CHAPTER ASHBORN 437: REALMLORDS

“We never discussed this!” Maiya huffed as she paced around the low-ceilinged room adjoining the audience chamber. The Chitran had used this as a war room, and the large table at the center was full of maps and wooden pieces of various colors, delineating groups of troops, ballistas, and other weapons.

“I know, I know!” Vir said, hanging his head. “Just, well, you’d only just recovered, and then you were gone to the Human Realm, and I got busy with that grand display, and so…”

Maiya raised a brow.

“I’m sorry,” Vir mumbled, hanging his head. “I have no excuse. Is… it not what you want? If you don’t, I will publicly rescind my announcement.”

Maiya sighed. “No, you dummy. It’s wonderful! One of the best things to ever happen to me! Now, it might not have been the most romantic way to declare your love for me to the world… or maybe it was?” Maiya said, putting a finger up to her lips. “I’ll have to mull on that. Just a little shocking, y’know? Have some mercy for my poor heart! It was tough enough standing there pretending to be a queen, for Janak’s sake..”

“Er, Mai? You are a queen now. Demons call them Rajnis, but the position’s analogous.”

“Uh, right,” Maiya said with a nervous laugh. “Going to take some time to get used to that. But Vir, we haven’t even discussed what this entails! Am… Am I to move to Samar Patag now?”

“Is that such a terrible thing?” Vir asked hesitantly. “I know this city can’t compare to Sonam, and the land is destitute and barren, but I’m hoping to change all that! I really think we can make this realm thrive.”

Maiya’s eyes widened. “No! It’s not that. Not that at all!”

“For the first time since Brij, we’ll finally be together, Mai. I can’t tell you how long I’ve looked forward to this day,” Vir said. “How hard I’ve fought for it. And I know you have, too.”

“I have, Vir!” Maiya cried, rushing to embrace him. “Gods, I can’t tell you how happy I am. How safe I feel when you wrap me in your arms. After the Children of Ash. After the rebellion. After…”

They said nothing for a while, each lost in their own thoughts. Each savoring this rare and precious moment.

“What is left for you in the Human Realm now?” Vir mumbled into Maiya’s ear.

“I…” Maiya broke their embrace and stared up at Vir, and while her mouth moved, she said nothing further.

“In time, I will assist Princess Ira in seizing the throne,” Vir said. “If only to punish Andros for what he did to you.”

“You’ll like her, Vir,” Maiya said. “You share a similar vision. It’s in your best interest to have her on the Kin’jal throne.”

“You’re likely right,” Vir said. “And once she’s on the throne, then? Will you continue serving as her handmaiden? Her right hand? Surely, you see the problem with this?” s

“I’ll… I’m a queen, now,” Maiya said, biting her lip. “Everything’s changed, hasn’t it?”

“It has. Even assuming she becomes Imperator, you’ll still not be equals. Let alone subordinate to her.”

Maiya frowned. “Because you’d have helped her attain that position. You would hold power over her.”

“Also, you know, the whole god thing?” Vir made a horn gesture with his finger.

“Right,” Maiya said, trying and failing to suppress a giggle. “The horn thing. I’m betrothed to a living god. Forget that sometimes. Actually, that’s still not right, is it? I’m betrothed to a god who has the Ashani by his side.”

“And, as much as I loathe speculating about the future, let alone wildly optimistic outcomes, my goal is to unite this realm, Mai. I understand Ira has plans to demilitarize Kin’jal, yet even then, I cannot see the Human Realm ever uniting in such a way. Soon, I will not just be a Raja. I’ll be a Maharaja. A king of kings.”

“King of kings, huh?” Maiya said with a grin. “I gotta admit, that sounds pretty darn seric.”

“So you see, returning to Ira will be difficult. For a multitude of reasons.”

Maiya bit her lip. “Why not unite the Human Realm, too?”

Vir blinked. “Come again?”

“Ashani alone would be enough for that. And I know you don’t like to rely on her authority. But with the two of you working together? Even Andros would fall at your feet.”

Vir didn’t know how to reply to that. For the first time in a long while, he was well and truly stunned.

“I… I’ve never once even thought of it, Mai,” Vir admitted. “Uniting one realm’s a hard enough feat, don’t you think? Besides, what would humanity gain from such a thing? Demons starve in this desolate land. You’ve seen how prana-starved this place is! I’d be willing to bet you struggle to charge even your C Grade orbs here.”

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Maiya cringed. “It’s worse than I thought.”

“Demons need to unite. So that the clans that fight best can hold the Ash at bay, allowing the clans good at commerce to trade their wares unimpeded. Roads need building, new cities constructed. The Human Realm has much of that already.”

“There’d be fewer wars,” Maiya volunteered. “Besides, have you already forgotten about Tia?”

Vir’s expression soured. “If only I could.”

Maiya’s expression softened, and she squeezed Vir’s arm. “I’m sorry, Vir. I know how hard that was for you. Just… You, of all people, know how much humans hate demons. Now that you’ve opened the path between the realms, there’s going to be more intermingling. Humans in the Demon Realm, and vice versa. Trade. Maybe even cross-pollination. But you know as well as I that this kind of hatred doesn’t just go away. There will be war. Many wars, if history’s any indication.”

“I suspect you’re right,” Vir muttered. “You think we should keep the realms isolated?”

“That’s your call, Vir,” Maiya said softly. “You hold the key to those Gates. Just treat it with caution, yeah?”

“I will,” Vir replied.

“Good. Now, you realize you owe me for springing that surprise proposal on me, yes? I swear, what kind of man proposes not to his lover but to the world?”

Vir suddenly felt hot. “Anything, Mai.”

Maiya whirled around, a Cheshire grin plastered on her face. Vir knew that look. He took a half-step back, but it was too late. The Prana Swarm called Maiya had already consumed him.

