Page 132 of The Burning Mountain
“You’ve mentioned the Seven Lives Curse before,” said Veer, recalling the warning the yaksha had given him, about his and Chandra’s shared tragic fate. It was all he could think of, ever since her sacrifice to save him, that he was responsible for everything. That he couldn’t protect her despite knowing the danger. “Did she…” He swallowed and forced the words out. “Did she suffer? In our other lives?”
“Always. Across the many lifetimes you were cursed to repeat, yes, she died first. The burden of immortality is that I’m doomed to see everyone I care about, friends, family, acquaintances laid to rest. I have gone through this grief many times.”
“Does it get better?” asked Veer, his voice numb.
“No. It hurts the same. Every time.”
Perhaps it was a good thing Veer had no memories. This was the most painful thing he ever had to experience; he couldn’t imagine the pressure of those previous lives’ regrets piling on—he would break.
Veer’s silence prompted the yaksha to continue.
“She is a princess here, in one of her previous lives, so it is a fitting place to bury here.”
“Will you…will you put her to sleep like the rest of the danava kings? In that enchanted lake?” asked Veer, his hope rising, recalling the enchanted lake where the immortal danava kings slumbered.
“I could. But I doubt that’s something she would choose if she had that choice.”
Veer nodded woodenly; his hopes shattered. “Yes. She would hate that.”
His head came up as another thought struck him. “What about the healing waters of that lake? The one you allowed Chandra to use once before, when I hurt her?”
The yaksha shook his head before Veer finished. “It’s the same as the healing stones. It can’t heal a mortal wound. You can use the waters, but for how long? She still won’t wake up or have a meaningful life.”
Veer lowered his head, hiding his wet eyes. For a moment, like a fool, he thought he could get a different answer. But even the gods knew he didn’t deserve her. “May I have a moment, if you don’t need an immediate answer?” he choked out.
“Of course. Take as long as you want.”
64
THE SEVEN LIVES CURSE
The few temple lamps glowed softly in the quiet night. Exhaustion caused Veer to fall into an uneasy slumber, but when he woke up again, it was still dark.
He went into a brief panic when he didn’t find his wife’s body near him. She lay a short distance away. Veer supposed the yaksha had moved her.
But to his astonishment, he saw a small child sitting near Chandra’s body, brushing her hair with a pudgy hand. Veer had the puzzling thought about how a child was able to come in when he found it notoriously difficult to get into this place. Surely, the yaksha couldn’t justify allowing such a small child inside the enchanted forest. She appeared no older than three. And where were her parents? Caretakers?
“She looks so peaceful. Is she sleeping?” asked the child, curiosity brimming in her voice.
“Who are you?” asked Veer, still groggy from the restless sleep. “How did you get into this enchanted forest?”
“I am allowed in here,” she said, giving him a dismissive shrug. “Do you have anything to eat?”
“Eat?”
She nodded. “I am hungry.”
Veer patted his pockets and found some nuts tied in a cloth bag that he vaguely recalled someone pushing into his hands.
He extended them to her.
“Thank you.” She cracked one open with ease and popped the kernel into her mouth. “What is wrong with her?” she asked, pointing toward Chandra.
Veer opened his mouth but halted. Perhaps he shouldn’t explain about death to a child. She seemed so young, but her demeanor and words were not that of a youngster. He wondered who she was. In this enchanted forest, it was reasonable to doubt, because nothing was what it appeared to be on the surface.
“It’s complicated,” he said instead.
“That is what people say when they do not want to explain things.”
