Page 22 of The Prince Without Sorrow

Chapter Twenty-One

Shakti

T HE DAY BEFORE P RINCE A SHOKA LEFT FOR T AKSILA, Shakti knocked on his chamber door.

The muffled voices she’d heard when she arrived stopped. ‘Come in,’ came the prince’s voice.

Upon entering his chambers, Shakti found Prince Ashoka seated in his study, texts and various pieces of paper obscuring the wood. Rahil was there, as usual, standing guard by the door. The prince’s advisor, Saudamini, was leaning against the window. All three stared at her in silence.

‘Shakti,’ Prince Ashoka hurried to stand. ‘What brings you here?’

‘I... er...’ I’m going to help you sit on the throne , was what she wanted to say. Instead, a strange sense of wariness subdued her initial bravado. ‘May I speak to you alone, Prince Ashoka?’

By accident, her eyes flitted to Saudamini.

The advisor seemed to notice her disquiet. ‘Oh, I won’t report you,’ she said cheerily. ‘In fact, you should probably thank me for getting you this job. When Ruchira said she pulled some strings, she meant me.’

‘ Sau ,’ Rahil griped.

‘What? If anything, Shakti should be more wary of the rest of your guards,’ the advisor argued. ‘You should’ve seen the way they reacted once they learned that Emperor Adil’s death was due to mayakari magic.’

Shakti flinched. If they only knew .

No point in speaking to the prince alone, then. ‘I want to help you,’ she said, squaring her shoulders. ‘In Taksila.’

Rahil and Saudamini gave her equal looks of bafflement like she was a lotus flower growing without water. The prince, however, appeared unsurprised. He moved from his desk and sauntered towards her. ‘You do?’ he inquired.

Unable to gauge his tone, Shakti continued her spiel. ‘Harini told me that she’s accompanying you to help communicate with the resistance there,’ she remarked. ‘I can help. Two mayakari are better than one, and I have an added advantage.’

Interest flickered behind Prince Ashoka’s doe eyes as he asked, ‘Which is...?’

‘A connection,’ she replied. ‘I have a friend, a mayakari. She’s part of the resistance in Taksila. I can find her out, plead your case. Have them help.’

Saudamini whistled appreciatively. ‘Karma is good,’ she remarked, clapping her hands together.

Prince Ashoka was silent. He was looking at Shakti, but she could tell he was unfocused, thinking of other things. Up close, she could see the dark shadows under his eyes. Had he not been sleeping?

She’d heard the palace gossip of the council meeting where the prince proclaimed his intent to utilise the mayakari resistance during his governorship. That Emperor Arush had struck him down without hesitation. That the legacy of the great Emperor Adil would remain unchanged. That the prince was clearly not his father’s child, rather a shadow of his mother’s.

Adil Maurya was an obstacle not only to her, but to his own son.

When the prince refocused, his expression was one of resolution. And elation. ‘You have given me some hope, Shakti. A direct link can allow for better communication.’

Shakti could only hope that Nayani would see reason once she found her.

‘I planned to have you join the travelling party nonetheless,’ he continued. ‘My sister has shown far too much interest in you becoming a soldier for me to consider leaving you here to your own devices.’

Jubilation washed over her before it was quickly replaced by confusion. The princess? ‘Why the interest?’

Prince Ashoka tsk-ed. ‘She believes it to be a waste of your talents,’ he supplied, ‘especially since you can fight.’

An uncomfortable shudder passed through her at the thought of working for Princess Aarya. She reminded Shakti of an elephant creeper: able to smother and destroy trees if left unchecked. Thank the spirits she could enact her plans away from the palace and its utter lack of greenery.

Another knock sounded on the door.

‘Popular today, aren’t you?’ Rahil quipped.

‘Who is it?’ Prince Ashoka called out. Moments later, Harini’s head peeked out from behind the door. She cast a quick, confused glance at Shakti before bowing.

‘Princess Aarya wishes to speak to you, Prince Ashoka,’ she announced.

Saudamini rolled her eyes. ‘You aren’t acquaintances, for spirits’ sake,’ she said. ‘Why does Princess Aarya need to announce her presence like some stuffy old dignitary?’

The prince smiled. ‘Tell my sister to come inside,’ he informed Harini, who nodded and shut the door.

‘What does Princess Aarya want?’ Shakti asked.

‘Perhaps she heard Sau calling her a serpent,’ Rahil said in deadpan.

‘Or perhaps she’s here to gloat about my impending failure?’ Ashoka countered. ‘I don’t know. She’s about as unpredictable as the weather.’

‘What a compliment, little brother.’

Shakti startled. Princess Aarya stood at the door, watching them with mild amusement. The bangles around her wrists clinked together as she moved to cross her arms over her chest. Her yellow sari made her look like a tulip that needed to be trampled.

‘Aarya,’ Prince Ashoka greeted. ‘What are you doing here?’

Princess Aarya pouted. ‘What? Can I not visit my little brother without a reason?’

‘No,’ he said. ‘You always have a reason.’

The siblings levelled each other with a stare. There is so much of Adil in Aarya , Shakti realized with venomous distaste. Heredities were truly unfortunate. Sensing that whatever natural disaster the princess brought would end up in an argument, Shakti cleared her throat, dragging the royals’ attentions to her.

‘If you’ll excuse me, Prince Ashoka, Princess Aarya,’ she bowed, ‘I’ll take my leave.’

Perhaps noting her apprehension, the prince nodded his assent. However, Princess Aarya held up her hand in a motion to halt.

‘Oh no,’ she said sweetly. ‘Stay. I have such good news to tell you, Shakti.’