by Matt Larkin
Landi sputtered, opening her mouth like she wanted to speak but couldn’t quite form the words.
“Ah, my dear, worry not. Sometimes I have this effect on ladies. My charm and heroism can be overwhelming to mortal hearts. Or even divine ones, for that matter. Be that as it may, your eyes speak volumes.”
Landi shook her head, then looked around nervously at his crew, and at the trembling Igni, who now all watched the show. “Were you really going back to Serendib because of me?”
Ben laughed. “You don’t think I’d give up that easily. I was going to try to convince a mermaid to dig up a bunch of pearls for you. Besides, Serendib was conquered by the Witch-Queen. There’s no going back there.”
“A mermaid?”
Ben swept the most gallant bow he could manage. If that didn’t impress the Solar, he couldn’t imagine what would.
“Come out on the sea with me, my dear. We’ll watch the sunset. I’ve got to make a voyage to the Spice Islands in the morning, I can’t delay beyond that after packing up.”
“Yes.”
Her acquiescence caught him a bit off guard, but it wouldn’t do to let her know that.
“First mate,” Ben called. “Prepare us for a romantic voyage! Bring out the drummers!”
As long as Landi never suspected the Igni in her midst, this would be a night to remember. And if she did—well, Ben suspected he’d be remembering this night quite well in that case too.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Ratna lay on her bed, clutching Revati to her breast, unwilling to let the girl out of her arms for even a moment. They had tried to take her child away. They had tried to murder a baby. And Chandi claimed it was a rogue faction among the Ignis. Well, Rangda take all Ignis if they couldn’t control their own people. She had half a mind to tell her father of this. If she demanded vengeance, he’d give it to her. Even if it started another damn war with the Solars, he’d give it to her. And why should she care if that happened?
Other than the fact it would mean all her efforts here had been wasted. Not that they weren’t wasted anyway. She’d tried to reach out to Kakudmi, again and again. How many times should a woman invite a man to her chambers only to hear he’s busy with work? And why in Rangda’s frozen underworld did the Solar insist on giving his wife separate chambers in the first place? Stupid Solar propriety.
A gentle knock rapped on her door. Ratna started, pulling Revati closer and reflexively drawing her Potency Blessing. Maybe she couldn’t match Chandi, but she’d still rip the next Igni to pieces with her bare hands if she had to. Before Ratna even spoke, Chandi slipped through the door adjoining their rooms, then over to the main door where whoever it was waited.
“Little Mahesa?” Chandi said as she opened the door.
Ratna’s heart leapt into her throat. No. Oh sweet Chandra he was the last person she needed to see. She was nursing another man’s baby, for the Moon’s sake. And he was the only person she wanted to see.
“I, uh … ” Chandi stammered. “I’ll leave you two alone a bit.” She slipped back into her own room.
“I ran into Malin in the harbor. He was leaving.”
Ratna nodded, still trying to form words. Chandi had sent Malin away with news of the attack. And while Ratna agreed her father needed to know, it meant her cousin must now stand guard over her directly. She didn’t like not having the weretiger close on hand.
“He told me about … Are you all right, Ratna?”
She nodded.
Mahesa sunk down on her bed and, hesitantly, reached a hand out to brush Revati’s head. “She’s beautiful.”
Kakudmi had said the same thing. It was about the only thing she seemed to agree with her husband on. “Thank you for coming.”
“What are friends for? Sorry I’m a little late.”
“Napping?” she asked.
“It’s called beauty rest, all right?”
Ratna laughed. It was so easy with him. Just like that, they fell to talking. Like nothing had happened. Like they hadn’t been separated by a year of time and a thousand years of difference and distress. And before she could even help herself, she was telling him how often Kakudmi had rejected her. Always, he was so lost in his books, so obsessed with ancient history or philosophy or whatever else seemed more important to him than his own wife.
“A lot of work to do,” she said. “Kakudmi said that. It’s true, of course. He’s a very busy man. He’s the emperor.”
Mahesa put a hand on her shoulder. “Was he always like this?”
