Chapter 9: chapter 9

S A N M A Y I The palace was a prison in more ways than one. Though the walls were grand and the halls echoed with the steps of nobility, it was a place where freedom was a stranger, and I—once a daughter of Kosala, now a prisoner—had learned to survive in its shadow. The air inside the stone walls was thick with secrets, each shadow cast by the torchlight hiding a whisper of rebellion.I had known for some time that there were others here—those who resisted Ranajay’s rule, who sought to tear down the empire he had helped build. The first time I overheard hushed conversations in the servants' quarters, I had dismissed them as idle chatter, but it wasn’t long before I started to hear the familiar stirring of something deeper—something that called to the embers of vengeance still smoldering in my heart.For all the resentment I held for Ranajay, there was something else—something I wasn’t sure I fully understood. He had spared my life twice now, despite the rage that I could see behind his eyes every time we crossed paths. Was it guilt? Or was there something more? Either way, it didn’t matter. I wasn’t here for answers to his inner turmoil. I was here to make him pay.The first spark of rebellion that caught my attention came in the form of a whisper on the wind—literally. I had been walking the palace grounds, trying to appear as though I had nothing but the quiet resignation of a prisoner, when I overheard a conversation. It was brief, hurried, and hidden behind the rustling of trees, but it was unmistakable. The words rang in my ears long after the voices had faded.“Tonight. The rebels will move. They need the girl.”My heart quickened. The girl—that was me. I was the key, the one they needed. I had my doubts about how much I could trust these rebels, but I knew one thing for certain: they offered a path forward.The very next day, I set my plan in motion. My interactions with Ranajay, which had been mostly tense and volatile, became something more calculated. I feigned cooperation—every word carefully measured, every glance carefully avoided—making it seem as though I had come to accept my fate. I played the role of the broken prisoner, resigned to her place in the world. But beneath the surface, my thoughts were consumed with one thing: escape.I watched Ranajay closely, noting his every move, his every decision. There were moments—small, fleeting moments—where his eyes would soften just the slightest bit when he looked at me. And though I hated him for the destruction he had wrought, I couldn’t deny that the force of his presence stirred something within me, something I had long buried beneath the weight of my grief.Still, I pushed it away.“You’ve been quiet today,” Ranajay remarked one evening as we walked the palace grounds together. It wasn’t by choice. My movements, my words—they were calculated. I knew the game we were both playing, and I had to make sure I played my part well. I was close to the edge of something important—an opportunity that would slip through my fingers if I showed too much of myself.I cast a glance at him, keeping my expression neutral. “I have little to say to you,” I replied.Ranajay’s lips twitched, and for a moment, I thought he might say something more, but he didn’t. We walked in silence for a few moments, and I could feel his gaze on me. I knew he was studying me, as though trying to read the depths of my mind. What he didn’t know was that I was studying him, too.“You don’t trust me,” he said at last, his voice breaking the stillness. It was not a question, but a statement.I stopped walking and turned to face him. “Should I?” My voice was cold, though I couldn’t completely hide the bitterness in it.Ranajay paused, and for a fleeting moment, I saw something in his eyes—something that almost looked like regret. But it was gone as quickly as it appeared, replaced by the impassive expression I had come to expect.“No,” he said simply. “You shouldn’t.”I swallowed hard, fighting the surge of emotion that threatened to rise up within me. I hated him. I wanted him to suffer. But there was something else—a dangerous spark of understanding that flickered between us, like two embers fighting to ignite. I shook my head, trying to banish the thought.But I could not deny the truth. There were moments when his presence felt like a heavy weight pressing down on me, and not always in a way I could define.I needed to focus. I needed to remember why I was here.That night, under the cover of darkness, the whispers became clearer. I had arranged to meet the rebels—if they could be trusted, if they were truly what they seemed. And as the hours passed and the palace grew quiet, I found my way to the courtyard where the rendezvous was set to take place. The moon hung low in the sky, casting long shadows that seemed to stretch over everything.There were no torches, no guards. Only the quiet rustle of the wind and the soft sound of footsteps approaching.“You came,” a voice whispered from the shadows.I didn’t recognize the man, but his words rang with conviction. “I came,” I whispered back.He stepped into the moonlight, his face shadowed but his eyes burning with resolve. “You are the key to our victory. Your name is known, even here, in the heart of Amaravati.”I studied him closely, gauging his sincerity. “What do you want from me?”The man’s gaze hardened. “We need to strike at the heart of the kingdom. You have the power to bring Ranajay to his knees. His soldiers will follow his lead—his loyalty is his strength. But if we break that, if you can disrupt his rule, the rest will follow.”I felt a surge of adrenaline, but I was not so easily swayed. “And what makes you think I will help you?”The man’s smile was grim. “Because you have nothing left to lose, Princess. Your people are gone, your family is dead. The only thing left is revenge.”He was right. My rage was a fire that burned hotter with every day that passed. But I also knew that this was dangerous. There was no turning back once I took this step.“I’ll do it,” I said, the words leaving my lips before I could think better of them. “But know this: I will do it on my terms. You answer to me, not the other way around.”The rebel leader nodded, his face lighting up with grim satisfaction. “Agreed. We strike tomorrow night. We take the prince’s trust, and we make our move.”As I turned to leave, a cold breeze swept through the courtyard, carrying with it the sound of footsteps behind me. I didn’t need to look over my shoulder to know who it was.Ranajay.I didn’t flinch. I didn’t turn. I kept walking, my mind already racing with the plans that lay ahead.I had made my choice. And nothing—not even the prince—would stop me now.