“The books, silly,” the wavy-haired one says. “You have to read to absorb the knowledge.”
“I don’t have the time to read all these books.”
They exchange looks and smile knowingly.
“What?” I look between them. “Why you all smiling like that? It’s fecking creepy.”
The curly-haired one answers. “You don’t have to worry about time here, little one. Time here is endless. Now drink your tea. We have much learning to do.”
“Blue? Oh gods, Blue.”
I peel open my eyes and stretch. “Is it mornin’ already?” I blink up at Erabi. “What are you doin’ in the nest?”
“We’re at the Vidya tower,” she says. “We came here to?—”
“Argh!” I grip my head as a sharp burning pain lances through it, and flickering images and sensations cascade through my mind. The spider. The keeper. The sages, and the books, and oh…oh gods. The truth.
It washes over me like a tide and settles like sea foam into sand.
I remember, and I know.
“Blue?” Erabi says. “Blue, are you all right?”
I pull myself up to stand on the windowsill of the Vidya waiting room, heart heavy, mind whirring. “I’m fine. Can we go now?”
“Go? I thought you wanted to stay. To work here. The head sage agreed and?—”
“Nah. I changed me mind. Let’s go. I’ve stayed long enough.”
I’ve stayed a lifetime, but now it is time to live.
Chapter 30
SAY MY NAME…
LEELA
My arms and shoulders ached from pulling the bow, but the target practice had been worth it, bringing forth my natural ability for archery and allowing me to become comfortable with it. I hit every target, and when the djinn began throwing stones into the air and asking me to knock them out of the sky, I hit those targets too.
I planned to go back to my room and soak in the bath, but C’ael suggested a visit to the steam baths instead.
“No one will enter if you’re inside,” he said. “I’ll make sure of it.”
I grabbed fresh clothes and a towel, then followed him through the mountain passages to a steamy chamber filled with a large pool of water.
C’ael waited outside as I ventured into the mist. I kicked off my boots, sighing as my soles met warm stone. I was so going to enjoy this. I stripped quickly and climbed in, keeping hold of the ledge until my toes touched the bottom. The water came up high enough to cover my breasts. Perfect.
Heat seeped into my skin, then deeper into my bones, unraveling and unknitting the tightness in my muscles and leaving me no option but to relax.
In a few hours I’d be bound to Iblees in the Aatala ceremony which would allow him and the devouring force to enter the Shahee Kshetra with me tomorrow. I’d take the bow with me when we returned to claim the throne. No one would get hurt, I’d make sure of it, but if the Asura attacked my people…
My people.
These djinn and ascended here, in this camp, were my people now. When had that shift happened?
I was responsible for them now, just as much as I was responsible for all the innocents in Aakash Sansaar. Chandra would have some explaining to do. What if he’d been lying to me? Playing me? An emptiness opened in my chest—the beginnings of loss, the echo of pain to come. I didn’t want to lose him, but I would not be used, and I would not allow myself to be surrounded by liars and manipulators. If he wasn’t a true ally, then he had no place by my side. No power. No authority.
My scalp prickled, the sensation pulling me from my thoughts. Someone was in the chamber with me.