“A year ago, I just thought we hadn’t gotten to know each other yet. But maybe we never will. Or do you think he’s having an affair?”
He shrugged. “Who can say anything about Solar values? Maybe it’s common here.”
Ratna snuggled Revati closer and touched Mahesa’s hand with her free one. “Mahesa, I need to know. I need to know what he’s doing.”
“Isn’t that why Chandi’s here? To handle all this spying? Where’s she been lately, anyway?”
Ratna sighed. Her cousin was rarely around, at least when Malin was here. Mahesa was the first person she’d really had a chance to talk to in Chandra knew how long. “I need you to do it.”
“Ratna, he’s the Solar Emperor. I can’t just follow him around. People might notice.”
“Mahesa—”
He held up his hand. “I’ll see what I can do.”
Yes, it was a risk to send Mahesa spying on Kakudmi. But he had sworn a wedding vow to her and she needed to know if he was breaking it. Because if that was the case … then what? Did that absolve her of her own vows? Did part of her want him to be guilty so she would have an excuse to do the same? Butterflies roiled in her stomach as she looked at Mahesa and his wicked grin.
Maybe she did. But she had sworn a vow, and they had made this baby. She forced herself to look away. “I need to rest now, Mahesa.”
“All right. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Naresh stood in the Igni District, watching the servants build and repair homes, working their trades. And what was he to do about this Partigatiga? There could be only one response, really. One sickening, final, and definitive response. And still, no Ignis cooperated with him. Was he to terrorize every last one of them the way he had done with the midwife? The owner of this teahouse had claimed to know nothing, but Naresh doubted him. Maybe he should go straight to Semar and beat it out of him.
“Tell me about the midwife,” Landi demanded.
Her sudden approach caught him off-guard. “Landi?”
“Tell me everything.”
“Ibu Ratna’s Igni midwife tried to kill her and the baby. On the orders of someone named Partigatiga. I’ve been trying to find him.” Naresh grimaced, unable to keep the darkness from his thoughts. He was going to have to kill a man. Not in war, not in fair battle. He was going to go in and stop a threat to the peace. Permanently.
“What are you going to do?” Landi asked.
Naresh shook his head and clenched his fists. “Make sure Partigatiga doesn’t try to harm Revati ever again.”
“Fine. We’ll do it together.”
“Landi—”
“I’m serious, Naresh.” She walked back into the teahouse he’d just left, and singled out the owner. “I need to find Partigatiga,” she said.
The Igni shrugged. “I already told your friend, it’s not my business.”
Landi sighed, and leaned in closer. “When we leave here, one of two things will happen. Either you’ll find yourself with a bag of pearls for helping us, or you’ll find yourself with bureaucrats up to your eyebrows, investigating every dealing you’ve ever had for the slightest infraction.”
It took about three heartbeats for the man’s resolve to waver. Half a phase later, they stood outside a nondescript Igni house on the edge of the district.
“Notice all the other houses around here are abandoned?” Naresh said.
Landi nodded. “Let’s get this over with.”
> Naresh looked at her a moment, then shrugged. She was right. Waiting, hesitating, it wasn’t going to change what needed to be done. He Sun Strode to the front door, and Landi appeared right behind him. Naresh kicked in the door and a shout went up. The Ignis didn’t favor as many windows as Solars, so the house was dark, save the beams from the doorway and candlelight.
As soon as the open door revealed the room, Naresh Sun Strode in, right next to a pair of Ignis rising from a table. He slammed both their heads against the wall. He didn’t watch Landi, trusting her to fend for herself. Instead, he Strode behind another Igni, grabbed him, Strode in the air, and used his momentum to shatter the man’s skull. An instant later he appeared before an Igni with a knife. They weren’t supposed to have weapons.
Naresh burned sunlight to increase his speed, landing body blows on the Igni so fast his arms would seem a blur to the man. Ribs cracked and the man collapsed, coughing up blood. Another Igni charged him. Naresh turned to the side, far too fast for the man to react, caught his arm, and twisted until the limb broke. He Strode them both to a side wall and flung the Igni through it.
