Page 13 of Damned and Broken Gods (Labyrinth of Gods #2)
Who Needs A Carpet Ride When You Have A Starlit Carriage?
LEELA
I wanted to say goodbye to Blue before I left, but the doors to the tower where the anchors were housed was locked. All I could do was leave a message for him with Dharma.
There wasn’t much to pack. A bag for me and one for Araz, and we were off, calling goodbye over our shoulders as we dove into the night and made our way to the courtyard where the main gates were.
Two males wearing stone masks waited for us.
They were dressed in dark blue pants and fitted black tunics, and their silver eyes peeked out from behind their masks, raking me over as I approached.
“Leela of Vijayroodra blood?” The voice came from the guy on the left. He was slightly taller than his companion, and his golden hair was a few inches longer, brushing his shoulders.
I smiled and nodded. “That’s me.”
“Yudh. Droona.” Araz raised his chin in greeting to each male, and their silver eyes warmed.
“Araz,” the taller guy said. “It’s good to see you.”
“How’s life treating you in the royal domain, Droona?” Araz asked.
“Honest work,” Droona said, but the light in his eyes dimmed a little.
“You still training the recruits, old man?” Yudh said, his tone teasing behind his mask.
“No.” Araz grinned. “Too old and grumpy for the recruits to handle.”
“And now you have a royal demigod to protect,” Droona said, his gaze falling on me. “You’re lucky to have him.”
“Believe me, I know.”
Araz blinked sharply, as if he hadn’t expected me to admit how much I valued him.
“Come.” Yudh pulled open the main gates that led to the bridges. “The moona will be getting anxious.”
The guards ushered us over the threshold, and we stepped fully into a night blazing with starlight and threaded with the silver and golden weave of bridges that connected the various domains.
Clouds pooled beneath us, a frothy bed waiting for us to dive in.
They shifted, parting slightly to reveal the light of a thousand flickering lanterns on a domain far below.
“What is that domain?” I hadn’t noticed it on arrival weeks ago.
“That’s the realm of the pari,” Araz said. “They are a dying breed now and under the protection of the Asura.”
Protection or prisoners? The thought popped into my head unbidden. Something to investigate and rectify when I was given the power.
The guards closed the gates behind us and slipped past us onto the bridge.
“The carriage awaits.” Yudh waved his arm, and a large white carriage with gold wheels and a golden domed roof materialized on the bridge.
Tethered to it were two massive ivory equine creatures with silver manes.
Three golden horns jutted up from their heads.
They looked like a cross between a unicorn and a lion and had huge paws instead of hooves.
They snorted, mist tinged with rainbows, iridescent eyes rolling my way.
I stepped forward, breath tight in my lungs. “Oh…oh my, they’re beautiful.” I reached for the nearest one.
Araz gripped my arm. “Don’t touch!”
The creature fixed its eyes on me. Its regard was steady, unthreatening…inviting?
“Why not?”
“The moona are loyal only to the handler that rears and raises them. They will tolerate no one else’s touch.”
Yudh placed his hand on one of the creatures’ necks, patting gently.
“The moona are royal steeds. They say the deva gifted them to the royal Asura bloodline before they departed from this world. It’s an honor to be offered the chance to rear one.
” He stroked the moona’s back. “This is Yelsa, and she’s mine. ”
“Breena is her sister, and she is mine,” Droona said, running a hand down the other moona’s nose.
Breena snorted softly, filling the space between her and Droona with rainbow mist.
The ache to touch the creatures intensified, and I curled my hands into fists.
“They’re both gorgeous. But do we need a carriage to get to the royal domain?
I can see it from here.” I pointed across the network of bridges toward the magnificent glittering spire of the Shahee Kshetra. “It’s not that far. We can walk.”
Doona let out a bark of laughter. “Will you explain, Araz?”
“Explain what?” I looked across at Araz. “I mean…it’s just…what? A couple of miles?”
“No, Leela, the royal domain is almost two hundred miles away. The way the bridges weave creates an optical illusion, and not all bridges are real. The only way to reach the royal domain is by air.”
