Page 65 of Her Soul for a Crown
“Great Divinities of the First Heavens,” the masked assailants yelled, their voices raised as one. “Save us from all evil. Send your blessed deliverance!”
The earth shook and the Heavens erupted. A shiver racked Anula. A searing pain tore her shadow from her form.
A whip snapped. Cries rained down on marble stone. “The fault is entirely yours.”
Claws thrust the whip into Anula’s hand.
“You shall be the Yakkas’ tormentor.” Lord Wessamony’s horns flared bright. “For eternity.”
The words struck Anula in the chest, blew out her breath.
“Please,” Ratti wept. “Help.”
A tear slid from Anula’s eyes, her hands shaking, trying and failing to stop her arm from arcing back.
And swinging forward.
***
The Blood Yakka screamed.
Anula jolted awake, instinctively reaching out a hand. TheBlood Yakka flinched away, a flush on his ears. Her hand snapped back.
“I did not mean to fall asleep,” he murmured, eyeing dark corners as though they hid masked men and whips.
Questions knocked into one another in Anula’s head. “Who were they?”
“It does not matter,” he growled, hackles rising.
She scoffed. “They attacked the Yakkas, and no story of old mentioned men in masks. I think that matters.”
“Why? I thought you did not believe.”
“And I thought you said the old stories only told half-truths. What happened?”
“It does not matter now.” He glanced at the mural on the ceiling, wiped sweat from his brow.
“Yes, it does,” Anula insisted.
“Why?” he snapped.
Because, she wanted to yell. Because what she’d witnessed these past weeks and what she’d experienced over the years didn’t fit together. She’d only ever seen the selfish side of the Heavens, unable to understand why Amma and Auntie Nirma loved them so. Because truth mattered as much as justice. It set people free.
“Why did you save Siva?” she asked instead.
“It was the right thing to do.” He answered without pause, as if this was his purpose.
Anula fell silent. This Blood Yakka had nothing in common with the creature from the old stories. His shadow wasn’t grotesque; high cheekbones and a sharp chin didn’t drip with the endless need for blood and death and decay. He rushed to rescue those in peril, herself included. Not once, but thrice.
She’d thought it was out of fear of losing his tether and being banished once more to the aether without finishing his business, but he’d worked hurriedly for Siva and held her soothingly. Andthat worry she’d seen in his eyes… She was right; it wasn’t for himself. She’d felt that same fear in the memory-nightmare.
Fear for the Yakkas.
Fear for the people.
The Blood Yakka ran a shaky hand through his hair as the space between his brows puckered. If the stories of old were half-truths, if Auntie Nirma’s faith was true, did that mean that the Yakkasactuallycared?
The Blood Yakka expelled an unsteady breath. Anula’s eyes flicked to his lips.