Landi had already cut down several with her keris sword, then Strode in front of one trying to flee. She kicked him in the abdomen and he toppled to the ground. “Where’s Partigatiga?”
The man shook his head.
“Outside!” Naresh said. “Others are trying to flee out the back.”
He Strode out the door. Another half dozen Ignis ran. Naresh drew his keris, Strode between a pair of Ignis, and killed both before they knew he was there.
What few of the Ignis remained, they rounded up to deliver to the Ministry of Law for interrogation. There would be executions. None of the Ignis would walk away from this. Naresh’s stomach felt sour as he handed the last of the prisoners over to the Ministry.
He’d never killed anyone before today. Now he’d killed six men and delivered more than that to their deaths. It was justice, of course. Justice should not have left him so shaken.
He walked with Landi back to the palace, trying to find words. She had been given a new room in the palace itself to serve her duty in guarding Ratna. The honor that should have been his.
“Thank you, Landi,” Naresh said when they stopped at Landi’s room. “I had to finish this before I leave.” It had to be done.
“Leave?”
“Empu Baradah assigned me as the new Guardian of the Astral Temple. I have to leave soon. I could be there a while.”
Landi stood there, her mouth slightly agape, and without even thinking of it, Naresh embraced her. It had been so long since he had done so. It lasted only an instant before she shoved him away.
“What are you doing?”
Damn. He’d been a fool. “I just … I’m sorry. For everything, Landi.”
Landi slunk down on her bed, head in her hands. “He made you the new Guardian?”
“He said he gave you the assignment to—”
“Yes,” she said. “Fine. Good luck, Guardian.”
“Landi—”
“Guess I’ll see you when you get back.”
Still she was going to push him away. Still, even after all of this. Maybe some things, once broken, could never be repaired. Naresh nodded, then bowed. “Goodbye, Landorundun.”
“Goodbye.”
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
“He told me I looked beautiful on our wedding day,” Ratna said. “I guess everyone says that to a bride.”
Mahesa grinned from where he sat on the edge of her bed. “Well, uh, you always look beautiful, so I’m sure it was true. I would have come for the wedding, I just …”
She shook her head. It didn’t matter. Maybe it would have been harder if he’d been there. Could she have married him if her father hadn’t sent her to Kakudmi? But then, no Revati. And Revati was everything. Kakudmi had given her that much, at least.
“She’ll be crawling soon, a few months.” Ratna had sewn a small pink suit for Revati. They told everyone Chandi had done it—after all, she was supposed to be the handmaid—but Chandi didn’t sew. At least, she didn’t sew very well.
“I can’t wait to see it. After that, I’ll bet she’s a runner, like her Auntie Chandi.”
Ratna had glared at him until he cowered.
“I mean, your handmaid, Chandi, of course …” He fiddled with his hands a bit. “I’ve been looking into your husband. I really don’t think he’s having an affair. Unless it’s with the First of the Arun Guard, whom he sees alone sometimes. But I don’t think Empu Baradah is his type. I think he’s just busy.”
So it wasn’t that his heart belonged to some Solar woman. Kakudmi just didn’t have time for Ratna. Well, Rangda take him, then.
She’d tussled Revati’s little tuft of hair, then lay back on the bed beside her daughter. Mahesa leaned over to make faces at the baby, which set the child to giggling.
Someone cleared his throat from the doorway. Both Mahesa and Ratna sat up on the bed. Kakudmi stood there, with Empu Baradah.
The Solar Emperor didn’t look angry, at least not much. His raised eyebrow spoke more than she wanted to hear, though. “Baradah, would you show our guest downstairs.”
Mahesa rose and walked to the First without a word. In the doorway, he cast a glance back at her. Ratna gave him the best smile she could, which wasn’t much.
Kakudmi stood over the bed looking down at her. The lord of the Solar Empire rubbed his chin, watching her in silence. When she couldn’t take it anymore and was about to speak, he opened his mouth. “It’s come to my attention that a young Lunar is spending a great deal of time alone in my wife’s chambers.”
