Page 94 of The Burning Mountain
The woman had her palms cupped together as if offering something. Chandra picked up her pace, unheeding of the minor scratches that opened on her palms as she stumbled over the rocks in her haste to get to the statue. The anticipation of finally seeing the key piece lifted her past minor aches and pains. And there, in the statue’s outstretched hands, was the key piece, waiting to be found.
Heart beating fast, Chandra picked it up gingerly and squeezed a few drops of blood from her wounds, joining the golden key piece to the dark lotus. It flared with a blue light as the transformation was complete. A sudden relief filled her. She had completed her task successfully.
The lotus was snatched out of her hands unceremoniously, leaving her feeling bereft. The glow extinguished and the key went back to its bud form.
“What are you doing?” asked Chandra, frowning. “What’s the meaning of this?”
“You won’t need this anymore, Princess,” said the captain, tucking the Lotus Key in his robes. “We can take care of it from now on.”
“I don’t understand.”
He motioned to the soldiers behind her, who grabbed her arms and wrenched them behind her back. “You will be going to Vivismati’s main city, Princess. Our king himself has requested that you be escorted there.”
“As a prisoner?” asked Chandra, not in the least surprised that it had come down to this.
The captain’s eyes focused on her and she held his gaze unflinching, despite the unreasonable hate there.
“Yes,” he confirmed.
45
THE WIZARD AND THE PRINCE
TheGajagaminidocked in Sumedh a few days later. They had managed to outrun the predicted storm, thanks to their ship’s speed.
Veer stood on the shore, slouching against adeepastambha—a lamppost—and watched Shota pay out the crew in gold. Vihari was a comfortable, familiar weight at his shoulder.
Veer shaded his eyes and looked up at the midday sun, gauging the time. Calls of seagulls and sandpipers sounded across the pebbly beach. He wondered how Chandra was faring and if she had gotten the key piece yet. He hadn’t heard anything from his uncle for a couple of days now.
Shota was doling out a little extra from the pouch of coins for successfully completing their journey. Their captain and his helmsman stood to one side, watching the crew with a stern but fair eye.
Bhupathi was absent, indisposed after fighting the monster. The use of the goddess powers had cost him. He dismounted first and was recuperating in one of the nearby inns.
Veer was just glad no one died on this journey. There were injuries, but nothing serious, and with the Makara dead, he feltgood about returning Samudra’s prized ship back to him, in one piece.
Virat was the last to walk down the gangplank. Veer was shocked to see how much Virat had aged in the past few days. His fingertips had turned black after using his powers. But now he sported extensive bruises. His skin had lost its turgidity and hung off his frame. His muscles atrophied, as if he was being eaten by a disease from the inside. He seemed to be literally coming apart at the seams.
“It’s time I left,” said Virat. “I need another body. This one has sustained too much damage. But I hope you’ll remember my assistance and your promise.” He turned his feet toward the paved path that led to the packed earth thoroughfares of the city.
“I made no promise,” drawled Veer, straightening from his slouch, his eyes flinty with purpose.
Virat froze and glanced over his shoulder, face blank. “I’d assumed…” he let his sentence trail off.
Veer inspected his fingers lazily. “It amazes me, Virat, that you think I’d still trust you after all the holes in your story.”
“What are you saying?” asked Virat, turning around, facing him. The skulls in his staff flared up with hints of green. “You’re refusing to help me? After all my aid in bringing the Makara down.”
“That ‘help’ will go toward the debt you owe me for putting my life in danger in the temple city,” said Veer shortly. “But you still have to answer for your crimes against Prince Aditya.”
“Why do you care? That boy isn’t from Rajgarh. Just some nobody from a kingdom you haven’t seen eye to eye with.”
“And what about Kalpana? Or my wife?”
The staff flashed again, showing more reaction than Virat ever did. “You believe them over me? Is this what justice in Rajgarh has come down to? Condemning a man without proof.”It wasn’t quite outrage but something far darker in Virat’s voice, coupled with a flat reptilian gaze.
Veer’s jaw tensed. He nodded toward Shota in a previously agreed upon signal. His friend tucked the money pouch into his belt and fished out the judiciary amulet from his shirt pocket and held it up. It flared red, showing it was in use.
Veer smiled grimly. It was time to make some things clear.
