A set of marble steps led down to the gravel drive where the royal carriage waited. My heart leapt at the sight of the majestic moona. The ivory equine creatures pawed at the ground, tossing their silver manes and exhaling rainbow mist.
Dhoona and Yudh appeared from around the side of the carriage, silver eyes bright in their stone faces. I hurried down to meet them, the tension I hadn’t realized I was holding easing a little at the sight of the brothers.
“Vijayroodra.” They inclined their heads.
I approached and lightly touched the cuffs of their black tunics. “Just Leela is fine.” They looked up, and I smiled into their eyes. “How are you both?”
“We should be asking you that question,” the one I recognized as Yudh said. “We heard about Araz…”
My throat pinched, and I nodded. “He saved my life.”
“He was an honorable drohi,” Dhoona said. “He will be missed.”
Hearing them talk about him in the past tense hit hard. My eyes heated, and I blinked to staunch the flow of tears that wanted to come.
“We should go,” Erabi said, her tone soft with empathy.
Yudh opened the carriage door. “We will take you to Prashikshan and have been instructed to wait until you are ready to return.”
“We’re staying the night,” Erabi said.
“Then we shall wait for you on the bridge.”
Was he serious? “Like heck you will. I’m sure that we can find you both beds for the night within the walls of Prashikshan.” I looked across at Erabi, who shook her head and shrugged. “You’re not staying on the bridge overnight. I’ll sort something out when we get there.”
“As you wish,” Dhoona said.
“Liege Chandra has assigned us to your security,” Yudh said. “We are to be your shadows in the Shahee Kshetra.”
Security… “Is my life at risk?”
“Yes,” Dhoona said at the same time as Erabi said, “No.”
I arched a brow at her.
She sighed. “It’s a precaution. No one would truly dare to?—”
“All due respect, glittery one,” Yudh said, “but there are factions who would very much dare.”
Oh yes, the factions. There was one who favored monarchy over the Authority, a rebel faction who wanted neither to rule and hoped to put control of the realm into the hands of its people, and then we had the Authority champions who would do whatever it took to squash both monarchyandthe people.
Yep, I knew all about the factions. “Monarchycanbe held with a regard for democracy. The people should be given a voice. A real voice with votes.”
Erabi blinked up at me. “A vote? For everyone? You could do that?”
“Yes. I could, and I will. Decisions that affect the people should be decided on by the people, not some figurehead or a panel of nobles dissociated from the real issues the general population is facing.”
“But if you have votes, then what’s the point of a monarchy?” Erabi said.
I winked at her and put my fingers to my lips. “Exactly.”
I climbed into the carriage, and Erabi followed, taking the spot opposite me.
The door closed behind us.
“You truly meant what you said just now, didn’t you?” Erabi said.
“Every word.”
