That was what Kunal was truly worried about. Their time was running out. He had been meeting with the Blades every day and yet, they still didn’t have a plan for getting to the city. While Kunal thought he might have a solution . . . he wasn’t sure. He had considered simply flying everyone over as an escape, but they wouldn’t get very far. And if they showed up and there was a force of Yavar at the location of the city, they would be outnumbered.
No, they would need something else. A distraction.
The war room was brighter than normal, every camphor torch in the hall ablaze. It spoke to how often this room was currently being used. Servants trailed in and out, refreshing pots of tea and plates of food.
Esha sat in a corner, shrouded in the half-light with open scrolls spread across her lap. She jumped up at the sight of him and he wrapped her in an embrace before the others arrived. She set her head against his chest for a moment and he thought he heard a sigh—or a sniffle; he couldn’t be sure.
“How are you faring?” he asked softly.
“Fine,” she said. “I’m not sure the servants agree, though. They keep offering me chai and biscuits, as if it will solve all my problems.”
Kunal knew better than to say anything, but he had noticed how gaunt she looked, the shadows under her eyes and the slight tremor in her hand.
The others began to arrive and Kunal let go of her, instead turning to the big map that was the centerpiece of the room. Harun was the last to arrive and the meeting started in earnest.
“Kunal?” Harun said. “You scouted today? How are we looking?”
Kunal hadn’t spoken up at first because he was strategizing, going through the numerous options in his head. They were running out of time and they needed to make a decision today. He cleared his throat.
“They’re running three flanks of troops. There might be wiggle room to escape, but not until we’re able to knock out at least one flank,” Kunal said.
“The army will be positioned to defend the city, but our main goal is to get through. Perhaps we can use some combination of coercion and a strike team to puncture through the southern flank,” Harun said. He shrugged, but it looked more defeated than Kunal had seen before. “We’ll have to see. I admit, it’s going to be tough. We don’t have enough troops for an assault, and even though my father says he can bring some of his own, we don’t know when they’ll arrive. In time for the siege, most likely, but not in time for this mission.”
“How about—?” Kunal started out tentatively, until he remembered that out of everyone, he had the most experience here. Here, he could trust his instincts. Here, he had to. “Remember my plan from before? It can still work.” The room shifted to watch him, the various Blades and Scales turning to him for a bit of hope. “We always knew Vardaan was going to come back and try for this city. It’s all he has. But we’re fighting for something bigger than our individual desires. We’re fighting together and we will make it through.”
He didn’t know if it was working, but the others were still listening, so he decided to continue. Esha was looking at him with an emotion he couldn’t identify.
“We’ll run a smaller team, split in two. Some of you will have to stay back and help defend this city, and the rest, it’ll be dangerous, but it’ll be worth it. We can beat a siege from Vardaan, but we cannot let Yamini win,” Kunal said.
Bhandu nodded slowly from his seat. “Cat eyes is right. We all need to shake ourselves off and get it together.”
“What do you suggest, soldier?”
“We’ll take a play from everyone’s favorite, the Viper,” he said slowly. Esha cocked her head at him, her eyes questioning. “We tell a story that is hard to believe. We build a legend.”
“Is anyone else not following?” Alok whispered to Laksh.
Esha seemed to understand. She walked over to the map and moved a few pieces around. “We make it look like one thing while we’re doing another. A feint. So obvious it can’t be anything but the truth.”
“Hiding in plain sight,” Kunal said, sharing a grin with her.
“If I’m following, and I think I am,” Harun said, “we don’t have enough people for that. We’ll need at least two other squads and the Blades are already stretched thin.”
“It’s the Hara Desert play,” Bhandu said, finally having understood. Arpiya rolled her eyes.
“I have no idea what happened in the Hara Desert, but just to confirm, you want us to try to trick one of the deadliest generals, one who helped build the defenses of this city?” Reha asked, her tone suggesting they all had been temporarily relieved of their sanity.
Esha shook her head. “We’re already prepared for him knowing the city. We know it just as well, thanks to Mayank and the Senap commander. We’ve buried every entrance, fortified every weakness. Or did you think our squads were running around because they needed exercise?”
“And we’re not trying to win, Reha,” Kunal said. “We’re trying to get to the Drowned City. That is the goal.”
“Can someone please explain this to me?” Alok said, gesturing wildly.
“Still doesn’t change the fact that we need more people, according to my dear brother,” Reha said.
There was a commotion at the door and it swung open, revealing a tall man with salt-and-pepper hair.
The sight of King Mahir made Kunal’s throat catch, if only because of the way it made Reha’s entire being light up. King Mahir pointed out the tall windows to the water below—and the small fleet of ships and men that gathered around the cliffs.
“Will that be enough?”
Esha and Harun spent the rest of the evening briefing King Mahir and his guard, preparing for the early-morning assault that Vardaan would begin just past dawn. King Mahir had ridden ahead of Dharka’s army with his personal guard to join his children while the rest of the army would be arriving in a few days.
They didn’t sleep at all, but as Esha made her way back to her room, the first tendrils of light threatening to reach out into the sky, only hope was in her chest.
