The Archer at Dawn

by Swati Teerdhala

  Porus ducked Alok’s fist, laughing.

  Esha came into view again, her motions a bit more insistent. “Follow me,” her lips said. Kunal excused himself from the soldiers and followed behind her, coming to a stop on one side of the massive fountain in the middle of the hall. He expected her to stop as she came toward him, but instead, Esha walked past him.

  He sharpened his senses, tracing her through the crowd as she threw a look back at him. He hesitated and then followed. Hoping he hadn’t misinterpreted that soft, warm glance.

  She was walking through the crowd, toward the center, and his brow furrowed, confused that they were going farther into the room. Esha moved faster until she was about a half circle of the room ahead of him.

  And then she stopped. Her fingers flicked out and down, a signal.

  Esha did the motion again until Kunal realized she was telling him to stop.

  Here?

  She tilted her head in response, unnoticeable to anyone else. She had positioned herself at one end of the oblong room so that they were at opposite ends, the fountain between them.

  A soft whisper filled his ears and then—

  “Kunal.” Esha’s voice surrounded him. Kunal started and looked around, but no one else seemed to have heard her. The lady to his right was picking at a rose-syrup-drenched pastry; another to his left was searching for someone in the crowd.

  “Kunal, don’t move. You’re standing right above a diamond.” Kunal slid the toe of his sandal an inch, seeing a black diamond the size of his palm on the floor. “It’s the match to where I’m standing. The whispering points,” she said. “I wanted a moment alone with you.”

  Across the way, she lifted a glass to her lips, looking unconcerned as her gaze swept the room. But she kept her mouth covered.

  Kunal followed suit.

  “Do you know why it’s called the Whispering Room, this hall?”

  “No,” Kunal said. His shoulders tensed until the sound dissipated. The softest of smiles curved up Esha’s lips.

  “There was once a pair of lovers, forbidden to one another. One was a servant, the other a noble, and here was the only place they could be together.”

  “Here? We are hardly together.”

  “It’s a story, Kunal. And they were together, the only way they could be. If you are quiet enough, you’ll still hear their conversations in this room,” she said.

  “A pretty tale. What happened to them?”

  “Only the gods know. But I doubt they’re willing to tell.”

  His smile curved against the rim of his glass. “I’d like to think they ran off, somewhere where they could be together and be free.”

  Silence for a moment, but Esha hadn’t left. “I’d like to think that too. A life for them. Somewhere.”

  Kunal didn’t know when he had begun to hold his breath, but he let it go at her words.

  “Or maybe they stayed, maybe they fought for their right to be together,” Esha said.

  “I suppose it’s the one thing worth fighting for—above all,” he said.

  “Above your duty and honor?” The teasing note in Esha’s voice carried over as well.

  Kunal didn’t immediately respond. “I would hope they wouldn’t be in conflict.”

  “Life isn’t that simple, is it?” Esha’s voice faded a little. “Someone’s coming toward me. Check your pocket, soldier.”

  Her last words blew away like breaths of smoke, and Kunal wished them back in an instant. He lowered his eyes, tilting his glass as if it were empty before stepping away from the diamond. A quick glance around confirmed that no one had been listening or had noticed.

  But even if they had, their conversation had revealed nothing.

  Except to the two of them.

  As always, Esha managed to cut to the core of who he was in just a few words. He patted his pocket, and, sure enough, a small folded-up note was tucked away.

  Kunal ducked into the shadows behind a pillar, unraveling the note and scanning it quickly.

  It feels as if it’s been years since I’ve seen you, soldier. . . .

  And at the bottom:

  Meet us tonight. The door of the swallow at three conchs blow.

  He smiled to himself and walked back toward the other soldiers.

  Chapter 12

  The last time Kunal had been in a palace, he had been running for his life. Now he wasn’t running, but he still felt like he was hiding.

