by K. N. Banet
“And you never told me or Adhar.”
“I told Adhar.”
That filled me with cold rage, that sort of anger that makes people want to kill. In all the years Nakul had been killing, I had been led to believe Nakul had been missing until I started helping Cassius on the case.
“Did he go to Adhar’s home?”
“Yes.”
“Fuck. You’ll make immediate arrangements to move, Mahavir. That’s an order.”
“Why?” For the first time in the entire conversation, I caught a note of fear in the old naga’s voice. Mahavir was six hundred years old. Nakul was his older brother by a long shot. At least he finally remembered what was at stake.
“Nakul’s memory was violated, and I don’t know what all they played with or looked at. Tell your family it’s time to pack up because your location is no longer secure. I need to call Adhar.”
“Of course. Thank you for this warning, Kaliya.”
“Anything for my people,” I whispered, reaching out to hang up.
“Well, he’s a fucking piece of work,” Raphael growled. “Are they really all like that?”
“The first thousand nagas were male, the sons of Kadru,” I reminded him. “It gives them…a big fucking head sometimes, and they think they make the rules. My mother was the female representative before she died, but I was too young to remember that time. I know she fought against the old ways, trying to modernize nagas and change the way we did things and protect ourselves, but she died…just like the others.”
“And now you need to call your…co-ruler?” Raphael looked at the phone. “If your numbers are so low, why aren’t you…mated? Having kids? I mean, I’m sorry, that was really fucked up to ask. It’s not my business—”
“Finding a mate is hard. They’re biological matches.” I always said biological because I refused to believe the gods were so cruel to leave our people without mates for so long. I didn’t like the idea of fated mates either. Fate was for the faint of heart, people who didn’t want to forge their own destiny but wanted to have one given to them. “We can’t just mate anyone, which means we can’t have children with just anyone. Adhar is several centuries older than me and has never found his mate. Never. If he had, he would have popped out as many children as he could by now.” It was about time I explained some of it. The more I gave him, the more I could ease him into my world. I knew if I ever got the chance, I would cut ties and run, to protect both of us, but since that wasn’t looking likely, I had to prepare him for the day I lost my control.
“Our mate is truly immune to our venom. When ingested or injected into them, it’s an aphrodisiac. Same as if I were to accidentally ingest it while trying to milk. That’s why I’m so careful.”
I picked up my phone and flipped it around, considering if I should tell him more. He was a sponge, staring at me like a curious child but with an adult edge. There was a keenness in his eyes that told me he was thinking about what I said in ways I didn’t need to know yet. He wasn’t a threat to my species—only my peace of mind.
“Beyond that, I refuse to have children while I know there’s an evil in the world trying to kill me and my kind. It’s unfair to a child, and I know I can keep myself alive. As long as any naga is alive, there’s hope. I won’t be a part of a massacre of another family but in my mother’s shoes. I won’t choose to bring a child into the world, knowing that child might grow up without parents.”
“That…makes a lot of sense. I’m sorry. It was really messed up to ask. I won’t bring it up again.”
His sincere apology was more than Cassius had ever given me on the topic. Cassius knew I was touchy about the subject and treaded carefully and respected my decisions, but when he asked me the same question decades ago, he hadn’t cared to apologize. It had become a passionate argument where the nobleman couldn’t bring himself to admit he had done anything wrong.
Beyond Cassius, most people told me to shut up and breed if I wanted to save the nagas. My plight wasn’t theirs. Mostly. Hisao had never even covered the topic, which I felt was for the best. He had always thought of my future, not the future of my people.
“Let me do this call, then we’ll get to what’s next.” Hitting Adhar’s name in my contacts, it rang only once.
“I was wondering when you would call me. I was called by Matilda several hours ago about you being injured, and your status looked precarious to the wolf pack when they saw you. And the prison had a breakout, but you couldn’t be bothered to call and tell me the female representative of our species was in mortal danger because of the job she shouldn’t even have? Kaliya—”
“Not right now, okay? There’s a lot going on,” I hissed. Remembering what Mahavir had just told me, I bared my teeth, wishing I was in Adhar’s face to chew him out instead of on the other side of the world. “You fucking piece of shit. There’s a lot we can talk about that makes us both look bad, and the last thing I want is our species going down because we hate each other. So, you need to listen to me.”
“Excuse me?”
“Let me run through an important chain of events I think might impart to you the danger of the situation. One hundred and fifteen years ago, Nakul’s family was murdered like mine and some others. It was a slaughter. Nakul then went on a fucking murder spree, but no one knew that. You told me you never found him. When I was on the case, helping Cassius since I was the only naga who would work with the Tribunal and knew about the murders, you told me you had never seen Nakul and believed he was dead. You remember that?”
“I do,” Adhar said, the words sharp and angry.
“Yeah, well, Cassius thought Mahavir would have seen his brother, but I decided to shield the nagas because you told me the nagas weren’t involved. You told me that, Adhar! I stonewalled him on your word!” I was screaming at the end as the implications settled in. Adhar had known Nakul was being looked into as a serial killer, had withheld information from the governing body of the supernaturals, and I had inadvertently helped him.