This time they had a plan.
King Mahir’s guard had numbers to provide two more squads, just enough to cover the harebrained plan they had come up with. Though those were Reha’s words, not her own.
It was a solid plan in Esha’s mind, just insane enough to work and for Vardaan to overlook. In any other case it would mean certain death for the squad to engage in a suicide attack, except that Esha had already briefed Mayank and gotten his word that there would be extra support for them: multiple teams of archers and reinforcements once she and the others had broken their squad through.
They would leave at sundown, launching their assault just as Vardaan’s troops were tiring and readying for retreat. Hopefully, they’d catch them during the retreat itself, which would hasten their departure and ensure less casualties, but either way, their teams were ready.
Esha glanced outside as she slid into her room, hoping to catch even an hour of sleep. The sun was up, setting the pink of the palace aflame in the early light.
Far in the distance, a boom rent the air. Right on time.
Esha awoke to a frightened whisper. She sat up straight in bed, her hand going immediately to her whips before she remembered where she was. The palace was filled with noise. She must have been exhausted if she had slept so deeply.
Laya held out a hand to her. “You’re being called, my lady.”
Esha took the offered hand and got to her feet. She dressed as quickly as she could and Laya turned away to give her privacy. Esha pulled on the comfiest sari she could find, attaching her knives and whips as well. “What’s happened?” Esha asked.
“I don’t know, just that the prince was asking for you, and he looked frantic.” Laya opened the door as soon as Esha finished. It didn’t bode well that the typically even-tempered Laya was almost running through the halls.
Esha picked up her pace, shaking the grogginess out of her head as best she could. A heart-wrenching boom thudded into t
he air and Esha skittered toward the nearest pillar before realizing the noise wasn’t near them.
She turned a questioning eye to Laya. “That sounds new.”
Laya nodded tightly. “I think that might be why you’re needed. I don’t know for sure, but I heard some of the sentries say they spotted ships for Vardaan.”
Esha’s eyes widened. That wasn’t good. That would make their escape difficult, if not impossible.
They hurried through the palace until they arrived at the war room. Harun and Mayank were already there, and just outside an alert-looking Kunal ordered about a squad of archers.
“What did I miss?” she asked. “Someone should’ve woken me up earlier.”
Harun shook his head. “You needed the rest, especially after staying up all night. Vardaan has ships. Not many but enough to cause problems.”
Laksh appeared at Esha’s elbow. “Normally I’d say we should wait it out—this city is built for siege—but we don’t have the time. What do we know about the troops? Can they be coerced? With favors? Positions? Money?” There was an edge of desperation to his voice that Esha was positive they all felt.
“I think so,” Arpiya said. “These men are not truly loyal to Vardaan, or very few are. These aren’t hardened soldiers. We have a chance to convince them but no way to communicate with them—certainly not before they manage to blow a hole through the eastern gate.”
“We could send out a messenger,” Laksh suggested.
“Which might also be certain death,” Arpiya said.
“What else, then?” Laksh’s voice was sharp, frustrated. Arpiya put her hand over his.
“A herald,” Harun said. “Vardaan would not dare to harm a herald.”
“There is little Vardaan hasn’t dared before,” Esha said. She got up and circled the table, peering at the map. There had to be something they were missing.
The others continued arguing, but Harun walked over to her and bowed his head close to her. “What are you thinking?”
Esha glanced up at him. “There has to be another way for us to get out. If the men aren’t loyal, it’s true that money or new positions might appeal to them. But we don’t know what Vardaan has already offered them. Maybe he’s given them first crack at the city and its treasures, the right to loot the palace—it could be anything. If we had more time, we could find out more, strategize better.”
“But we don’t,” Harun said softly.
“No,” she said. Esha rolled one of the metal eagle figurines in her hand. The sharp point of the wing cut into the soft tip of her finger, drawing a tiny slash of blood. She hissed and lifted the finger to her lips but paused. And stared at the blood.
“That’s it,” Esha said, grabbing Harun’s hand. “We have to draw first blood.”
“First blood? What do you mean?” Harun said. “Esha, it’s already been drawn. We’ve already run up a number of casualties.”
“No,” she said. “First blood. We need to get to Vardaan first.”
Harun stepped back and stared at her. That had caught him by surprise.
“Esha, that’s . . . ruthless. Think of what you’re asking for,” he said, shaking his head. Still, Harun hadn’t said no. Esha knew that meant he was considering it.
There was no love lost between Harun and his uncle, especially after everything he had done, but still. Vardaan was Harun’s uncle, the man who had taught him how to wield a sword properly. And she was suggesting they kill him outright.
“That’s how we end this,” Esha continued, placing a gentle hand on Harun’s arm. “These soldiers have only a tenuous loyalty and it will sow immediate chaos if he is taken off the board.”
“Esha, I can’t—What would my father say?” Harun said.
“We could always ask him,” Esha said. “If he says no, then . . . we won’t.”
She said the words, knowing she didn’t really mean it. Vardaan had to go. His stars had been written the moment he had chosen the wrong path, but Esha knew it wouldn’t be something that would be easy to hear for Harun or King Mahir.
