“So, what are you worried about?”
“Oh, just a talk I need to have with a couple of people later today. Possibly the most important talk I’ll have in this whole war effort.”
“Then may Yuma be with the both of us,” Vir said. “I just—”
An 'Arooooo!' cut Vir off, shortly before Maiya’s face disappeared, replaced by fur, tongue, and nose.
“Neel, stop it!” Maiya shouted. “Bad boy! What’s gotten into you?”
Vir let out a hearty laugh. “I miss you too, boy!”
Upon hearing his voice, Neel stopped his antics, staring at the orb, tail wagging and tongue lolling.
“That’s right, Neel! I’ll get to see you soon. Aren’t you excited?”
Neel barked happily, licking the orb before Maiya wrenched it away from his paws.
“Ugh, look what you’ve gone and done,” Maiya said, cleaning off the slobber with a rag. “Never seen him get this way. He’s been pretty low energy lately, despite all the space he has to play here. Shows how much he misses you.”
“I know,” Vir muttered with a small smile. “And the first obstacle to overcome before any of that can happen is tomorrow. My first match.”
“You’ll win,” Maiya replied immediately.
“Wish I had your confidence,” Vir said, looking away. “These demons are strong, and I’m fighting blindfolded with one hand behind my back.”
“You’ll still win,” came Maiya’s firm reply.
“Mind sharing where you’re getting this confidence from? I’d like some of that myself.”
“You’ll win because I know you, Vir. When you’ve reached your limit, you push past. You’re relentless. You’re talented. And you have a reason you can’t lose. So, I know. You’ll win.”
Vir stared back in stunned silence, before uttering a, “Thanks… that… really helped, Mai.”
Maiya replied with a warm smile that came from the heart. “You too. Talk after your fight?”
“You bet,” Vir said, then nodded and ended the call. They used to exchange goodbyes when they first started chatting over the orb, but those exchanges went on forever, as neither wanted to hang up. In the end, they decided foregoing the goodbyes altogether worked best. It made their parting feel less final, even if only a bit.
Maiya stared at the orb long after it had gone dark, the silence disturbed only by Neel’s whining as he pawed at the empty orb. Maiya idly scratched his ears, lost in thought.
The conversation had brought far more than the familiar face she’d so longed to see. It’d brought with it hope. Real hope, this time. Not the delusional fantasies she’d had earlier. It gave her something to look forward to. And it emboldened her for the distasteful conversation she was about to have.
“Milady?” came Hema’s voice through the walls. “Your guests. You asked to be informed when they arrived? They are awaiting you in the garden.”
Maiya rose to her feet, set her face, and opened the door.
92REFORGING BONDS (MAIYA)
Maiya leaned down and ruffled Neel’s neck, which the bandy thoroughly enjoyed. It was an unconscious habit. She truly was dreading this conversation, but she’d put it off for far too long already. To move forward, today had to happen.
Maiya walked down the third-story hall of her manor, greeting the various staff as she went. In what felt like no time at all, she’d grown accustomed to the treatment. Compared to the adulation and reverence the cultists piled upon her, a few butlers and handmaids were like a breath of fresh air.
After handing Neel off to an attendant, Maiya made her way down the stairs alone, to the room in which her two friends awaited.
Both rose from their seats to greet her.
“Yamal,” Maiya said with a warm smile and a nod. “Bheem,” she added, her smile turning tight. “Care to follow me? Refreshments have been prepared in the garden. We have… much to discuss.”
The two followed without a word, no doubt thinking the same. While they’d held a handful of meetings over the past weeks, they had all been strictly business, and with the two running around Kin’jal making preparations, there had been little time for more… personal chats.
At least, that was what Maiya told herself. She hadn’t strictly needed to send them—others could have been trusted with the task—but perhaps it was Maiya’s subconscious at work. If they were away, she needn’t deal with the strained feelings and the maelstrom of pent-up emotions they were all dealing with.
The manor’s grounds, while not large, were a grand affair. Immaculately maintained, with trimmed hedges and beautiful shrubs, roses, and other floral arrangements forming intricate patterns.
And, like the rest of Kin’jali garden art, it gave off a similar impression to the royal castle grounds. Put on for the sake of airs. Had she the time, Maiya would have changed them, adding sculptures that had meaning, personalizing it to her taste.
Alas, it was what it was. Beautiful and sterile, and yet still the best place to have this conversation.
White trellises led to an open veranda in the center of the garden, where a round table and three chairs had been arranged. Two handmaidens awaited with a cart full of tea, biscuits, and sweets, which they served the moment the trio took their seats.
They departed the moment their jobs were done, taking polite bows before wheeling the cart away.
Maiya eyed her two friends, taking a sip of her tea. Though she knew the tea must have been steeped to perfection, she barely tasted it. Her mind was on the words she’d say, on how the conversation would flow.
She’d rehearsed this endlessly, but now that she was here, she understood that a pre-prepared speech would get her nowhere. This had to come from the heart. No sugar coating. No lies. Just the honest truth.
“Let me cut to the heart of the matter,” Maiya said, meeting both Yamal and Bheem’s gazes. “By now, you both know that I am someone who has gained Princess Ira’s favor. All of this,” she swept her hand across the garden, “proves it. Yet until now, I have kept the details of my identity from you. My motivation, my goals, my past. Princess Ira has given me permission to bring you two into the fold. Truly and completely. For with what we are about to undertake, nothing short of the complete truth will suffice. Yet before that, there is something I must say. Something I should have done long ago.”
Maiya had their full attention, and while Yamal sipped his tea, Bheem stared into Maiya’s eyes, as if she were the only thing in the world that mattered. Did he want to kill her? Of course he did—that was a stupid question. He must resent her for causing the death of his dear brother. Even bringing him here without guard could have been considered reckless on her part.
Still, Maiya believed. That the bond they shared could be restored. That things could go back to normal. But it had to start with her.
Maiya rose from her chair, walked to Bheem… and knelt.
“Bheem,” she said, gazing into his eyes. “I have wronged you. I have wronged you in the most unforgivable way. I robbed you of your brother, and for that, I regret everything. I regret it ended that way, even if it was necessary.”
She searched Bheem’s face for any reaction, but there was none. He regarded her with an expression of complete impassivity, as if his face had been etched from stone. Was she getting through to him? Was he cursing her in his head right now?
It didn’t matter. Maiya would say her peace.
“I can tell you, here and now, that he did what he did… Because he loved you. He knew that without a named successor, once he died—and make no mistake, the madness would have killed him shortly after—the mantle of the Blessed Chosen would have transferred to you. His next of kin. Chosen by… by those who claim to control Fate. The deities the Children of Ash worship. The delirium that broke him would have plagued you. It would have crippled you, and then, just like your brother, you would have died.”