“Good. I’m calling in that favor now. I need you to visit the Pagan Order and get them to support Riyan in Sai.”

Vir’s eyes bulged. “What are you—”

“Barring that, seeing how you’re so grakking busy all the ash-damned time, a letter will suffice.”

Vir sat on a chair and rubbed his temples. “Mai? Can you please tell me what you’re thinking?”

Maiya spread her arms out over the strategy table.

“It’s quite simple, really,” she said, rearranging the wooden pieces, forming a curved wall with the black pieces. “Imagine this is Sai. Nestled against the legendary Darvi range to the north. Now, this,” Maiya said, bunching every single other piece on the board, “is Andros’ army. Now tell me, Vir. Who would you rather have in control of Sai? Andros? Or Riyan?”

Vir frowned, staring at the board. “His success depends on how quickly I aid Ira, I suppose. Given the famine, the Chitran’s impending counterattack, and the need to legitimize my claim to the throne in front of the other Rajas and Rajnis? Not anytime soon, I fear.”

“It would be only after Riyan has fallen,” Maiya agreed. “And so? What would happen then? What would happen were Andros to control not only Hiranya but Sai as well?”

Vir tapped the table. “The Altani would consider this a grave threat. For good reason, I would think. A man like Andros doesn’t stop until he’s conquered the world. So, war. Between the Altani and the Kin’jal.”

“Not much of one,” Maiya said softly. “I just learned that Andros’ forces in Hiranya were wiped out by the Altani in a matter of hours. Andros knows this, and yet, his very nature forbids him from taking the path of de-escalation. He will take Sai. Out of spite, if nothing else. And then he’ll be annihilated.”

Vir picked up her hidden meaning. “Not him. His forces. Innocent Kin’jals.”

“Innocent souls,” Maiya said.

Vir clenched his fist. “Even so, what makes you think the Pagan Order will help? Their very existence is built upon the hatred of humans, and if you recall, the Tribunal had a plan to excise them from their lands. They’d like nothing more than to conquer the Human Realm for demonkind.”

“Which is precisely why you need to do this now,” Maiya replied. “Especially if you ever decide to fully open both realms. Once the Pagan Order learns of you and Ashani, what do you think they’ll do?”

“Rampage all across the Known World, claiming divine protection, probably,” Vir said dryly.

“Probably,” Maiya echoed. “And then you’ll be in a tough spot. Protect them? Or let them die? Knowing you, making that decision will eat you, tear at you from the inside. Force them to support humans now—force Riyan to owe them a debt, and neither side will be as likely to war with each other in the future. Funny how that works.”

“So you’re saying this,” Vir said, gesturing to the map. “All of this… is for my mental health?”

Maiya grinned. “Well, not all of it.”

Vir couldn’t help but laugh. “You’re incredible, you know that?”

Maiya shot back a knowing smile, which faltered a moment later when Vir swept her up in a tight hug.

“I don’t want to let go of you ever again, Mai,” he whispered.

“Me neither, Vir,” she replied, wrapping her arms around his waist. “I want nothing more than to stay by your side, supporting you as you build out your fledgling nation. And I will. I swear it. But I can’t leave things as they are in the Human Realm. I can’t stand idly by knowing so many will die. Knowing that I had the power to stop it. And besides, things are different now. I can pop between realms whenever I like. There’s no reason for us to be apart. I don’t want to ever be apart like that. Never again.”

Vir nodded, releasing his embrace to look her in the eyes. Were she anyone else, Vir might’ve suspected mind-reading. But this was Maiya. On matters like these, their values were nearly identical. Vir would never let war between the Altani and the Kin’jal break out, even ignoring the issue of Andros. Yet it was also true that he was spread thin as it was, and when weighed on a scale, his clan came first. It had to.

“I appreciate what you’re trying to do, Mai. I truly do. But I’m afraid I’m not the savior of the realms. I’ve got my hands full just with the Garga. Now, you expect me to play God for the humans, too?”

Maiya rounded the table and knelt before Vir, resting her hand on his knee. “Hey. You know I’m the last person in the realms to add to your troubles. But, Vir. You are not alone. I don’t care if you think of the Human Realm as someone else’s problem. Just make it your subordinate’s problem! Give me the order. Allow Ira and me to manifest your sweet, noble dream. We’ve both seen what wars do, Vir. We’ve both shed an ocean of tears for all those who died without rhyme or reason.

“I understand the burden you bear. I know what it’s like to be deified. Perhaps not to your degree, and my title was always never anything but sham, but still… You’re in a position to do so much good here. All I ask of you is this one letter. I’ll deliver it to the Order—I’ve some sway with them, if you recall. I’ll coordinate with Lord Reth and the Tribunal. I’ll oversee the logistics and I’ll fight to support Riyan. You said it yourself—I’m your Rajni. So let me act like one. Allow me to support you with my mind, body, and soul!”

Vir breathlessly stared into Maiya’s deep amber eyes. Eyes that seemed almost as though they were on fire. Despite his wish to coddle her, despite his desire to keep her safe and pamper her, Vir knew the simple truth.

Maiya was never as attractive—as alive—as when she dedicated her all to something. When she laid everything on the line for her ideals, slogging night and day to accomplish it, even if that meant risking her very life.

It was in those moments that Vir felt genuine awe at his childhood friend. It was those moments that spurred him to work harder, lest he fall behind. Lest he be unworthy of this precious redheaded gift Fate had given him.

Vir hung his head, chuckling despite himself. He hadn’t stood a chance from the beginning, had he?

I swear, she really is too good at this. That he knew her feelings were a hundred percent genuine—motivated purely by her feelings for him and the desire to do what was right—only made her even harder to resist.

“So?” he said hoarsely. “What would you like this note to say?”