Harun waved over one of the Blades and whispered to him, asking him to bring his father to the room. Heaviness descended upon Harun’s shoulders as they waited. Finally, he turned to her.
“I think you’re forgetting to mention something else. Another reason you want to do this.” His words weren’t harsh or cruel, merely a statement of fact.
Esha swallowed. “I want us to bring back balance. . . .”
“And?” Harun prompted.
Esha looked at him in question and he only stared back with that keen-eyed gaze.
“And I will have finally fulfilled my promise,” she whispered.
Harun squeezed her hand but said nothing, lost in his own thoughts.
King Mahir arrived a few minutes later and Esha relayed the plan to him as well. The others had stepped back, realizing that this was a family matter.
The king sank into a nearby chair, his head in his hands. “I had hoped it would never come to this,” he said quietly.
Harun placed a hand on his father’s shoulder, squeezing. “I’m sorry, my king, but in war—”
“Yes, I know,” King Mahir said sharply. Then he sighed, his voice turning resigned. “I know what must be done. But how can I think of anything but of Vardu, my little brother? It doesn’t matter what sort of monster he’s become. I will always remember him, who he used to be. I wish he had never left for Jansa so many moons again.”
King Mahir hung his head
The quiet of the room was thick, heady, and filled with unspilled tears. Esha’s own heart constricted at the pain she saw between them.
“Do it,” King Mahir said. “But do not tell me any more about it, not until it’s done.”
Esha nodded, keeping silent until the king had left. The others gathered around again, each looking at each other with uncertainty, with hope.
“I know you might not believe me, but I’m sorry it’s come to this,” Esha said softly to Harun. He nodded, his lips a tight line.
“It is what it is.” He cleared his throat and straightened. “What’s our course of action?”
Esha was ready for this. “The Viper. Alone,” she said immediately.
“It’s risky.”
“But will you stop me?” she asked.
Harun searched her face for something before placing his hands on both of her shoulders. She felt her resolve flicker for a moment as he continued to stay silent.
“No,” he said softly. “I won’t. But be careful, Esha.”
Esha nodded, her grip on her weapons tightening. She and Harun turned back to the table and Mayank cocked his head at them.
“Are we still sticking to the plan?” Mayank asked.
Harun glanced at Esha. She hesitated. “Yes, but with a few modifications.”
Chapter 34
Esha spent the rest of the afternoon planning for their escape and plotting out her own mission. It would have to be timed perfectly.
The plan required precision and teamwork, as well as Harun’s and Reha’s powers. Esha sent a prayer to the Moon Lord that all would go as planned—or at least somewhat successfully.
A messenger arrived and had to cling to a nearby wall as another boom shook the palace and the northern gate beyond it. They were safe from the assault on the eastern gate, but it was worrisome that the catapults were powerful enough to be heard even from here.
All Esha overheard were snippets. Eastern gate. Battering ram. Sunset.
They were enough to set her into motion.
She ran outside the war room and into the chaos that was the main hall. Kunal was in the corner, talking to one of the Senap captains. Kunal glanced up and she waved him over.
He jogged over. At the look on her face he immediately dropped his voice. “What’s wrong?”
“I need your help on something,” she said, pulling him aside.
“Anything.”
She raised an eyebrow. “Don’t you want to know what it is be
fore you make promises?”
“No,” he said. “Should I be worried?”
“Possibly. But you already said yes,” Esha said with a grin.
Kunal and Esha arrived just as the army below began to set up for their next volley of arrows. They ran to the top of the guard tower, charging up the battlements.
Half of the eastern gate was falling apart and scores of troops were down. They wouldn’t be able to survive a few more attacks and their line certainly wouldn’t hold. Worse, if the battering ram got through . . . it would be over.
Soldiers ran to and fro, responding to sharp orders being shouted from tower to tower. The injured had been pulled together, faint groans and the smells of ash and burning wood filling the air around them. Another boom hit the air and the militia near her ducked, loose stone and rubble flying over their heads and to the ground below.
Esha had been in many fights but never a battle like this, never a war that was senseless and brutal. Kunal’s expression was stoic. This had been his life for years. Chaos and terror, everywhere.
If she could get to Vardaan first, she would end it. Finally.
For herself, for her parents, for everyone.
No more lives lost.
She grabbed Kunal’s arm. “There,” Esha said, pointing. “Can you fly me over?”
“Directly into the battlefield? Are you mad?”
“Only a little.”
This was the best way. “He’s there, Kunal. Can’t you sense him?” Esha hadn’t meant it so literally, but Kunal closed his eyes, sinking into that power of his.
His eyes flashed open, tinged with yellow. “Yes, he’s there.”
“Take me.”
Kunal gave her an are-you-sure look and Esha held his gaze. He nodded once and she squeezed his forearm in thanks.
He wrapped her in his arms and they shot up into the sky, arching over the battlements and flying down into the inky spots on the battlefield below.
They crept over the ditches, inching away from the soldier a number of paces away and sinking into the back of the enemy’s battle lines.
“Over there,” Kunal whispered.
The Chariot at Dusk Page 27
