“Here,” I said. “I think it was always supposed to be yours.”
“What is this, Gauri?” asked Nalini, opening her hands.
Light bathed her face, pouring gently over Arjun’s unseeing eyes.
“A new beginning.”
46
TELLING A LIE
VIKRAM
The emerald snake tightened around Vikram’s arm. He winced before patting the jeweled snake on the head.
“That’s enough, Biju. You’ve proven your point.”
Biju relented, flicking a forked diamond tongue at Vikram before sliding across his shoulders. Her tail gracefully swung from his neck to his shoulder. She bit the end, and immediately grew cold. Morning light glinted off her scales.
Unless she was detecting a lie, Biju preferred to live out her existence as a marvelous garland of polished emerald stones carved into the likeness of real snake scales. Sometimes she switched to sapphire. Once, she was even ruby. But green was her favorite color. Last week Vikram had called her “exceedingly predictable.” She had responded by coiling into a vise around his arm. Her way of saying:You tell a lie.
Vikram started each of his mornings with a lie. And every day, it was the same lie. He would stand in front of his mirror and say, “Today, she is ready.” And every day, Biju would tighten into a vise, which assured him that he should hope for no such thing.
Today, like every day for the past two full moons, had been no exception.
After returning from Alaka, he thought he had sated his hunger for wonder, but something still growled in need within him. He glanced out the window. Morning had barely touched Ujijain. Shadows hugged half of the city. Once the city bells rang out, he would begin his endless procession of meetings. It was a routine that gave him comfort. The meetings, the research, the debate. The fact that after all this time, his voice finally mattered. He had a purpose and a place. He even enjoyed complaining about his sore feet and his headaches, but suspected that the novelty would soon wear off.
Vikram set off for the Menagerie, but he had hardly walked five steps down the hall when a voice called out:
“Your Majesty!”
It took him a moment to realize he was being addressed. He was still getting used to his new title. “Emperor” tasted too weighty and bittersweet on his tongue. He stopped walking, allowing a fresh-faced courtier to catch up to him.
“May I walk in your shadow, Your Majesty?”
You used to run from it.
“Of course,” he said, sweeping the air like an invitation. The courtier fell into step beside him.
“It was an honor to hear you speak at last week’s assembly.”
Oh, you were listening? When I saw your head thrown back and drool falling from your mouth, I thought otherwise. My sincerest apologies.
“I’m grateful you listened.”
“I only wish that we had the opportunity to be enlightened by your intelligence earlier.”
“I gave you multiple opportunities.”
The color drained from the courtier’s face. “Your Majesty, I did not mean to remind you of such… irresponsibility and ignorance from the council in the past.”
Yourself included.
“But surely, Your Majesty, you saw how the council changed the day you returned. You astounded them. They were awed.”
“Showing up with an Otherworldly treasure tends to do that.”
Two full moons ago, he had returned to Ujijain and walked straight into a council meeting with nothing but the enchanted document in his hand and Biju around his neck. His wish had been for all who looked upon the document to recognize his potential, but it had the unpredicted benefit of allowing all who looked at the piece of parchment to see potential not just in Vikram, but also themselves. He told them about his travels in the Otherworld, demonstrating the truth with Biju. Little by little, his circumstances changed. Half the council credited Vikram’s monthlong disappearance into the Otherworld as the reason he had risen to power and shrugged off the puppet ruler title. The other half credited themselves for finally noticing the Prince’s “remarkable mind.”
