The Oleander Sword (The Burning Kingdoms, #2)

by Tasha Suri

“Why are you here?” Aditya asked, finally. With a start, Rao realized he had been silent for some time, staring blankly at Aditya, wanting to do—something. Wring Aditya by the throat, perhaps, or shake him. Or hold his face and say I wish you could be more than this. I wish you would grieve as I grieve, and hate as I hate, and be the person you were when you and Prem and I were boys. I wish, I wish.

She wanted a different path for her daughter. Perhaps all lives became brimful of pain, eventually. Well, then. Let her daughter’s start painlessly, in joy. Let her have at least that.

“Priya.” Malini leaned forward, letting their skirts mingle, knees brush. “Why won’t you look at me?” A beat of breathless silence. Malini watched Priya’s mouth curve into a smile. “Because I want to kiss you,” Priya said, voice a little rough. “And I know I can’t.

“I barely understand it, the way I would willingly kneel for you, anywhere, for anything. The way I would fight for you. The way I want to be at your side. Is that what love is, Malini? Is that how awful love is? Because if it is, then I love you, the way that roots love the deep and leaves love the light. It’s—the way I am. And no matter how much I try to be good, to do right—I’m all flowers in your arms, for your war, for you—

What is a star, he thought, in Aditya’s slurred, smiling voice, but distant fire, reaching for you across worlds?