“It’s all right,” she whispered. “Rukh. It’s all right. It’s all right.”
Bhumika was alone, waiting for her, standing at a broken window of the great mahal. Staring at the Hirana. She was drinking from a bottle of wine. One of the regent’s own stores that had, miraculously, survived the carnage.
“Where’s Padma?” Priya asked.
“Sleeping,” said Bhumika. “Khalida is with her. You think I’d leave my newborn infant alone?”
“I was just asking,” said Priya. “Besides, you can leave babies alone to sleep. Can’t you?”
Bhumika muttered something unsavory under her breath and nudged the bottle of wine toward Priya. Priya took it and drank.
“So,” Bhumika said. “What will you do?”
Priya lowered the bottle.
“What do you mean?”
“I know you want to leave, Priya.”
Priya swallowed. Stared out at the Hirana, broken but standing, a light flickering upon the triveni, where some of the once-born remained. “I never said that.”
“You didn’t have to, Pri.” When Priya remained quiet, Bhumika said, “All I ask is that you… don’t simply go. Talk to me. There’s so much I need you for here. Unrest. Trying to ensure that the rebels and our own people don’t tear out one another’s throats. The threat of Parijatdvipa at our borders. The need for allies to trade with.”
“That is a lot, isn’t it?” Priya sighed, and rolled her shoulders, straightening her spine. “I’d like to help keep us safe. Though I don’t think Jeevan would be happy about that. He wasn’t well pleased when I cracked a soldier’s head with a branch.”
“He’d cope,” Bhumika said dryly.
“As for the rest—the truth is, I’m not a politician,” said Priya. “I’m not a warrior. I’m not even a maidservant anymore. I am…”
She thought of the feel of Ahiranya unfurling in her mind. Of power in her blood. Of what it meant to be touched by spirits—to be a temple child, a keeper of faith.
To be… elemental.
Bhumika was still watching her.
“Not very much at all,” finished Priya. “I’m not very much at all.”
“You’re an elder, now.”
“Come on. We both know you’re the only true elder here.”
Bhumika shook her head. “That’s not true, Priya,” she said. “Maybe you’ll see that one day.”
“I do want to leave,” Priya admitted. “I suppose I always want to do the wrong thing. But I promise you, I won’t go. I won’t leave you to suffer dealing with this work alone.”
Bhumika shook her head. “That isn’t what I want.”
“What do you want, then?”
“Tell me whatyouwant to do,” Bhumika said. “That’s all I want to know.”
She wanted to sink beneath the waters again.
She wanted Ashok to be alive.
She wanted Malini. She wanted the woman who had held a knife to her heart. She wanted only things that would destroy her, and what good would that do anyone?
“So many things,” said Priya, finally. “They don’t matter.”
