I Shall Rewrite the Stars

Chapter 15

***

No words could fully express the joy that swells in my heart. To hear Helios’ voice—to feel his breaths grow stronger! These things are the greatest happinesses I have ever known!

And yet, before a single word of response can leave my lips, the darkness consumes me.

‘Caution,’ the spirit of the moon whispers, when I feel myself beginning to wake. ‘As the moonless night draws near, my power wanes. Bitter spirits will return, driven with a desire to force their fate upon you.’

“But why?” I ask, my voice groggy. Blinking, I reach out toward the dull light around me. From it, a hand meets and takes my own.

“It’s still early,” Juba says, squeezing my fingers from a seat at my right. “You should rest a while longer.”

“Is it morning?” I frown when he nods. “You did not sleep.”

“I’m wary of this place. It’s as riddled with dangers as the palace in Vaticana.”

I shiver at the name. Vaticana, holy capital of the Romasian Empire. So many negative images flash through my mind. So many visions of the pain, loss, and humiliation I was meant to suffer there…

“I doubt whoever’s here, working under Gustavian’s orders, can outright attack us,” Juba says, stroking his thumb along the edge of my palm. “And guards have been posted outside for our protection. At least for now, we are safe from Roma.”

“But for how long?” I sigh, hauling myself up to sit. “What if it was a Romasian who fired those arrows? What if Gustavian already knows that we’re alive and here?”

“He most likely does, though I doubt that attack was carried out by his command. It was too blatant, and aimed at the heirs of Indrira.” Lowering his voice, Juba glances away from me. “Given how calm the maharaja was through it all, I’ve begun to wonder if that attack was less than coincidental.”

“You think he’d have ordered an arrow to be fired at his own daughter—at his own grandson?” I breathe, horrified.

“I had a good look at the servant who supposedly carried in the yuvaraja. There was no child wrapped in the cloth she’d held. When the girl pressed it to her chest, it went flat.”

Too many emotions tear through my heart at that.

Rage.

Shock.

Despair.

How could he—how could a leader revered for his wisdom, have pulled so terrible a trick?

“Why?” I demand, to anyone or thing that might hear me.

“Perhaps it was a test,” Juba offers. “Gustavian’s well known for testing those who are new to his court. Perhaps the maharaja wanted to find out what kind of people we are.”

I hiss, clenching fistfuls of the linen blanket bunched at my waist. “Even after Helios’ brave actions, that man seemed less than impressed. He spoke of us all, as if we were worms!”

“Did you not expect such a reception?” Juba asks, squeezing my hand a bit tighter. “Enough disrespect was shown before the master of this empire, to earn us a thousand deaths. We came with nothing to offer, knowing that war and death stalk the shadowed footprints we’ve trailed from Kemet to this palace. That he-”

“That he spared us any time at all, is a miracle. I understand that—I do! But his antics almost cost my brother his life.”

“But it did not. And now we must hope that such a brash, reckless action as Helios took will work to our advantage.”

I can see the years of surviving deadly court intrigue, swirling behind Juba’s eyes. It is so like him, to already be moved on from the insanity of the last few hours, and plotting out the next twelve moves we might make. His thinking is rational, calculating.

He is focused on survival, but I am exhausted at the thought of it.

In my visions, I struggled to always keep my guard up; to always guess at the true intentions behind every minor action, taken by any given person, in Octavia’s villa. And I suffered for it, unknowing for too long that I had caused Juba to suffer, as well.

“Let my heart rest a while longer,” I beg, shifting my legs off the side of the bed. “We can speculate, plot, and plan, later. For now, I want to see my brother.”

“Time doesn’t favor us,” Juba warns, standing with me.

“But weariness can easily become paranoia. If I don’t take the time to reassure myself that all is well, then I will begin to fall apart.”

Juba seems to consider that, before he waves his arm toward a large door in the far-left wall. When we step out, two black-clad guards take a knee with heads bowed. Juba tells them we are going to see Helios, leading the way without pause.

Down the long halls, we take one left and then a sharp right. I quickly become dizzy, lost as to how Juba can so easily navigate this place. It is so big, so intersected—it makes me long for the simple corridors of my palace-home in Alexandria.

“He’s in there,” Juba says, when the familiar doors of the room we’d been in last night, come into view. “The vaidyaraja said it was best to let him rest, so Helios stayed behind when I carried you to a guest room.”

My heart flutters. “You carried me?”

Juba’s cheeks tinge pink. “I don’t trust the guards here. They’ve been known to stage coups every century or two. And besides, I felt more assured that Helios had overcome the worst of his injury, when he began pouting that I should keep my hands to myself.”

I smile. “He-”

We stop in sync, our attention fixed on the sight half-concealed by the narrowly open doors.

On their knees upon the floor, Helios squeezes Raja’s hands so tightly they pale. Head hung between them, she shakes it miserably.

“Don’t you understand?” she gasps. “That is what this palace is! Death and deceit and conspiracies. Nothing can be trusted—no one can feel at ease. To live here is to be chained in a gilded prison! It looks so beautiful, but every glimmer of gold and gems is dripping with poison.”

