Page 83 of Queen of Shadows and Ruin

Again, Yasen and Row looked at one another.

“We were hoping to talk to you about the vanshaj,” Row said carefully. “The rebellions in the north are growing, and we need support. The Madans refuse to hear reason, and we thought Dharati might be interested in leading the charge and defending what is right.”

“The vanshaj,” Vikram said. “Yes…”

“Vik,” Yasen said. “Are you okay? You don’t seem like yourself.”

Vikram brought a hand to his forehead and rubbed it. “I’m fine.” He took a few steps towards Amrita, laying his hand against her to communicate in their silent way. Yasen’s gaze drifted around the room, wandering over the abundance of leaves and flowers when it snagged on a chilling sight.

A dark spot.

He squinted, trying to determine if it was simply a trick of the light, but he was sure his eyes weren’t deceiving him. He continued searching, studying every leaf and petal, finally noticing the barest outline of black along the edges.

His stomach dropped as he noticed more tiny pinpoints peppering the leaves and vines. They blended into the surroundings so well that they were nearly undetectable, but surely someone had noticed this?

“Vik, why does Amrita look so different?” Yasen asked.

Vikram blinked heavily. “We believe it’s a side effect of the pregnancy.”

“You believe? You don’t know for sure?”

Vikram shook his head. “I just assumed. I hadn’t really thought about it.”

Row was now giving Yasen a quizzical look.

How many others had recently seen the queen?

“When did the change start happening?” Yasen asked. “Before or after Koura left?”

Vikram’s brows drew together as though he was having trouble recalling. “After. Definitely after.”

“So, he hasn’t seen this?”

Yasen took a step closer, placing one foot on the dais and approaching the baby. He waited to see if Vikram would stop him, but he allowed Yasen to move closer. He peered into the clear seed, attempting to parse out the various parts of the child growing within, searching for further evidence of the rot.

A moment later, Row came up behind him.

“What’s going on?” he asked in a low voice.

“Look around you,” Yasen said. “Do you notice it?”

Row followed the line where Yasen was pointing before he paused, and then his eyes widened the barest fraction.

“What…” he said before he trailed off, and a look of dread passed between them.

Vikram was watching them both now, and then Yasen noticed something very strange. Vikram’s emerald green eyes were darker than usual. At first, Yasen had played it off as a trick of the light, but there was no mistaking it now.

What was happening?

“Vik,” Yasen asked. “Have you seen any more demons in Dharati?”

“No,” he replied almost immediately. “We got rid of them all. Don’t you remember? The darkness is gone.”

But it wasn’t. Yasen didn’t have magic and didn’t know much about it, but he’d talked enough with Zarya to know it wasn’t gone. They had simply beaten it back. Her magic, Vikas’s magic, were proof of that.

“Have you noticed those?” Yasen asked, pointing to one of the black spots on the roof. Vikram should be able to see it clearly, but he squinted and then scratched his nose.

“Oh yes. I’ve been wondering about those.”