Page 39 of The Surviving Sky
She gave Iravan a long look. “Annoying as you are, I’d hate to see you leave the council.” She pressed his shoulder, strode away to a wall, activated her key, and disappeared.
In the end, only Bharavi remained.
Iravan dropped his head into his hands. “What do I do, Bha?”
He felt Bharavi’s tread, then she was kneeling by him, lifting his head up. “You understand what you’re up against,” she said grimly. “Why do you think Airav gave you back your beads?”
“I…I’m still a Senior Architect.”
“A Senior Architect with full privileges,” Bharavi said. “He gave you vine to see if you would crawl out of this pit or hang yourself. They’re going to watch you, Iravan. If there are signs, any at all, another indication of a failed marriage, the slightest rule-bending, even if it’s your due as a SeniorArchitect—anExamination could happen. You don’t have three weeks; you have until your next mistake.”
“I—Iwon’t make a mistake.”
“See that you don’t. They could vote for an Exam again, tomorrow, day after, as soon as you’re healed. And next time, I won’t be able to protect you. If I see a sign of you becoming anEcstatic—”
“I kn-know. You’ll have to ask for an Examination yourself.”
She nodded.
“Then I’m doomed,” Iravan said, his voice hollow. “If I make a mistake, you’ll vote for an Exam. If I don’t prove my theory, you’ll vote for an Exam. I could pass the Exam and still be demoted, and if I failit”—heshuddered—“my life in Nakshar is over. There’s no path out of this.”
“There’s always a path. You need to find a way to prove your theoryandveer the council away from the risks of Ecstasy. Start with something tangible, visible. Something that cements your material bonds.”
“Youmean—”
“Yes,” Bharavi said, standing up. “Start with Ahilya.”
12
AHILYA
In a silent corner of the library, Ahilya sat alone, trying not to shatter.
Her eyes were closed. She held herself very still. Any sudden movement could crack the fragile wall she had built inside herself.
Her hands fiddled with the silent tracker locket from the expedition. Oam had clutched her, in excitement, and in fear, when they’d come upon the elephant-yaksha. He had been so afraid in the nest; he’d been safe, she’dseenhim be safe. He’d only left her sight for a moment.He’d—He’d—
No, not that, not again. She opened her eyes but her vision was blurred.Focus.
Ahilya blinked back hot tears. The locket lay limp and heavy in her hands, no longer chiming. It was supposed to work on trajection, but the last time Ahilya had heard it chime had been through their escape. Now it was likely broken, the data likely distorted, certainly not valid enough to make any conclusive argument that would help her with a nomination. In her head, Oam screamed again, flipping in the air, panicked. He fell through the sky, away from her. Did a council seat matter? Ahilya closed her eyes. It didn’t matter.
A week had passed since the city had flown away. Messages had gone out from the lab, flashing through the citizen rings every day.Not all systems are functioning. Thank you for your patience. Everything will be back to normal soon. Ahilya had wandered the streets, watched the children play, heard other citizens wonder why so much of the city was still under construction. No one knew about the expedition, aboutOam—
He screamed at her to cut herself loose. He urged her on and ran to retrieve her satchel. He did it for her, he’d been so brave,Don’t worry, I’ll keep you safe, I’ll keep you safe—
Ahilya choked, unable to breathe. Her throat clogged. She was going to suffocate on her own tears. Long green leaves grew around her, over her lap and arms, enveloping her. The moss seat she sat on transformed into thermogenic lily. Ahilya rocked herself, back and forth, a low keen escaping her. If they hadn’t entered the jungle, if she’d left the satchel behind, if only, if only. Iravan flashed in her head, his head bowed, expression defeated. He pressed her to cancel the expedition; he yelled at her to rush to the nest. Whose fault had it been? Hers? His? They were catastrophic together. They’d let Oam die so easily. Anger and grief built inside her in a rising wave, and her fingers curled in on themselves as she fought to breathe, fought not to go under.
She didn’t know how long she sat there, held by the plants of the city, breathing in and out in short bursts, but eventually a knock sounded on the wall of her alcove. She tapped at her citizen ring and Dhruv was there, sitting next to her, patting her back, and saying, “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry. I came as soon as I could.”
“I—Iasked him to go,” Ahilya got out between spasming sobs.
“I know.”
“He—hewas studying themind—Hewas going to impact everyone’s lives.”
“I know.” Dhruv’s arm tightened around her.
“He wasthere—because—becauseof me.”
