Black Avatare

27 | SICKNESS

If Garuda's visit highlighted one thing, that was the need to decipher the old language they spoke. When eavesdropping turned out to be futile, Binara stormed off to bed.

The next day wore on without incident. Diyan was increasingly absent, and he was withdrawn at dinner. Binara tried to get him to teach her the basics of the language, though she learned more from the books in the study. Two more days passed before she could glean the gist of a text, mostly based on words that were surprisingly similar to old Sinhalese.

She could never get used to the monotony of her environment, beautiful though it was. Her system stuck to the day-and-night cycle of her own world, but it was always jarring to wake up to an ever-present night. Every time she curled up to sleep, nightmares tormented her. Through it all, her mind meandered to Hevana and what everyone thought of her absence. She wondered if her mother missed her at all, which spurred a twinge of resentment. What worried her the most was Piumi and the question of whether she made it home safe.

By the sixth day since she arrived in Holmanloke, the ayurvedic treatment had worked its wonders, and her wounds were largely healed. Binara spent her time in the water garden, where lotuses bloomed and peacocks roamed. She found out that some of the kinnaras actually lived there—in what resembled little tree houses dangling from high branches. The garden was hemmed in with rocky terrain combined with walls, which prevented her from venturing beyond. On one side was a steep drop that made her insides squirm.

Raya followed her everywhere as she explored the palace, though most of it was empty or behind locked doors. The activity kept her mind from spiraling into chaos. As she traversed the deserted hallways, her inner eye conjured up her child self wandering through the Mayadunne Walauwa. A sense of melancholy descended like a cloud. The kinnaras mostly kept to themselves, and it made Binara wonder about Diyan. Even if Mahasona was defeated, eons of emptiness awaited him. The thought struck a chord inside, since it was like a glimpse into her own future.

She gave her head a shake and walked on. She was a lone hunter, and she preferred her own company. Yet, the weight of the world dragged her down. Now that she thought about it, fatigue seeped into her bones with each passing day. What's wrong with me? She decided that some yoga and training might bring her back to normal. When the palace clocks indicated nighttime, she made it back to her room.

On the seventh day, Binara ditched the sling. She slowly flexed her arm, trying to ease the stiffness, though that was the least of her concerns. The fatigue had become more pronounced, and it took effort just to get dressed. This was the worst possible time to get sick—if that was what it was.

Only three weeks remained until Mahasona attacked.

The very thought made her heart race. She set her course to Diyan's study.

Nothing moved but for the silvery moths outside the window. She could never get used to how ethereal the palace was. After a quick search in the shelf, Binara found the map. She was about to leave when a sheaf of papers caught her eye.

It turned out to be a compilation of material that was very different from the literary works she had perused so far. Her wide eyes scanned passages that suggested a study on demons, though the tiny handwriting had almost faded to nothingness. Binara wondered where Diyan had picked up the pieces of knowledge, which he had accompanied with his own notes.

"Were you hoping to do a thesis on demons, you annoying beastie?" she muttered under her breath as she tried to make sense of the contents.

Raya made a scuffing noise somewhere behind her, which she ignored.

Binara almost gave up, but the last paper contained a drawing. It was of a demon feeding on a human's life essence. She had heard that demons could manipulate humans into performing a ritual that would allow it. After all, humans were on a higher plane of existence compared to demons, and such an act could bring about various benefits.