  He sneaked a look down the corridor to make sure no one was following, and crossed. Kunal had kept on his Senap uniform—sturdy, pure silk uttariya and dhoti, jeweled armband, gold cuirass, and spear. If anyone found him crawling around the guest quarters of the palace, he’d be able to make up some excuse about hearing a noise and patrolling.

  Kunal couldn’t deny that he was excited to see the team, even though he wasn’t really a Blade. Yet they had welcomed him. Kunal turned another corner, having finally reached the room. It was as described, a tall mahogany door with a swallow carved into the right half of it. He knocked, once, twice in a half beat, three times in a quarter beat.

  The door opened, and a head of curls greeted him. Kunal’s heart sped up as Esha grabbed his hand and pulled him inside. The rest of the team was there already, scattered around the room. The twins lounged on two chairs, their long bodies thrown across them in rather uncomfortable-looking positions. For some reason Arpiya was poking Bhandu, who was pacing the room. Harun faced the window, looking out into the darkness.

  At the creaking shut of the door, Harun turned. Esha immediately dropped Kunal’s hand, and he tried to hide his frown at the lost contact.

  “Glad you finally made it, soldier. We don’t have much time. The patrols have been doubled for tonight, and I can only be gone from the Welcome Ball for so long before drawing notice.” He stared at Kunal. “You found where the caravan went?”

  “Yes,” Kunal said. “I sent a hawk—”

  “I received it this morning,” Esha said. “Haven’t been able to get the whole team together.”

  “And?” Harun prompted.

  Esha sighed, rubbing her cheek with her open palm, her arms crossed. She hesitated, though Kunal didn’t know why.

  “The citadel. The caravan was delivered to the martial sector and the citadel,” Kunal said for her.

  The team burst into noise, everyone talking at the same time. This was why Esha had hesitated. She had been trying to find the right way to deliver the information. She sighed, pressing a finger to her temple.

  Farhan’s grip tightened on the table. “Moon Lord’s fists.”

  “We’re done for,” Bhandu said, throwing up his hands.

  “I second that,” Aahal said.

  Esha held up a hand and they quieted with only a few more comments. She’d spent the entire day trying to figure out a plan so that the news wouldn’t hit the others like a brick, and she had still come up short. Esha had decided to wing it, which wasn’t a leadership tactic she normally employed. But now Kunal’s blurting of the truth was forcing her to think even faster.

  Arpiya looked down the room at Esha and Harun. “The citadel isn’t a place you just waltz into and case. What are we going to do?”

  “Can Kunal get us in?” Farhan asked.

  “I don’t have the authorization to get into the citadel without clearance from the Senap captain, or the general,” Kunal said.

  There was a pause, a moment of silence that hung heavy.

  “But we might be able to get access,” Esha said once everyone was silent.

  Harun had that look on his face, like he was pulling through a million threads to piece together an idea, and when they locked gazes, she knew they had thought of the same thing.

  “We just need a Mela champion,” Harun said.

  Arpiya bounced on her toes. “Yes,” she said, clapping her hands. “All Mela champions will be housed in the inner tower of the citadel.”

  “So if we just got someone through to the Mela, we could get access and scout
out if she’s being held there!” Bhandu said, happy to be making a contribution.

  “Exactly,” Esha said, suddenly excited. She’d always wanted to be in an archery competition. “I’ll do it. I can dress as a man. I’ve done it plenty of times before.”

  “The soldier is our best option,” Harun said.

  Kunal stiffened a bit. Esha wrinkled her nose at Harun. So much for being in step with one another.

  “Kunal will have to be at his post,” Esha said.

  “Kunal can enter the archery competition. If anything, it’ll solidify his status in the Senaps if he does well. Shouldn’t be too hard for him if he’s as good as you say, right?” Harun said, his voice curiously light. Esha narrowed her eyes at him.

  “Kunal shouldn’t have to be the main fighter of every step of this mission.”

  “Kunal should have known what he signed up for.”

  “Kunal is right here,” Kunal said, exasperated. He stepped forward, away from Esha, forcing Harun to have to sidestep him.

  “I’ll enter.” He paused. “I’ve always wanted to be a Mela champion anyway.”

