Page 5 of Damned and Broken Gods (Labyrinth of Gods #2)

Who Needs A Fancy Sitting Room Anyway?

LEELA

I stood in the center of our room, taking it in for the last time.

How many nights had I spent curled up crying in my makeshift bed?

How many nights aching after intensive training?

Strange how those memories paled against each vibrant memory of being curled up against Araz.

That those few nights of contact, of gentleness and kind words, somehow negated all the awful ones. The bond was a strange beast indeed.

“Yer gunna miss it, ain’tcha?” Blue said.

“Is that weird?”

“Nah. Ya found yourself ’ere, din’tcha.”

I guess I had. I’d found my purpose and a stronger backbone. I’d learned I was more resilient than I’d ever anticipated. I’d also discovered the kind of person that I wanted to be.

“The rooms in the houses are larger,” Araz said. “We’ll have shared quarters, but you’ll have your own bed.”

My stomach dipped. “Right. Good.”

“Although you’ll probably be moved to the Shahee Kshetra soon enough.”

There was an edge to his tone that made my scalp prickle. I glanced across at his profile, all hard planes and tense jaw. Was he afraid that I’d go back on our deal now that I might not have to take the labyrinth to ascend?

“Our deal still stands, Araz.”

He stilled. “Even though you may not need me to ascend?”

“Yes. I promised you freedom, and I’ll give that to you, no matter how I become a god.”

“Even though you know my true intentions?” He snared me with his topaz gaze. “Even when you know that I plan to bring down the gods?”

“But that’s just it. You don’t have to do that anymore. If I’m queen, then?—”

He let out a harsh laugh. “Do you honestly believe you’ll be a queen in more than name only?

If they let you take the throne, it will be as a figurehead and nothing more.

The Authority is the law. They will not give you any more power than they can afford to.

You’ll be a pawn.” He exhaled through his nose.

“But once you free me, I vow to free you too.”

By starting a war.

That’s what he planned to do.

How much time did I have to convince him otherwise?

Was it even possible to change his mind? I searched his face. “Innocent people will die, Araz. People like the drohi who were raised to fight for the gods. You’ll be fighting against them.”

I caught the flicker of doubt in his eyes before he doused it. “Freedom comes at a cost.”

Yeah, he might want to believe that, but there was definite wiggle room to change his mind.

“Okay, I guess we should pack.”

He slowly blinked. “That’s it?”

I shrugged. “I said my piece, you said yours, and we’re on the clock here.”

He studied me for several seconds before breaking away to cross to the wardrobe, where he began unloading my clothes onto the bed.

Okay, so he was taking me at my word. Good.

“Um, Leela,” Blue stage-whispered. “Isn’t that your underwear drawer?”

Araz was indeed reaching for my undergarments.

I rushed forward to intercept him, realizing too late that my move put me snugly between the wardrobe and him. His cranberry scent hit me, teasing the pleasure zone of my mind.

I adjusted to shallow breaths, lifting my chin to look him in the eye. “I can do that.”

His hot gaze raked over my face, and he inched closer, forcing his scent to envelop me. “I have handled your underwear before, Leela.”

My cheeks heated. “That’s a little pervy, don’t you think?”

“I’m not sure what ‘pervy’ is. I did what needed to be done. When you were sick with the poison from the flowers, I found underwear for Dipika to change you into.”

That whole period was a blur. “I’m grateful for your help at that time, but I can manage now.” I shooed him away. “Go pack your own things.”

He backed off, and I exhaled, turning to the underwear drawer and taking a moment to compose myself. Araz’s proximity was dizzying. His scent was intoxicating, and neither of those things was going to change. We’d been matched by the shakti for a reason.

There was potential for more between us, and I needed to guard against it.

My heart was a bruised and battered thing, aching with loss—Nani and then Pashim. It wouldn’t survive another blow.

The last thing I needed or wanted was to fall in love with Araz.

After a short discussion, Araz and I agreed on the earth house barracks as my allocation for now.

Dharma, Joe, and Sylvie had all ended up in earth, so I’d have company.

Priti was in Pavan Ghar with Remi, and Eve had landed in Paani.

The twins Poppy and Regina hadn’t been allocated their affinity yet.

My little incident had stopped the proceedings, so they were in the regular native barracks for now.

