The Black God's War (30 page)

“Some things I think you might want to know.”

“I’m listening.”

Aayu wondered,
How can two people be brothers if they keep secrets from each other?
Then he realized he shouldn’t have thought that at all considering what he shared with Narayani.

Rao continued, “I don’t know if I’m going to be alive in a few days. You can tell me anything.”

“It’s about Narayani. I know she’s annoying sometimes—I think so, anyway—but there are some things you don’t know about her.” Aayu’s pounding heart added to his anxiety. “She told you she never knew her mom, right?”

“Yes.”

“Well that’s not true.” Aayu saw the hurt on Rao’s face, but thought he deserved to know. “Her mom was around a lot until Narayani was six. The woman had a lot of problems. She was always mentally absent, to say the least.” Aayu used his hand to pretend he was smoking. “She wasn’t right in the head even when she wasn’t intoxicated. And of course Indrajit never cared about her. My father told me that Narayani’s mother was a whore Indrajit found in a brothel.”

The two of them walked in and out of shadows cast by the trees. Long whip-like branches curved over them. Rao walked with his head down, apparently integrating the information.

“Narayani didn’t have much growing up. My family looked after her a lot. Her dad’s influence and money got her into one of the best programs at the academy, but other than that I don’t think her parents ever did anything for her, and she tries to forget that she ever knew her mother.”

“Where is her mother then?”

“She left one night. Narayani came running to our house. She ran all the way from the slum districts to the north end of town where we lived at the time and said her mom was gone when she woke up. We never heard from her mother again.” Aayu looked his friend in the eyes and saw him dealing with another overwhelming reality. “Bhai, I know you love her. I’m glad you do.”

“Thank you for telling me. She never likes to talk about how she grew up.”

“I promised her I’d never tell you these things, but …” Aayu stopped himself and then continued. “She’s had some really hard times. When we were growing up, we had to hide all the knives. Otherwise she’d try to cut herself.” Aayu’s voice began to crack. “Damn.” He wiped his eyes. “What am I, a girl?”

“The mark on her arm?”

Aayu nodded. “She did that before dinner one night—started pouring boiling water on herself. My father stopped her before she could pour it on her face.” Aayu’s lungs were working too hard and fast.

“And Indrajit never did anything.”

“Every now and then he’d come by, but if their relationship wasn’t public knowledge, I don’t think he would’ve paid any attention at all. She lived with us for a few years before she went off to study. I think my parents made sure she stayed with us until she stabilized a little bit.”

“Thank you for telling me this.”

Aayu nodded and looked away with guilt nagging him.
I know you’ll do the right thing, Rao
. “Don’t hold any of it against her.”

“Aayu, I would never do that.”

“You won’t say anything then?”

“Never. I promise you.”

“Good, because you know I’d have to kill you.” Aayu controlled his breathing again and savored the spicy scent of the desert. “She really blossomed after she met you. She’s a lot calmer now, if you can believe that. You just have to be careful with her. Do you see what I am saying?”

“Aayu, I want to marry her someday.”

“I know you love her.” Aayu picked up a rock and felt its coarse, dirty surface in his hand. He threw it as far as he could up the path. “I had it so good growing up compared to what you and Narayani had.”

“Our backgrounds are probably one of the reasons she and I can relate to each other.”

Aayu laughed, trying to break the serious tone of the conversation. “You’re going to need that ability to relate to her when you see her again.” Both of them grinned.

“We both love her, Aayu. We’ll always do the best we can for her. She’s grateful to you. I hope you know that. She doesn’t always know how to say it, though.”

A warm round of contagious laughter bubbled up from Aayu’s chest.

They pushed on at a strong pace the rest of the day. Well past daylight’s end, they began walking downhill toward the enormous Lake Parishana that created the northern boundary of the canyon. The full moon lit their way north, approaching its zenith as they entered the sparse forest near the shore.

Chapter 44: To Ebon

WITH THE MOON RISING in the northern twilight, Lucia held the reins of the three steeds at the rear of the stables.

Hurry, Caio.

She heard quiet footsteps around the corner. Lucia silently drew Ysa’s blade and peeked at two figures approaching; they wore black robes like hers. She whistled into the night, and another returned the call. Lucia pulled back her hood and Caio and Ilario did the same. Their packs, and Ilario’s weapons, remained concealed.

“Religious duties done for the day?” she asked.

Caio nodded as Ilario occupied himself with scanning the darkness.

“These are the best and the blackest that we have,” she said about the horses in a hushed tone. “Waste no time.” Lucia removed the blanket and sacks from her heavy pack and stowed them in the horse’s empty saddle bag. Ilario and Caio did the same. She fastened Ysa’s shield to her ride and patted the animal, a mare named Ebon, at her neck. Lucia pulled herself up, slinging her right leg over Ebon’s back, and centered her weight over the well-trained beast.

Ysa, grant us safe travel.

The goddess Ysa and Lord Danato towered mere feet away. Ysa wore her armor and observed Lucia’s every movement from atop her massive steed. Danato, in his jet leather, looked into the darkness with an expression of melancholy. The black god stood close enough to lean against Ysa’s great horse, though he remained upright.

“We will have to ride through most of the night to reach the lake,” Ilario said.

“It’s an odd situation Lord Danato has led us to,” Caio said.

“And not one I agree with,” Ilario said.

Lucia had nothing to add, so she kicked Ebon’s side and directed her onto a path that would lead north out of the Rezzian camp. Caio and Ilario followed behind her.

Lord Danato looked to his sister Ysa and she turned her head to him. Without another reaction she followed the three. Danato remained behind.

Once outside the random clack and clatter of the camp, all was silent save the croaking calls of the desert birds, the symphony of insects, and the clomping of hooves. The moon floated ahead of them, pointing the way, while the warmth of day faded to a chill.

“At this pace, we might not get there till morning,” Ilario complained.

“I’ll ask Ysa to speed our journey,” Lucia said before the three went quiet. She prayed again to the goddess of horses and felt a strong response. “I think you should hold on tightly. Something is about to happen.”

The goddess pulled up beside Lucia and touched the black horse’s thigh. Ebon charged forward and the other horses raced after her. Ysa empowered the other horses, too, as they passed by. The goddess halted and watched the three speed along the desert trail.

The goddess blinked as her eyes clouded over with moisture.

Chapter 45: Memories of Home

BY THE TIME the horses made it through the sparse forest and stopped at a stream close to the beaches, the moon glowed from heaven’s vault. Ilario, Caio, and Lucia dismounted and the men dropped to the ground while Lucia leaned against her mare with her head down and her arms over the horse’s back. All of them panted and shivered.

Ilario came up on his hands and knees and waited for his equilibrium to return, for the sensation in his head to stop spinning, for the ringing inside his cold ears to stop.

“Lucia, maybe,” Ilario took a couple breaths, “for our return,” again he stopped to breathe, “you could ask Ysa to slow them down.”

“I tried, Ilario. It didn’t work.”

“That’s been happening a lot lately,” Ilario joked.

Caio’s sweet laughter filled the air, even though Ilario assumed that Caio felt as tired, cold, and nauseated as he did.

The horses were inhaling water from the stream. Ilario finally stood on what felt like solid ground and removed one of their rear saddle bags full of crushed oats and barley. “Let’s feed them, but split them up so they don’t fight over their food.”