“Then we’ll find a way out,” Helios presses, his tone belaying a loss of patience. “Or else we’ll find a way to change things here. No one deserves to live like this, Raja. You shouldn’t have to feel like anyone close to you will just get hurt-”

“But you did. Everyone does—they always do!”

“Next time, no one will be able to lay a finger on me.”

“Next time, you may be killed.”

With a growl Helios pulls her into his arms. Just as fast, Raja buries her fingers in Helios’ tunic, her tears seeping in to darken the fabric along his shoulder.

“I want to go on more adventures with you,” Helios says, cradling the back of her head. “I want to journey on elephants with you, again. I want to ride the bow of your ship with you, again. I want to count the stars with you, again! Don’t give up on all these dreams and every one left unspoken, so easily.”

“You think that it’s easy?” Raja scoffs. “It is so difficult for a person in my position to make true friends, Heli. I don’t want to lose you! But-”

“But nothing. Not even death can end our friendship, and I refuse to allow anyone to steal another one of my dreams. So have a little faith in me. I’ll survive—we’ll survive! And someday, we’ll do everything we’ve dreamed about and more.”

Raja’s voice drops to a whisper I cannot make out, and I look up at Juba. He nods back, and we turn, leaving the pair to their private matters.

When a long stretch of hall is behind us, Juba asks, “Do you think their hearts have grown close?”

I chuckle. “You mean, do I think they’ve developed feelings for one another? At first, I was reluctant to hope so. But now it is what it is. Raja will make a fine Daughter of Kemet.”

“If their relationship is discovered, Helios will be expected to leave Kemet and become Rajkumar of Indrira. Given that Raja’s son is ill and she is the only living child of the maharaja—there’s just no way she will be allowed to leave the empire.”

“And so the mystery of you lot turns out to be the wisest. How amusing.”

Before the Maharaja has finished speaking, Juba and I fall to our knees with heads bowed. Inside, my heart races. When did he come into the hall, behind us? How long was he there—what all did he hear?

“Rise, Selene of Kemet.”

Willing myself to be brave, I do so, only turning around when told to. The maharaja flicks his hand, dismissing a large group of guards. They fall back several feet, but do not allow us out of their sight.

“Romasian,” the maharaja says. “Go to Ptolemy. I’ve been informed she has fussed throughout the night. Set her at ease.”

“As you wish, Your Esteemed Majesty,” Juba says, then stands, bows, and walks away.

Without him I feel small, helpless. Mother and Father were intimidating in their own ways, and my visions of Gustavian were nightmarish at best. But this feels different. I’ve no idea what to expect next.

“Join me for a walk,” the maharaja commands, striding past me. “Three steps behind, as per Indriran custom.”

“As you wish,” I say.

“Word came of your success in healing your brother. Helios of Kemet is brash, but his loyalty to the friendship between our lands, is unquestionable. He has earned my faith.”

“I thank you on his behalf, Esteemed Sire.”

We turn right.

“Raja is all I could ask for in a son, with her only fault being that she was born a daughter. Her loyalty to me is unquestionable. Her dedication to Indrira is unshakable. Yet despite the risks it poses to us all, she advocates for you.”

“Raja has been exceedingly kind to my siblings, Juba, and I,” I say. “She offered a hand when we needed one most. We are indebted to her.”

“She knows the worst-case scenario you may lead us into.”

“She also knows the alliance between our realms.”

“Kemet has fallen.”

“According to my visions, Indrira fell next.”

“You admit to having knowledge of the future?”

“I believe you will have found out sooner or later, and so I willingly entrust my secret to you, Esteemed Sire.”

The maharaja spares me a glance. “You wager your life by making such claims.”

“If I can change fate as I intend to—as I already have, then Indrira’s fate will change as well,” I say.

Turning fully, the maharaja glares me down. “You realize the grave danger of your position, don’t you? A girl who possesses knowledge of the future, is valuable. A girl who can use the healing blessings of the spirits, is doubly so. But you have both, and are therefore quite the prize, Selene of Kemet.”

I have never considered myself as such. But then, I’ve had so little time to think about it. Only now do I realize that, should my gifts be discovered, I shall become the main target of any who wish to harm my family.

“Will you take me prisoner, Esteemed Sire?” I ask, daring to hold his gaze.

“Save my heir, and I shall consider the matter further,” he replies.

“Know that I will do so—try my best to do so, without consideration for ulterior motives. If I can help Raja, the first and only person whom my brother has bared his heart to, then I will do all I am able.”

The maharaja grins. “You’ve so many gambits at your disposal, yet choose to take the moral highroad. Truly, the children of Kemet will never cease to amaze me.”

Waving his hand, the maharaja nods toward a pair of double doors on my right. Curious, I walk to them, surprised when two guards step from the shadows to pull the doors open.

“The bowl from last night will be sent to you,” the maharaja says. “If its water does not work in the daylight, try again at night. If the water no longer works at all, a fresh supply will be attained. In that event, you will try again tomorrow night.”

“I understand,” I say, pausing at the sound of rapidly approaching footsteps. I am only half turned around, when Juba throws himself down at the maharaja’s feet.

Chest heaving, he presses his forehead to the floor. “A thousand apologies, Esteemed Majesty!” Juba gasps. “But please, allow me to treat the yuvaraja before Selene does—I beg of you! Please grant us this request!”

***