Page 4 of Storm of Ink and Blood

Rania and Farida also wished to wed, but the laws of Rahajhan forbade it.

The Chandras’ parents had no idea what their children were getting up to or that they had initially funded large portions of the rebellion. But Ajay and Rania were cut off when they couldn’t explain what they were doing with all that money. Their parents were sure they were dealing with something illegal, and they technically weren’t far off the mark.

Just when the twins believed their cause was lost, a mysterious and very wealthy benefactor appeared at the most opportune moment. No one had any clue about who was sending the money, but it always arrived with a note stating it was to be used in aiding the vanshaj rebellion in whatever manner they saw fit.

After Ajay’s toast, the conversation resumed as food was brought in from a restaurant owner who also supported their cause. They had friends throughout the city acting as ancillary members without ‘official’ ties to the resistance. Though it had been a small group at first, it was steadily growing as the months and years passed.

Great steaming platters of bright chicken makhani, bowls of sunny spiced saffron rice, and towers of buttery roti crowded the large kitchen table, the rich aromas filling the air.

The mood was high as plates were passed around, and the din rose with the excited chatter of a job well done.

Zarya took her glass of wine and walked outside to the wide balcony that wrapped around the apartment, surprised to find it empty. While she was pleased about the mission’s success, her joy was somewhat dampened by the fact that, after all these months, she still hadn’t found a way to contact her family—the Madan siblings—in the royal palace.

Only Yasen knew who her mother had been, and she wanted to keep it that way for now. The Madans were poorly regarded amongst the resistance due to their archaic laws and callous treatment of the vanshaj.

Zarya had clung to a vague hope that speaking with them wouldn’t be this complicated, but after months of petitioning to see the carefully guarded royals, she was no closer than she’d been when she’d left Daragaab with Yasen. She was wary of revealing her origins without understanding what manner of welcome she might receive, and thus, her requests were lost in a sea of other citizens’ needs and demands.

She wasn’t sure what she’d say to them, anyway: Hello, I’m your half-sister from our mother’s prophecy, and I’ve been working to undermine you ever since I arrived in Ishaan?

Zarya turned at the sound of someone approaching as Ajay came to stand next to her.

“It’s quite a victory,” he said, staring into the distance.

“You should all be very proud,” she answered, and he turned to give her a soft smile.

“Have you made any progress on the tattoos? What do you need the ink for, exactly?”

She shook her head. For months, Zarya had considered how she might use her magic to break the enchantment bound inside the vanshaj tattoos, but so far, she had come up empty. Some deep-seated premonition told her the sixth anchor was the key.

No one else knew this secret, either—not even Yasen—but she had told the others that she felt something whenever she touched the markings.

She will be the one to free them all.

It had to be connected.

“I just have a… hunch,” Zarya said. “If magic binds them, then magic can surely undo it.”

He shook his head. “I know you’ve said that before, but others have tried before—why do you think you’ll succeed where so many have failed? I don’t mean to doubt you⁠—”

“No,” Zarya said, interrupting him. “You’re right to question me. I realize we haven’t known one another long, but I’m asking you to entertain this mystery until I can give you a more sufficient answer. I don’t want to get anyone’s hopes up.”

Ajay nodded, turning to look out over the city. “Very well.”

She folded her arms as they watched a plume of black smoke hovering in the sky. His arm brushed against hers, and she stole a glance at his face, noting the carved lines of his rather pleasing profile.

She’d be lying if she hadn’t considered their relationship beyond mere friendship. But they were friends, and she was still nursing a broken heart.

“I’ll try some things with the ink first thing tomorrow,” she said, “I want to speak with Farida again if she’s willing.”

“Sounds good,” Ajay said. “I think I’ll go home and get some sleep.”

“You don’t want to stay and celebrate?”

He shook his head. “I’m quite tired. This has all been very draining.” He gestured vaguely out over Ishaan, where the glint of hundreds of shiny domed rooftops reflected in the moonlight.

Then he took her hand and leaned down to press his mouth to the back of it.

“Good night,” he said before he disappeared through the doorway.