Page 36 of Storm of Ink and Blood

“What’s going on?” Ajay asked.

“There’s no easy way to say this… but I have a sixth anchor.”

At that, the blood drained from all of their faces. Rania’s eyes rolled, darting about the room as though seeking an escape. She grabbed Farida’s hand, clutching it to her chest as if to shield her from Zarya’s very presence.

“What? That’s impossible,” Rania said, her voice raw.

“Apparently, it’s not,” Zarya said. “And there’s more.”

“What could possibly be more than that?” Ajay asked.

“You might want to sit down for this,” Yasen said as every eye turned to him.

“We’re already sitting,” Rania said, clearly not amused by his attempt at levity.

“Right. But like, really… sit.” Yasen pressed his hands down as though he were pushing air while everyone stared like he’d lost his mind.

“Okay,” he said. “Not the time and place. Got it.”

Zarya sighed and turned back to the others.

“You’ve heard of the prophecy bestowed on Rani Aishayadiva?” she asked. Though she’d become so familiar with the words, voicing this out loud felt ludicrous.

“Of course,” Rania said.

Zarya took in a deep breath and plowed ahead. “She was my mother.” She stopped, letting that sink in as their expressions slackened with shock. “And I have nightfire and the prophecy is about me.”

They all sat in silence for several long seconds, absorbing that information.

“That is impossible,” Rania said.

“You keep using that word,” Yasen said. “But you seem unclear on its meaning.”

Rania shot him a death glare, and he clamped his lips and mimed locking them shut.

“I know it sounds impossible,” Zarya said, “but it’s true. I used it to help battle the blight and I have six anchors. The darkness exists, and I have it.”

A thick silence hung around the table, and Zarya gave them all another moment to process her words.

“So there’s more,” she added after another few seconds.

Rania threw up her hands. “What else?”

“I think Farida might have it, too.”

She winced as Farida’s eyes went wide.

“Or you might not. I don’t think all vanshaj have it, but some of you definitely do.”

“I… what?” Ajay asked. “The vanshaj have the sixth anchor?”

“Think about it,” Zarya said. “The Ashvins had it. The vanshaj are their very distant ancestors, but that power didn’t just go away.”

“But it did,” Rania said. “It was locked away. No one can access it.”

“Or that’s what they want you to think.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” Ajay asked.