Page 124 of The Divine Lies We Weave

Get up!

Why? What is the point? I deserve this.

Don’t make me come out.

Through a teary gaze, he looked at the man standing over him with a sneer. His other men attacked Tanmay. Bones crunched. Legs jostled.

“Give in. You Nihikian scum aren’t welcome here. You tear our walls down, break into our kingdoms, and expect us to thank you?” the man said.

Through a bloody lip, Rajesh smiled. “It was worth a shot, right?”

The man’s sneer turned into rage. He leaned back, preparing to throw another punch.

Rajesh had half the heart to let him. He deserved the pain, or rather, to feel anything other than the piercing heartache ripping his chest apart. Pain was pain, emotionally or physically, it didn’t matter.

He shut his eyes, preparing to have his nose smashed in.

“Holy smokes!”

Peeking, Rajesh watched the shadow of his Scorpion rise. Giant pincers snapped in the air, swiping at the thugs. The Scorpion roared into the street, loud enough Rajesh had to cover his ears.

Wide-eyed, the man stumbled backward and ran away. The rest followed.

Rajesh sighed, shook his head, and dusted off the yellow sand from his pants. He turned to the Scorpion, who continued to stand, staring at him. “You didn’t have to do that.”

Yes. I did.

He glanced over the Scorpion in all its purple glory. Its pincers hovered in the air, gently tapping, and its tail curled under the moonslight.

“You are the reason for all this,” Rajesh snarled. “Because of you, I lost the woman I love. So quit trying to save me.”

Turning on his heel, he left.

30

LEELA

Leela and Hema found a bar to loiter in for the night. Hema had shown Leela the markets, the washing pit, and the best view of the mountains. Now, they were tired and hungry and lounging in the back of a bar.

“Oh, and then my brother totally tried to drown me. Funny story,” Hema said.

Leela’s cheeks hurt from laughing. Hema’s life sounded so thrilling. Living in a small town near the Kithium mountains, she grew up with her siblings.

Until it was all taken from her.

“Is there a reason you chose to become a Gilded Thorn for Nihikia? Surely Kithium has its own forces?” Leela asked, sculling her drink.

Hema leaned in the chair, her arm casually hanging over the back. “Of course, but they’re brutal. And why would Nihikia turn away anyone who wants to become a Vessel?”

“Fair point. What was it like? To harness your Flame?” Leela thought back to the searing pain—the heat as it slid down her spine. The pain thumping in her mind.

“Painful.” Hema tipped her head back and slammed the cup on the table. “Like yours, I can imagine.”

“Yeah, it wasn’t one of my most pleasurable experiences.”

Hema smirked. “What was, then?”

Leela paused the glass at her lips. “Sorry?”