It was getting late, and with sunset barely an hour away, Blue was forced to leave us and head to the nest where all the anchors gathered at night.

“I’ll find ya in the mornin’,” he promised, dropping a whiskery kiss on my cheek before scampering off to join his friends.

The native demigod barracks came into view first. It was home to all the native demigods who hadn’t passed their first test or identified their affinity.

From what Araz had told me, there weren’t many in residence there, but more would be reaped soon.

Poppy and Regina would pretty much have the building to themselves for now.

The house barracks were basically named for the affinity houses in the royal domain—Dharti, Pavan, and Paani—earth, air, and water.

They were built back to back with neat gardens separating them.

Enclosed walkways connected each one. The demigods liked to mingle, even if they did live in separate houses.

I guess it maintained unity just like Guru Chandra advocated.

Asura Ione, the head of the earth house, greeted us at the door. She was a tall woman with strong features, kind eyes, and a smile that exuded sincerity.

Araz had explained that Ione wasn’t a tutor here in Prashikshan so didn’t carry the title of guru like the other Asura who worked here.

No one knew why she’d been sent to act as house matron to earth barracks or what her connection to Dharti Ghar in the royal domain was.

But we did know that she was a seedborn—a made god who’d been claimed by her sire.

Araz didn’t know who her sire was, though.

“Welcome,” she said as we climbed the three steps to the porch. “We are honored you chose us. Come, let me show you to your quarters.”

Up close, she was a tall woman, almost as tall as Araz, which was saying something.

She pushed open the double doors to the building and ushered us into the warmth. Araz indicated I should go first, following close behind with our bags, his solid form providing comfort as I entered unknown territory filled with native demigods well on their way to ascension.

The ground floor was an open-plan affair with pillars holding up the ceiling and plenty of seating in the form of wooden chairs and fabric sofas.

Paintings lined the walls, and books were scattered on coffee tables and shelves.

Demigods lounged about, reading or chatting.

Several were gathered around a crackling hearth to my left, their anchors hovering close by.

I spotted a hog, a wolf, a green cat, and various types of birds. But all eyes turned to me as I entered.

“Everyone, let’s welcome Leela to the house, please,” Asura Ione said brightly.

Her announcement was met with silence, and my stomach dropped.

For a moment, I was back in school, walking into a class filled with students who thought I was a freak.

My neck and ears heated. Yes, my body remembered this feeling.

This awful bug-trapped-in-amber moment, waiting for someone to throw a punchline at my expense that would make everyone laugh.

Where were Dharma and the others? They’d left ahead of us, so they should already be here, but their faces weren’t among the stony ones glaring back at me.

I could have done with a few smiles of encouragement about now.

Araz moved closer behind me, his body heat spreading across my back, calming the jittery nerves in my belly and reminding me that I wasn’t alone.

I fixed a smile on my face and raised a hand in greeting. “I’m excited to be here.”

“Are you?” A demigod with short, cropped silver hair and angry gray eyes stepped forward, a huge snake draped over her shoulders—a python if I wasn’t mistaken. “Here to enjoy a little vacation before you head into the lap of luxury?”

“Bina!” Asura Ione snapped. “Do not forget who you speak to.”

Bina sneered, gaze flicking away as if she couldn’t be bothered anyway.

My stomach twisted into knots as I followed Asura Ione to the staircase and up to the first floor.

“Please ignore the icy reception,” she said. “The natives are always wary of new recruits. They’ll warm to you eventually, or not. It hardly matters.”

Because she thought I wouldn’t be here long. Maybe I wouldn’t, but it still mattered if people liked me or not, whether as a fellow demigod or their future queen.

We didn’t stop at the first floor but went up to the third and onto a corridor with two doors, one on either side.

Ione hurried and unlocked the door to the left, letting us into a spacious sitting room with a bay window looking out toward the complex. Two doors led off from the room, the bedrooms no doubt.

“I hope it’s to your liking,” she said.

The furnishings, the décor, the space, the floral aroma—it was too opulent. “Are all the rooms like this?”

“Oh, goodness no. This is our largest one. I assure you it’s the most comfortable.”

Unease pricked at my skin as realization dawned. “And um…whose room was this?”

Her smile dimmed. “The upper floor rooms are usually given to the demigods who have the most points on Eben’s score board.”