The Chaos Curse (Kiranmala and the Kingdom Beyond #3) - Sayantani DasGupta Page 0,2
does have time for fangirls. And boys.”
Priya pointed, and I realized Neel was having an odd effect on the crowd. Not only was no one even looking in my direction, but a bunch of the younger servants, not to mention most of the palace ladies and more than a couple of the palace lords, were staring all googly-eyed at Neel. One courtly guy pretended to faint while a lady next to him fanned him with her hand.
“He’s ba-ack!” I heard someone trill.
“And about time!” I heard someone else say all breathy and giggly.
Gross. I mean, seriously, people. Okay, maybe they were right about Neel being cute, but all this public swooning was really too much.
Meanwhile, even though his ears were a little darker than normal, Neel was acting all casual, like being an equal-opportunity heartthrob was his royal right. I rolled my eyes but stopped short of making throw-up noises, because I’m mature like that.
Priya’s fangs glinted as she went on. “Don’t be jealous. I know you have a thing for our half-demon prince.”
“I do not!” A mixture of anger and some other emotion shot straight through my system. Where had Priya gotten that ridiculous idea? I really, really, really hoped Neel hadn’t heard it too. “He and I are just friends! And not even that most of the time!”
Right then, the musicians stopped their songs, and as if on cue, the small crowd of people all knelt. The only one left standing in front of Neel was the turnip-headed minister, who waved his pillow, nearly dropping the paper crown.
“Your Majesty, you must be crowned!” the minister squeaked.
“Crowned! As what? Raja of french fries? Monarch of meat rolls?” Neel shot me a panicky look, then put his hands out straight, palms flat, as if to stop the paper crown from getting anywhere near his head. “Look, I just got out of a horrible detention center. Plus, I’ve lost my grandmother. I don’t have time for sick jokes.”
“What did you say? What happened to Ai-Ma?” Mati’s voice was sharp. I felt my heart squeeze painfully at the mention of Neel’s grandmother’s name.
“It’s true.” Priya bowed her bald head, her sarcasm all gone now before Mati’s distress. “Ai-Ma sacrificed herself to save her daughter. And Princess Kiranmala.”
The blue butterflies I’d seen before swarmed around me now, like they were mourning Neel’s old demoness grandmother too. Ai-Ma had died saving Neel’s mother, but she’d also saved me. If not for her jumping in, Sesha would have killed me, and I couldn’t help but wonder if that made Neel blame me, even a little bit, for her death. I reached into my backpack and felt the warmth of the Poroshmoni and Chintamoni Stones, the two jewels that Sesha wanted to use to live forever. Instead, they had caused Ai-Ma’s death. I pushed them deeper into my pack, promising myself I’d get rid of them the moment I found a safe place.
“I’m so sorry.” Mati stood up with Neel’s help now, grasping his hand. “I didn’t know.”
“It happened so fast …” Neel’s voice cracked, and I felt my own eyes almost spill their tears. Naya was openly blubbering, and next to me, even Priya sniffed, loud and long.
I covered the serpent scar on my right upper arm with my other hand. I was so ashamed that my biological father was responsible for Ai-Ma’s death. If I could cut the scar off my arm, I would.
“This terrible news is all the more reason to crown Prince Neelkamal right away!” blustered Sir Gobbet. “Sesha grows in power every day! We must gather the forces of resistance, no matter how, er”—here the little man gave the PSS demonesses, then me, sideways glances—“unusual our alliances.” He waved the pillow again in Neel’s direction.
“No way.” Neel backed up, swiping angrily at his eyes. “I’m not even the crown prince. My father made sure of that. Where is he anyway?”
I saw worried looks being exchanged among all the lords, ladies, servants, and musicians.
When no one answered, Neel asked again. “Why exactly are you trying to make me the Raja? Where is my father?” I reached out to touch his shoulder. Neel was looking way less confident than he ever had. Being in that detention center had really affected him.
“The Raja is all right, as far as we know,” Mati said in a rush. “But he’s gone into hiding. Had to flee the dimension with a few of his ministers in fear for his own life.”