After everything I’d been through—the trials, the loss…I’d believed myself ready, but there’d always been the slight chance that this sentient entity would see something it didn’t like. Something I’d missed.
But it had accepted me.
My shoulders dropped. The decision was made. The crown was mine.
“The throne has spoken,” Chandra said, addressing the Authority above us. “We will crown Leela on the equinox and?—”
“One moment, liege.” Asura Rajni stepped up to the balcony rail and looked down his nose at us. “The Authority has a request for Leela Vijayroodra.”
“What request?” Chandra demanded, his tone laced with suspicion.
“There have been rumblings of an uprising for some time. If we are to crown a monarch, then we must ensure there is no doubt as to her claim. No way for them to assert that we have planted a pawn in a position of power to unlock certain royal precedence.”
I looked to Chandra. “What is he talking about?”
“There are certain laws that only a true monarch can apply,” Chandra said, his expression troubled.
“But if the throne says it accepts me…If it allows me to sit on it, then surely that will prove I’m legitimate.”
“The people do not see you sit on this throne. The ceremony involves you being crowned. The crown itself is an extension of the throne, and once you have worn it, you will have access to the throne’s powerbecauseit has accepted you. The throne the people will see you sit on is simply a seat.”
“But if that’s the case, you could have given Chandra the crown, simply claimed he was the heir. Even if the throne wasn’t channeling any power to it. You could have pretended and unlocked the precedences that way? Surely people realize if you wanted to use these laws, you could have done it easily. Why would you have waited all this time?”
It was Chandra that answered. “Firstly, the precedences can only be unlocked by the true heir, but the people may not believe that. Secondly, the public knows that I cannot be controlled.” His jaw flexed, and he looked away. “They know that the Authority works on a closed vote, and some may push the narrative that I have been outvoted. That you are the perfect candidate to play puppet.” He raked a hand through his hair, obviously pissed.
I shook my head. “But the affinity ceremony…Everyone saw the pillars light up.”
Another Asura stepped forward. “Yes, we have that in our favor, but I fear it may not be enough.”
Chandra pinched the bridge of his nose. “No. It will have to be enough.”
“Liege Chandra, you are a reasonable Asura. You know what we speak is a true scenario. One we must endeavor to avoid.”
“I appreciate that, but no. It’s much too dangerous right now.”
Chandra knew what they wanted, and I was done with being the only one not in the loop. “What are you asking me to do?”
All eyes turned to me, but it was Rajni that spoke. “We want you to help us prevent unrest by participating in a show of power, a task that only a royal blood would succeed in completing.”
“Leela, youwillbe crowned on the equinox regardless,” another Asura said. “But if you do not show the people that you are worthybeforeyou take the throne, it could cause unnecessary unrest afterward.”
“This is preposterous,” Chandra said.
I ignored him and asked again, “What exactly do you want me to do?”
“There is a mountain, the inside of which only a royal can navigate. It contains a rare kind of gem not found anywhere else, but it is guarded by a fearsome creature called the Vasuki, a flying serpent that chose not to retreat to Patala with the nagafolk when they sealed off the doorways to their realm. He refused to leave his mountain home. If you can retrieve a gem from the center of the cavern, it will be proof enough. Vasuki will hunt and kill anyone that enters his mountain dwelling, but he will not harm a royal.”
It was another roadblock, for sure, but why put it in my way if they were going to crown me anyway, unless…
Unless they didn’t expect me to survive.
But if the creature wouldn’t hurt a royal then… “What aren’t you telling me?”
It was Chandra who replied. “What they’re not saying is that there may be other terrors in those caverns that would not have any reservations about hurting you. And the journey there is fraught with its own challenges. A vortex will only take us partway. The rest must be on foot.”
And there it was. This was a last-ditch attempt to take me out of the picture. With me gone, Chandra would be next in line for the throne. With me gone, the throne would accept him.
I met Chandra’s gaze and saw my conclusion reflected in his eyes. He shook his head slightly, his expression grim.
