandra’s head lay in her lap. Veer couldn’t be sure, but she seemed to have a slight smile on her face, like she was pleased about something.
“There is nothing for me to do here, then.” She got up and ran a hand over Chandra’s hair. Her smile was gentle as the wind. Veer lowered his gaze, too afraid to stare at her for long, irrationally afraid he could never unsee something so profoundly beautiful.
She spoke again, her voice an incongruous mixture of childlike innocence and of age-old wisdom. “A long time ago, I took a life to make a curse happen. It is time for me to repay that now, at the end of it all.”
She smiled at him. “Goodbye, Veer. You will not accept the other ways I have shown you. But I hope you will accept a gift from the goddess, freely given.”
Veer woke up with a start.He was in the same position as before. He looked around and saw Chandra lying a distance away, same as before.
He held his pounding head. His eyes felt gritty, his muscles sore, as if he went through a few training rounds.
A dream. That was what had happened. Of course, it was a dream. It was laughable to even think that the goddess would appear before him, of all people.
He probably dreamed about the whole thing because he wanted it so much to be true. But even his dreams didn’t hold an answer. The goddess had shown him a way that he simply could not take.
Morning sunlight dappled the ground. Wind blew through the trees, bringing a crisp breeze and an early morning chill.
The yaksha walked into the temple and prayed before the goddess statue, then crouched by Chandra’s body. Today he was in the guise of a mass of butterflies that gave Veer vertigo if he watched too closely.
Veer got up, his joints creaking painfully from sleeping in an awkward position. He made his way toward Chandra. Today would be her last day. He had replaced the final healing stone yesterday.
It was his turn to say farewell to his heart.
The yaksha was examining her and gave a sudden exclamation. “What have you done to her?” he asked, looking up at Veer.
“What?” Veer ran, forgetting the aches, and dropped to his knees beside her.
The yaksha had removed the bandages over the chest wound and instead of the dead, blackened tissue Veer had gotten used to seeing, there was an angry red wound. A closed wound that, even to Veer’s untrained eyes, appeared to be healing.
You will not accept the other ways I have shown you. But I hope you will accept a gift from the goddess, freely given.
Veer slumped to the ground in shock. It wasn’t a dream. The goddess had given her one final blessing.
“She really was here,” he whispered to himself.
“What are you talking about?” asked the yaksha.
“The goddess. She appeared before me. I thought it was a dream but…” He glanced down at Chandra’s still face.
“Will she live?” he asked hoarsely, his throat raw with emotions.