I looked from the carriage to the moona. “I don’t see any wings.”
“The moona don’t need wings,” Yudh said. “They’re woven from moonlight and the essence of distant stars. The air is their home.” He pulled open the carriage door, revealing the plush purple interior. “The air around the royal domain is icy, but there are blankets inside to keep you warm.”
“Really?” Araz arched a brow.
Droona chuckled. “Feel free to use your flame if you wish to burn the upholstery.”
“Good point,” Araz said.
I climbed in and placed my bag on the floor at my feet. Araz followed, closing the door behind him. The seats were soft and deep. I relaxed against them, allowing the knots of tension in my body to unknit.
Araz took the bench opposite me, stretching out his legs the best he could.
The carriage rocked gently and began to move forward. My stomach dipped. I grabbed the window ledge, then peered through the lattice as we arched through the night. The weave of bridges fell away as we ascended, and my lungs tightened.
“You’ll be fine,” Araz said. “Sit back and relax.”
I did as he suggested, breathing as slowly and deeply as I could until the tightness ebbed. “How long will it take to get there, do you think?”
“An hour, maybe a little more.”
My stomach quivered with nerves, that pre-exam feeling. I blew out a breath. “So how do you know Droona and Yudh?”
“I trained them decades ago. Young demigods, eager to make a name for themselves. Godseed to Asura Rajni, they were bound for glory, and they ascended easily. Not all ascended evolve to have wings, but Droona and Yudh were formidable with silver metallic wings that could slice and maim. Their wings were their edge in battle, and they won many a battle.”
“And now they’re guards?”
His mouth tightened. “Yes. Now they’re guards.”
There was obviously more to that story, but he didn’t elaborate.
O-kay. “Do all guards have to wear masks?”
He sighed, turning his head to look out of the window. “They’re not wearing masks, Leela. Those are their faces.”
What the fuck? I stared at him, dumbfounded. “They have stone faces?”
“Yes. It’s a curse laid on them by their Asura sire.
I’m not sure of the details, but I heard fragments.
They had a half sister, another made god who ascended with them, also claimed as godseed by Asura Rajni.
She was his favorite because of his love for her mother.
Aela was not from a seed sown into the ether but sown in the natural way. ”
“The natural…Oh…Okay, go on.”
“The trio were inseparable, both on and off the battlefield. Their bond was written in the stars, but she died in battle, and Droona and Yudh did not. They were grief-stricken, but Asura Rajni was enraged with sorrow. He blamed them for the loss of his beloved daughter and cursed them two-fold, stripping them of their wings and turning their faces to stone so that he never had to witness their false grief again.”
“What the heck? That’s…that’s insane.”
“The wrath of a god is destructive, and yes, it can be insane. Asura Rajni cast them out of the royal army and denounced them as godseed. They joined the guard, taking Breena and Yelsa, their battle steeds, with them. This carriage is special because no other one is drawn by moona. The moona are raised for battle, not regular transport.”
Silence settled, and I couldn’t stop thinking about the brothers and their loss. The father that should have embraced them and shared their grief had punished them instead, shutting them out in the cold. My chest warmed with a mixture of empathy and anger.
“Some of these gods are real pricks.”
Araz fixed his golden gaze on me. “And you think that you can control them as queen?”
“I have to try to change things.”
“I can’t help but marvel at your optimism.”
“What’s wrong with being optimistic?”
He smiled, but it was tinged with pity. “I didn’t say it was wrong.”
“No, but your tone said it. And that smile…” The way he was looking at me now as if I was a na?ve fool made my skin itch. “It’s not a stretch to believe that things can change.”
“No, it isn’t.”
Except he believed war was the tool of change, and I… Was I being na?ve? No. Anything was better than bloodshed.
I’d do it. I’d show him it was possible.
He tipped his head back against the seat and closed his eyes, clearly done with conversation. Good. That was good. Because I was done talking too. It was time for some action. The sooner I ascended, the sooner I could start making changes.
The Sabha couldn’t come soon enough.