  “Have I mentioned that I’m great with a bow and arrow?” Esha said.

  “Would you tell us if you weren’t good at something?” Arpiya said.

  Kunal cleared his throat. “It’s too dangerous. What if you’re discovered? And what if your wound opens up?”

  “I agree with the soldier,” Harun said.

  Six heads whipped around to look at the prince in unison, including Esha’s.

  “It feels weird when they’re agreeing,” Bhandu said to no one in particular.

  “You should stop calling me soldier here, Prince,” Kunal said, his teeth slightly gritted.

  “Much better.” Bhandu smiled.

  “Harun is right, Esha,” Arpiya said. “You are the only one who can play your role in the court. We have others on this team who can enter the Mela and are better suited to be champions. Especially since Vardaan isn’t allowing women to even compete.”

  Esha sagged. Anyone else and she might’ve fought more. “Fine.”

  Harun nodded. “And it won’t be just the archery tournament. If we want to be thorough and make sure we have time to get her out, we need access to the citadel throughout the Sun Mela’s festivities. Fourteen days. You won’t be able to hide for that long, Esha. The soldier has an advantage.”

  “Can you do that?” Harun asked, turning back to Kunal. “If my sister is in the citadel, the distraction of the Sun Mela will be our best opportunity to case the citadel, break in, and rescue her. But we can’t do any of that if we don’t have a Mela champion.”

  Kunal shifted in place. “Understood.”

  “We do need a Mela champion,” Esha said. “But keep a low profile. Mela champions can become celebrities. We don’t want to risk exposing you—or us.” There was more at stake for Kunal than the others could imagine. “And if our mission is discovered, it could put a target on the Dharkans in this city and the king will have a reason to end our peace talks.”

  “Farhan, you’ll be backup in case something happens,” Harun said. “Make sure to get through the qualifiers. If Kunal doesn’t make it into the archery tournament, we’ll put you in. Bhandu, we’ll need you to steal some more soldier uniforms. Arpiya, Aahal, you know what you have to do. Esha?”

  “I’ll be backup,” she sighed.

  “Don’t worry, Viper. We’ll tell you all about it,” Bhandu said good-naturedly.

  But Esha had already moved on, realizing that the archery tournament would be the perfect time to set her own plan in motion. The Falcon Squad, including her parents’ murderer, would be there to shoot the first arrows.

  Perhaps being backup wouldn’t be so bad.

  Esha looked around the hallway corner to confirm no one had seen her escaping the afternoon tea that Lady Irvani of Manchi was hosting.

  She arranged the pleats of her sari, like a noble lady would, before walking purposefully toward the Great Library doors. One knock and they swung open for her. Silence, and then a small man shuffled forward, his head bowed.

  “My lady, we just opened the library after morning lessons. Please come in.”

  Esha bowed, her palms together as she bent. “Thank you.”

  He ushered her in, and she stepped inside the cavernous hall. The doors shut behind her, closed by the tall servant she had spotted hiding behind it, and she took in the splendor of the Great Library.

  Rows upon rows of scrolls were tucked into wood and stone diamond-shaped shelves. The entire floor was laid out in multicolored stones, the walls etched with reliefs of the tales of Naran and Naria, the history of the royals. One thing Vardaan hadn’t destroyed.

  Esha hurried into the room behind the scholar, trying to match his quick pace. The main entrance narrowed into a smaller room, and the scholar led her to one of the long tables in the center. Stacks of opened and unopened scrolls teetered on the table, their musty scent overpowering everything else in the room.

  She glanced at the upper level, where she had spent so many days as a child. Where she had spent her last days in the palace with Reha.

  The scholar turned around quickly after realizing Esha was following him. “My lady, feel free to look around. You can see how we’ve categorized the books by subject over there in the library scrolls, or you can ask Ishaan over there. Family scrolls are in the corner, as is modern history and cataloging. If you need anything—”

  “Actually, scholar, I’m looking for texts on the janma bond and arcana.”