Ratna rose and reached for her husband’s hands. He allowed her to clasp them, but didn’t return her squeeze. “Please don’t hurt him. Nothing happened between us. He’s just an old friend keeping me company.”
“Of course I’m not going to harm him.” He leaned in. “Especially if nothing happened. Are you certain you’re not pregnant? We can’t have any doubt about royal lineages.”
Her voice broke. “I didn’t betray you.”
“Good. Then he’ll be sent back to Bukit. We don’t want people getting the wrong idea. Doubt could cripple this alliance.”
She didn’t release his hands. “Do you care for me at all?”
“Ibu Ratna, this is a political alliance. You and I are here to end the Fourth War and avert the Fifth one. The services we provide are invaluable, and we’re the only ones who can manage them.”
Ibu? Would he address his own wife so formally? At last she dropped his hands. So be it. If she was here to perform services, then she would.
At that, he nodded, and left her alone.
Ratna clenched her jaw and glared at the door as it swung closed. Damn it. Damn him! The bastard didn’t even want her for himself. He just wouldn’t let her have anyone else either. Whatever infrequent attentions he offered her, it was probably more duty than desire. Well, he could go fuck a dugong for all she cared.
She rose and drifted over to Revati’s cradle. That, Kakudmi had spared no expense on, bringing in the finest Igni craftsmen all the way from Suladvipa. It was carved from sandalwood and bore an intricate engraving of sun and moon intertwined. It was, of course, a hopeless fantasy. Chandra and Surya might chase each other through the skies for all eternity, but they couldn’t meet. No more than their children could.
All she had was Revati. And that was all she needed. It would have to be enough.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
In the hours before dawn, Chandi ran through the Circuit as it wrapped its way around Kasusthali. It was a long run, and, if it wasn’t as relaxing as running on the beach had been, she’d gotten used to it. It kept her head clear, helped her focus. Besides, she had limited opportunities to practice her Silat in this city, so running seemed the best way to stay in top form.
Her breath came heavy as she exited the Circuit, making for the Civic District. With Malin away, she needed to be back before Ratna woke. Though—and
she hated to admit it—it seemed her cousin was safe enough with the damn Arun Guard watching over her. The Solars had assigned Landorundun as Ratna’s new protector. Chandi had had about as much luck getting information out of that Solar as she would interrogating a boulder.
Chandi pulled up short in front of the palace. Naresh stood there, watching her approach. She hadn’t done anything today, so she doubted he had reason to be suspicious of her, at least at the moment. Still, she bit her lip as she approached. The damn Guardsmen were always in the way. Part of her wanted to lure the man into an alley and put an end to him. But, even if she could, she’d heard Naresh had hunted down the Ignis responsible for the attack on Revati. Was it possible they truly wanted the peace to work? These people were responsible for Anu’s death, so she shouldn’t give a frozen hair off Rangda’s ass what they wanted.
“Ibu Landorundun told me you often went out running.”
Chandi didn’t know whether to be more concerned that the Guardswoman was aware of her habits or that Naresh was looking for her in the first place. No one could have found out about her breaking into the harbormaster’s office, could they? Except that Naresh had seen her in the harbor the day it happened. What if he had heard reports of the break-in and put the pieces together? Her instincts screamed at her to turn and run the other way, but trying to outrun the Arun Guard was like trying to outrun the rising dawn. So instead, she forced surety into her steps and made sure her chest heaved with each step. If he thought her more exhausted than she was, it was an edge she might use to overcome him if she had to.
When she reached him, she bowed. It wasn’t meant to be respect—bastard didn’t deserve respect—she just had no idea what to say to the Solar.
“I’ve been waiting for you,” he said. “You were the one who caught the midwife in her crime. It seemed fair you should see the end of this. We caught others, interrogated them. In the end, we found ten men and women guilty, including Partigatiga. He was apparently the leader of this insurrection.”
