After all,shewas a weapon.
She closed her hand around the man’s wrist just as his sword swung in a wide arc to her neck. It knocked her to the side, but it didn’t go through. He slumped to the ground. Pushing herself up on her elbow, Aasha managed a shaky grin.
“Where’s my thanks?” she asked hoarsely.
But Zahril was looking at her as if Aasha had taken the sword and plunged it through Zahril’s belly. Aasha frowned. She pushed herself off the ground. Something glinted amidst the grass. Pearls.Thousandsof little pearls. Her hand flew to her throat. But her collar of jewels did not meet her hand. Onlyskin.
And star.
Zahril looked as if she was a rendering of ice.
“I thought I’d met the worst kind of monster years ago,” she said, her voice flat and affectless. “I was wrong.”
11
In the days and weeks that followed, Zahril did not retract her appointment of Aasha.
Aasha was glad of this, for she had never seen Bharata and Ujijain plunged into more disarray. Now more than ever, Gauri and Vikram needed her nearby.
“Just until everything is settled,” said Gauri wearily. “I am sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry,” said Aasha. “I’m your friend. I am your friend before I am your subject, and so I will be here.”
Besides,thought Aasha,I have nowhere to go anyway.
The treason of the Spy Master had sickened Gauri and Vikram. Aasha was called a heroine that day, celebrated throughout the two kingdoms.
No one but Zahril had seen the star.
And so her greatest secret was still…hers.
But though Aasha might have been victorious, the fledgling kingdom was mired with problems. Gauri and Vikram’s victories were never without their losses, and yet no matter what kind of day they faced, Aasha always saw them walking hand in hand. Fingers laced. Eyes never straying from one another. As if they were the beginning and end of the universe, and everything else was just noise.
It cut Aasha.
Three cycles of the moon had passed without word from Zahril. Sometimes, while everyone was eating, Aasha would walk to the temple where the offering sat before the deities. Zahril always tasted the food of the monarchs before they did. But either her methods of enchantment meant that she never saw Aasha trying to talk to her, or she simply didn’t care. Aasha didn’t know what was worse.
The only benefit was that the courtiers of Bharata were on board with her appointment. Convinced even more by her multiple visits to the temple.A pious Spy Mistress can only bring prosperity to the kingdom.
“Aasha,” said Gauri one evening. “The new Spy Master of Ujijain said that he is willing to take you on as an official assistant. You can stay here for the next year until you’re ready to assume the new duties. But if you wanted to go somewhere else, I understand.”
The meaning was clear.
She could return to Zahril.
Aasha shook her head. “I’m not wanted.”
Gauri sighed. “Tomorrow is the final day. That’s when both Spy Masters must submit an answer over who will mentor you.”
Aasha said nothing. “Then I suppose I don’t need to bother with packing.”
After excusing herself, she spent the rest of the day in the royal kitchens. She no longer worried about the threat of her fingers. Hertraining with Zahril had made her so hyper-aware of her surroundings that nothing could frighten her anymore. At least not while she was awake. Aasha threw herself into the dishes… until her hair was streaked white with chickpea flour and her hands bore the battle wounds of many too-hotrotis.Aasha wanted to push herself to the point of exhaustion. She wanted a dreamless slumber, justonenight where she wouldn’t have to dream about Zahril beside her.
Zahril, who she would never hurt if she woke up from a nightmare, her body flooded with unwanted toxins.
Zahril, who could never quite get rid of the warmth in her garnet-black eye.
Night frayed the edges of the sky. Aasha pushed open the ivory door to her private villa, nestled amongst the fruit orchards of Bharata.
