Page 127 of Her Soul for a Crown
Premala pointed to his chest, the open tunic and elephant trunk reaching down to his navel. “The relic is missing. Give it back.”
Her voice quivered, yet her clan was nowhere in sight. She was alone. Reeri spun back, picking his way across the fallen palace gates. Premala’s hand landed on him again. She pulled, stronger than her size let on.
“Don’t you see how dangerous it is for the relic to be unguarded right now?”
Reeri tore away once more. “I see more danger than you can imagine. I must return to Anula.”
“Does she have it?”
Reeri curled back his lip. “Sheis in danger.”
Premala scoffed. “You don’t care about that. You only ever wanted the relic. You want more destruction, just like your great Lord. Were you behind this attack, to distract us all from Lord Wessamony taking over?”
“I am not a monster,” Reeri growled. “Indeed there are a great many dangers here today, not the least being Wessamony’s descent at midnight, when the Maha Equinox strikes. Yet I only care for the danger that now threatens Anula. And if you do not wish tosave her, then for once, do as the Kattadiya mantra suggests and save someone else.”
“You don’t love her.” Premala frowned. “You can’t. You’re a Yakka.”
“Spare me your unsolicited opinion.”
Stepping carefully, Reeri hurried across the ruined threshold. Soldiers caught the outline of his hulking form, drew sword, mace, and spear, and smiled at him, eager for another target. Yet instead of metal striking flesh, a hand yanked his once more.
“What are youdoing?” He spun, holding steady.
Premala’s hand shook. Her eyes did not. “I won’t let you give the Lord the relic.”
“Mighty Heavens, girl, you are going to get yourself killed!”
“I don’t care! Not if it means keeping the relic safe from Lord Wessamony.”
“We are not giving him the relic,” Reeri rumbled, aware of the soldiers now at his back. “We are going to end his death-filled reign by using it on him!”
The girl blanched. “That’s what Anula said.”
“Why, then, did you attack her?”
“I—I didn’t believe her.”
A spear flew over Reeri’s shoulder. He shifted, covering Premala with his body. “Move,” he commanded, shoving her back the way they had climbed.
The hiss of a mace arced through the air. Reeri twisted and landed a sizable fist in the ribs of a soldier. The man doubled over, stumbled, and slid through the debris. Gripping a piece of loose iron, Reeri tossed it at the last soldier, catching his sword and unbalancing him.
Reeri turned to Premala. “What do you believe now?”
Wringing her hands, she held his gaze. “Can’t you call to her with your oath?”
“Unlike the Kattadiya, our connection is not a vise.”
She bit her lip, blood bubbling betwixt her teeth. “Wessamony wants to rule the Heavens and destroy all we know?”
Reeri sighed. “Yes.”
“But you don’t.”
It was not a question, and yet it was. “No.”
She shook her head. “The reason doesn’t matter, I suppose. We can’t let anyone else get the relic. Not the Polonnaruwans, not Wessamony.”
“No,” he agreed again. Kattadiya were not to be trusted, he knew that well, yet there was something about this one. “We must save Anula first. She has the relic.”
