Malini pressed her hands so hard upon her knees that she could feel her nails cut grooves into her flesh. She did not want this.
Aditya. Ah, brother, what are you doing? Why this, why now?
“Brother,” she said. He looked at her. “Prince Aditya,” she went on, forcing her voice steady. “Is this truly your wish?”
“Yes,” he said. “Empress, it is.”
No one would know how hard it was for her to remain impassive. To nod as if she condoned this,desiredthis.
“If I am to be without the guidance of Lord Mahesh, then I must seek a new general for my army,” she said. This, at least, was part of her plan. “In honor of the trust held between our nations, from this moment, I will have a council of generals. A representative drawn from every nation that made vows to Divyanshi, and has now made vows to me.”
The highborn looked shocked, almost stupefied, but Malini could not be sure if it was Aditya’s rash decision or her own declaration that had silenced them. She pressed on.
“Lord Narayan, who stood by me in Srugna,” she announced. “Will you accept the position of Saketan general of my army?”
“Perhaps,” he said cautiously. “A low prince—”
“I would have you,” Malini cut in calmly.I would avoid that nest of vipers entirely, she did not say.Better raising a lord than one prince against the rest.“Will you take the honor?”
“Empress,” Narayan said, bowing low. “Yes. I accept.”
Lord Prakash of Srugna accepted easily. Lord Khalil, with the faintest, knowing smile.
“Prince Rao,” she said finally. “Who prophesied me. Will you be my general, on behalf of Alor?”
“Empress,” he said stiffly. His face was bleached of color. He was not looking at Aditya;notlooking so fixedly, and with such determination, that she knew Aditya was all he could think of. “Of course.”
The noise among the men had not abated, only risen. And Malini…
Malini turned her head and peered sidelong at Priya. She could not help herself.
She could not offer Priya the position of a general of her army. She did not offer, and Priya did not ask.
Their eyes met. The noise of the highborn arguing faded like mist.
Priya raised a hand to her chest; a fist, curled against her heart.
If Malini touched her own fingertips to the needle-flower on a chain at her throat—if she looked at Priya and felt helplessly thankful, grateful that she was here—then that was no one’s business but her own.
RAO
“This is madness,” Rao said, keeping his voice low. They were alone in Aditya’s tent, but only barely, and it would not do for him to be caught yelling at Aditya. “You can’t lead an army. Not here, not in the middle of this.”
“I was meant to rule an empire, once,” Aditya replied. “This will surely be much simpler.”
“Simpler,” Rao repeated. “Simpler? Aditya, have you seen the power the High Prince’s forces wield?”
“I have.”
“Then how can you possibly—Aditya.Aditya.” Rao knew how he sounded; wild, helpless, swaying on the spot to resist the urge to pace. Aditya’s own stillness made him feel restless, angrier than he had any right to be. “The magic they have—their defenses—their willingness to die—I’ve never seen the like of it. Even the most seasoned general would fear it. Lord Mahesh fears it. You can’t face it. You’re a priest; remember how you held the bow when the monastery burned? You couldn’t act. You—”
“Will you stay with me, then, Rao?” Aditya asked, cutting through Rao’s frenzy of words. He stood before Rao half-clad in armor, his long hair unbound over his shoulders, shawl of blue still draped over his right arm. Not quite prince. Not quite priest. “If you fear I don’t have the stomach for the battle I’ve chosen, will you stay here and fight beside me?”
Rao stopped pacing.
“Are… are you asking me to?” Rao asked. “Are you asking me to fight for you?”
“No,” Aditya said, so very calm. “I am asking you what you plan to do.”
