Page 26 of Heart of Night and Fire

“Driven by ego, the two Aazheri had traversed all of Rahajhan, fathering hundreds of children, leaving thousands of their heirs living here in the present. Though the vanshaj are born with magical abilities, they were punished for the acts of the Ashvin twins. As retribution for their sins, their descendants have been confined to lives of servitude.

“But most forget how the Ashvins were finally stopped. A young ruler from the water queendom of Matsya set out to defeat them. She petitioned the rulers of every region to band together and fight as one. Each heeded her call, and together they formed a link so powerful they were sure of their victory.

“But the Ashvins’ power had grown, too, and the alliance wasn’t enough. Even linked, the seven kings and queens of Rahajhan weren’t strong enough to destroy the brothers. Instead, they sealed them up and locked the darkness away forever.”

“Since then, dark magic has been inaccessible to those who dare to try,” Apsara continued. “Very strong Aazheri can often feel their power brush against it. Row has told me it feels like a wall blocking the limits of his abilities, but it remains impenetrable. It has been a thousand years since anyone has touched it.”

“Exactly as I said,” added Koura. “The blight is not dark magic—it is something else we don’t understand yet. It could be Aazheri magic or just a clever use of the elements.”

“And I say someone has unlocked the darkness,” said Suvanna. “They have discovered a way through the wall. The blight is a manifestation of this power, and it has been gathering strength, biding its time. And today”—she pointed to the ruined street—“today it demonstrated just what else it is capable of. This is only the beginning.”

She pinned each of them with a defiant look, daring anyone to disagree with her.

ELEVEN

Later that evening, Zarya was cleaning up in the palace bedroom when a knock came at her door. She opened it to find Aarav and immediately backed up several steps, wary of his presence and his intentions.

“What do you want?”

He lifted his palms in a gesture of surrender and rolled his eyes.

“Relax, will you?”

Zarya’s nostrils flared in irritation. Relax? How dare he?

“I think we should both move to Row’s haveli. It’s right across the street, and it makes more sense than staying here. It’s where Row and I normally live when we’re in Dharati.”

“Why haven’t you mentioned this? Is this a trick? Some scheme to get me back to the cottage?”

“It’s not. I’ll take you there now.” He raised a finger. “But I will be keeping a close eye on you, and you will stay within my sight.”

She didn’t care for the sound of that but agreed that staying here in the palace and relying on the queen’s good graces didn’t make sense for the long term. Besides, maybe she could find some clues about Row in the house. Things he kept here so she would never see them.

“Fine, then. Let’s go,” she said. “But you will not be ‘keeping a close eye on me.’”

“We’ll see about that,” was his only reply. She vowed to find some way to shake him off.

After thanking those in the palace for their hospitality, they made their way across the boulevard towards the haveli with nothing but the clothes on their back. Constructed from buttery yellow and cream marble, it sat overlooking the Nila Hara. Inside were gleaming marble floors and wide windows that looked out upon a jewel-blue sky and the clear rolling water.

As Zarya explored its rooms and halls, the ornate furniture and opulent décor, it was hard not to feel a certain bitterness about how grand these surroundings were in comparison to the simple cottage where she’d spent her entire life.

Why had Row tried to keep her from all of this? While he wasn’t her father, she’d always got the sense he cared for her in his own awkward—if distant—way. He had never been deliberately cruel, but the longer she was free from that place, the more she was questioning everything.

She was pleasantly surprised to find a pile of packages by the front door stuffed with jewelry, books, and clothing, clearly intended for her. Row must have stashed these here, intending to bring them home to the cottage. Despite everything, something squeezed in her heart as she imagined the way Row had collected these treasures, knowing they would bring joy to her grey world.

While her goal had been to leave the city as soon as possible, she also had few resources at her disposal—most worryingly, a lack of money. Maybe there was some around here, though she would feel a little bad about stealing from Row again. Especially since she’d lost all the coin she’d taken from the cottage the first time.

Lugging the packages up the stairs, she chose one of the bedrooms, requisitioning one as her own until she could figure out her next move.

* * *

The following morning, Zarya stood on the balcony, listening to the city spring to life. She could sit here for hours just watching the vendors setting up their carts and the restaurants catering to patrons while people went about their day. Grey clouds gathered overhead, signaling rain.

“I still think we should head back to the cottage,” came a voice that tore through her pleasant thoughts. “Row is going to kill me when he finds you here,” Aarav said, coming closer. “And you, too, for that matter.”

“Do you think I care?” Zarya whipped around to face him as they now stood toe-to-toe. “I meant what I said—I will die before I become his prisoner again.”

“Was it really that dreadful? We took good care of you, didn’t we?”