Page 32 of The Enduring Universe
“Yet the principle stands,” Ahilya retorted. “Make a bracelet that will poison the wearer should the vow be broken.”
Iravan cocked an eyebrow. “I am an Ecstatic. I am more than an Ecstatic. I will heal.”
“But I will not,” Ahilya said.
Shock ran through him, and for a second, he remained utterly still.
No, he thought immediately. He could not allow her to do that. He knew what she was asking—he could not harm her, not a complete being, notthecomplete being. Ahilya, who had ended an earthrage, who had supported the architects, and told them the truth about themselves. He could not harm her, notAhilya. It would eviscerate him. If anything happened to her, because of him and his actions—he had wanted to rescue her, not destroy her—
The others were watching.
She had planned this. She had come prepared.
He had no choice. If he did not agree, the Ecstatics of his own Garden would know him for a hypocrite. They would never follow him to their destinies of making amends to the complete ones. Theywould never hold themselves accountable to complete citizens if he did not show that he was willing to be accountable to Ahilya.
She alone had ever been able to maneuver him without trying.
Slowly, without dropping his gaze from hers, Iravan trajected using the everpower.
Two dark heartpoison vines grew from the floor, curling in his hands, their surfaces smooth and shiny. The vines formed into bracelets, and Iravan spoke, loud enough for everyone to hear. “I vow to fulfill our contract to the best of my ability, Ahilya, if you fulfill yours. Let this heartpoison incapacitate the wearer if either of us breaks our vow.”
The vines glinted in his hands and solidified.
Iravan held up the dark bracelets for everyone to see, and heard the collective sigh that went through the gathering. Heartpoison was so toxic that a single thorn from it could fell the strongest person in seconds. A bracelet like this could fell a yaksha.
Iravan wore one, then climbed down the platform. He extended his hand, and Ahilya stretched hers.
Her fingers were cool against his skin. They trembled once, then stilled. She gave no other sign of her fear.
Very gently, Iravan slipped the other bracelet onto her wrist.
For a second, they stood there, their hands entwined. He could feel her pulse under his wrist. He could feel her heart beating inside his chest.
Then, Ahilya stepped back and pulled her arm away.
“I expect to see resources pouring into Irshar immediately after the assessment,” she said. “I will be waiting to hear from you.”
“As will I,” he countered.
With a tight nod, and a final glance at everyone, Ahilya turned around. The Ecstatics surged around her, muttering as some of them followed her out, while others lingered, waiting for Iravan’s order.
Dhruv stepped up next to Iravan. His voice was very quiet. “What do we do?” he asked.
Iravan studied the Ecstatics. Remembered the hostility he had felt. “We do exactly what we promised her,” he said grimly. “And we find a way to finish the Virohi.”
18
AHILYA
She was on her bed in the infirmary, Eskayra asleep next to her on a makeshift cot. Even in her half-aware sleep-befuddled state, Ahilya could hear Eskayra’s breathing. When she cracked her eyes open, she could discern the shape of Esk’s body in the darkness. Her friend had eschewed her home ever since Ahilya had been transferred here as a permanent patient after their return from the jungle. It felt like an imposition at first, but Ahilya was now glad for the company.
Ordinarily, the infirmary would have been quietly alive with the soft whirrs and beeps of sungineering devices. Ahilya would have been strapped into machines that would monitor her vitals constantly. With the Moment gone, however, only flickering candlelight gave any illumination, and all was still and silent. Ahilya closed her eyes, rolled her shoulders, and thought of what she had promised Iravan in return for fixing the Moment.
She had promised to give him the cosmic creatures. How was she to begin? Not too long ago, she was not allowed to speak to the cosmic creatures without the council’s explicit permission, but those instructions had been for when the Virohi were tied to theashram. Unlike the city, the council did not control the core tree. Who did, then?
Tentatively, Ahilya focused between her brows.
A sharp pain overtook her, and her visiontilted, like falling headfirst into a mirrored pool. Her third vision still resembled a broken house, full of several chambers. The mirrored chambers where she had once spoken to the Virohi were shattered, and she retreated from that room. She imagined something else, a familiar landscape, and the third vision changed, opening not into the chamber of the core trees, but transforming her Etherium completely.