  “Scrolls on the bond and magic are over there,” he said, pointing over at a small corner with a few hexagonal holes. Last time she had read the Great Library’s arcana texts, they had taken up half a floor of shelving. Vardaan’s work, she’d bet.

  “I’m looking for ancient texts. I’ve been here before, you see. Before the war.”

  The scholar’s eyes shifted. He peered more closely at her.

  “Anything you might have, I’d love to read,” she added.

  He looked as if he was going to ask a question but didn’t. “I’ll look into it, my lady. There might be some renowned texts still around. This library is so big, you know.”

  “Indeed. I’ll send my maid, Aditi, to check in tomorrow morning.”

  He bowed to her with his palms closed and disappeared into the stacks. Esha breathed a little sigh of relief. After Zhyani had mentioned the Scales’ desire to break the bond, Esha had sent a hawk back to the scholars in Mathur to get more information. But she had also encoded it, and it would take days before she could expect a reply.

  She had been feeling a faint sense of unease since Zhyani and the Scales had turned down their offer. Perhaps she just wasn’t used to being told no, as Harun had said. But she had sent a note to Kunal to meet her at the library, so she figured, one stone, two snakes. She’d take the time to do some research of her own.

  Esha walked over to the section with the family and personnel records. Since the War in the North, Vardaan had taken to giving commendations to his favorite squads and holding events in their honor. The royal chroniclers were sure to have taken notes about the king’s generosity. If she could find one of those scrolls, get the names of the men on the Falcon Squad, she’d be one step closer to her goal.

  Esha tugged an armful of scrolls out of their shelving holes and juggled them over to the table, where she spread them out. She glanced out the windows at the sun and a large dial hanging on a nearby wall. Kunal was to meet her right before sundown, so she didn’t have much time.

  She scanned the scrolls, looking through sporting events, commendation ceremonies, parties, more parties, going backward through the years. She had come to the month of the coup, when Vardaan had begun to set up his royal chronicler, purveyor of all propaganda, and hoped the information would still be as strong.

  It wasn’t. The names and dates trailed off, whole months gone, but at the end of one of the scrolls was a section about the Falcon Squad—and their
disbanding. The squad had come together in dire circumstances, commingling General Hotha’s tried-and-true men with promising young soldier recruits from around the country.

  Esha felt the heat in her blood rise as she read on. She found no mention of the original members. Now she’d have to get the information the Viper way.

  She swallowed a sigh. It was never easy, was it? She was about to comb through the records another time, just to be sure, when a quiet gasp at the front of the silent library drew her attention.

  Kunal stood inside the doors of the Great Library, staring up at the massive structure with wide eyes. Esha smiled, remembering being that full of awe once. Perhaps tonight she’d be able to recapture some of that magic the Mela and this city used to have for her.

  She closed the scroll and put it back in its place, walking forward to meet her lemon boy.

  Chapter 13

  Kunal’s dhoti was a tad too small for him, but he couldn’t really complain. Esha had arranged it all—a secret passage, clothes that would let him slip by unnoticed.

  He tugged at his uttariya, feeling bare without his cuirass. He was used to going bare-chested, but it felt odd wandering the streets without armor.

  “Relax, soldier,” Esha whispered. She reached for his hand, her touch warm against his palm. “No threats here. Just the citizens of Gwali celebrating.”

  He tried, but his training held fast. And despite being together, Kunal couldn’t help count down the time till it would end and he’d have to sneak glimpses of her at parties. Even now, it was improbable that they were here, together.

  The general’s nephew and the Viper.

  A soldier and a rebel.

  But here and now, they were just a boy and a girl, sneaking out of the palace to join in the revelries of the Chinarath, the first day of celebrations during the Sun Mela. There would be a special bazaar, mouthwatering food, and general merrymaking. He had never been.

  “Well, you apparently are horrible at taking orders,” Esha said. “So I guess I’ll have to force your hand.” She pulled him into a throng of people, drawing him behind her. He moved to grab her hand but hesitated.