And Priya…
“What, by soil and sky, is this tent?” Priya said, looking around. “Is that gold on the ceiling? And why do you have a writing desk?”
“It’s actually modest by the standards of my youth,” said Malini, a smile curling her mouth. But her eyes were guarded when she said, “You shouldn’t have come here.”
“Those soldiers couldn’t have harmed me.”
“Nonetheless,” said Malini. “Why have you come?”
Priya looked at her and looked at her, struggling for the words.
“Malini,” she said, shaping the name carefully on her tongue, as if this way, she could keep it. “You’re where you need to be. My part of our bargain is done. And I’m… I’m here to say good-bye.”
She watched the smile on Malini’s face fade and die.
“I… In truth, I don’t think I should be here telling you this at all. This is—an act of trust,” Priya admitted.
“Leaving,” Malini said. “You’re leaving.”
“You knew I would have to eventually,” said Priya. “Bhumika and I—all of us—have to protect Ahiranya until your brother Aditya takes the throne. Until you’re able to see your vow to me fulfilled.”
“I know,” Malini said numbly. “I know. It’s just so—so swift.” Her forehead creased, just slightly. She touched her fingertips to her throat.
There was a tightness to Malini’s face as she very gracefully walked away and sat down at her writing desk, her back to Priya.
“Thank you,” Malini said, “for coming to speak to me. Knowing how I feel—it was kind of you.” She bowed her head a little, the nape of her neck bare as she drew her braid over her shoulder. “And thank you, too, for… everything. For the time we’ve had together. I won’t forget my promise to you.”
Priya swallowed. Her throat felt tight. Her eyes stung.
“We’re not done with one another, Malini,” she said. “This isn’t the end.”
“Of course it is, Priya. You said it yourself. We’re on different paths now. Isn’t that what an end is?”
To be nothing but a part of Malini’s history, and for her to be part of Priya’s in turn… no. That felt wrong, viscerally wrong. It couldn’t be that easy to erase what they felt for each other—the wonder and hope of it.
“Malini,” Priya said. “Malini. I…” She swallowed. “You’ll see me again. I know it. No matter where you go or what you do, I’ll find you eventually, because you’re taking a piece of my heart with you. You carved it out, after all.”
Malini jerked to her feet. She strode over to Priya. Touched their foreheads together, setting Priya’s pulse thrumming. She smelled of clean skin and jasmine and she was too close, too close for Priya to see her clearly. All Priya could see was a shadow of dark hair. The flicker of the oil lamp, casting shadows on Malini’s cheek. Malini’s clenched jaw. Her lashes, damp.
“At least kiss me good-bye,” whispered Priya. “At least do that.”
Malini cupped her face in her hands and kissed her. Malini took her lip between her teeth, soothed the sting of it with the gentleness of her tongue, and kissed her deeper. Priya, her blood singing, cupped the back of Malini’s neck in her palm, the warm, silky skin, brushed her thumb over the feathery, faint tendrils of her hair at her nape and the faint silver of an old scar and drew Malini closer again, and again. It was a lush kiss, a biting one. It was a good-bye, and it made Priya’s heart hurt.
“I could make you stay,” Malini whispered, drawing back, her breath unsteady and a wild look in her eyes. “I could convince you. I’ve convinced so many people to do what I want in the past. If I can cajole someone into treason, surely I can convince you to stay by my side.” She leaned into Priya’s handhold. “You want to, after all. You don’t want to leave me. You wouldn’t be here, if you really wanted to leave me.”
There was want in her words, but fear too. Priya knew. It was the same fear Malini had admitted when she’d spoken of how she had almost placed a knife in Priya’s heart. It was fear of herself.
“You couldn’t convince me,” Priya told her. “Couldn’t trick me. I’m absolutely sure of that. I have a purpose and a goal and even you can’t make me give it up. I promise, Malini.” She kissed her again—the lightest brush of her lips against Malini’s cheek. “I promise.”