If the Tribunal found out and wanted to prosecute to the full extent of the Law, we were doomed. Me, Adhar, and Mahavir would be investigated and found guilty. The sentence would be execution by a Tribunal Executioner, which would hopefully be quick. Three nagas, four including Nakul, because he would be executed without me helping him. It would cut our species in half.
“Now, Kaliya, let’s talk about this rationally—”
“I am being rational!” I roared, slamming my hands on the table and getting to my feet. “I’m apparently the only fucking person who understands how bad this is!”
“What does this have to do with the prison outbreak?” Adhar asked softly, his own rage clear.
“Nakul’s memory was tampered with,” I explained, hitting a hand on the table again. “I just got off the phone with Mahavir. I had a suspicion he would be compromised. Finding out you were compromised because you not only lied to me, but also let Nakul stay in your home while he was running from us…” I hissed in anger, unable to form the threat I needed. “Pack up and move, Adhar. Your location is no longer secure.”
“Thank you for letting me know.”
There was silence for a minute until I decided to try to deescalate the situation. Adhar and I needed to be on the same side.
“You were worried about me?” I asked.
“Of course, I was. I don’t think our differences in opinion should be something for which we wish each other ill.”
“Thanks.”
“Are you going to visit us next summer? I would very much like it if you did.”
I needed a vacation. Maybe it was time to revisit India. It had been more than a hundred years, and now I had Raphael to worry about. I’ll need the support of the other nagas one day.
“What’s going on this summer?”
“Mahavir’s son, Devesh, turns sixteen and gains his majority. At his majority, he is owed a visit from every eligible female naga—”
“No,” I whispered, my stomach flippe
d. Nausea rose up, and I resisted the urge to lose the burger I just ate.
“You would deny him the right to find out if—”
“He’ll be a sixteen-year-old boy.”
“You know—”
“I will not find out if a sixteen-year-old boy is my mate,” I snapped. “Don’t ask again. In most countries, that’s fucking illegal. I’m not a goddamn predator. Don’t ask me to be one while you continue to live in the past.”
“This is the way things are done, Kaliya. You went through the same—”
“Yeah, I remember. I remember the disappointment on the faces of the other male nagas, Mahavir being one, when they realized I wouldn’t be their ticket to getting laid for the rest of their lives. I remember spending two years in your house and seeing the resentment in your eyes because you knew I wasn’t your mate.” That last thought made my stomach twist. It hadn’t been sexual. No one would have tried to have sex with me at fourteen, but the sexual pressure of the situation would always leave a bitter and scared taste in my mouth. “Now, being that young might have been acceptable centuries ago, but it’s the new millennium, and we’re going to do things my way. Is that clear? He’s a boy. When he’s a man, I’ll meet him. I like my bedroom partners to be adults with a little experience.”
“Fine,” he snapped. “I’ll help Mahavir find a new place to settle his family, then let him know his son will be denied a privilege every naga has been awarded since the first child. I’m positive the young man was excited to finally meet you, and now I must crush those hopes.”
“I’m not going to speak about this any longer. Be safe.” I hung up, pushing the phone away, and let it slide off the end of the other side of the table.
“Did he…” Raphael reached out and grabbed my hand. “Did he just ask you to see if a teenage boy was your mate?”
“Yup. It’s like a coming of age thing we’ve done for a long time. A boy turns sixteen and gets to meet all the eligible females. A girl starts puberty and gets to meet all the eligible males. It’s…” I shook my head. “A remnant of a dying time. All I want to do is put a bullet in it and kill it off completely.”
“I bet,” he said, nodding slowly. “What would happen if you had been the kid’s mate?”
“Depends on the families involved. Some let the youth live with the other family and spend the rest of their childhood there, growing to know their mate so they could go at their own pace. Some would keep the two away from each other completely, not to see each other again until the wedding day.”
“Um…”
“Yeah, let’s not…” I covered my mouth with the back of my hand.
I grew up in the modern era, an era of cars and electricity—an era when child labor was outlawed in most nations and a violation of rights in others, when adult men who looked at a fourteen-year-old and saw a future wife were considered the bad guys. I agreed with all of those premises, but I was smart enough to know that old habits died hard. There was a time when none of those things were wrong, and everyone had agreed with them. The current batch of male nagas were from the old times. There was a time when girls wouldn’t have batted an eye at being trotted in front of potential future husbands because they were finally ‘women.’ My mother had instilled beliefs in me that Adhar disagreed with. I had fought him every step of the way until I was dragged into the room where the nagas were celebrating my first birthday after I ‘came of age.’
All of them were so fucking disappointed I couldn’t have children with them one day. They wished me a happy birthday, gave me a present, then most excused themselves, thinking that would save me from their hurt feelings. The resentment would never pass, though.
“Let’s…just forget about it for tonight. One battle at a time, right?”
“Yeah,” I agreed as Raphael pulled my hand down from my mouth. I looked at him, glad he was there. He didn’t look disappointed, nothing but concern and trust in his eyes. “Four nagas have human mates. One is pregnant with a little girl. This battle will continue when it’s time for me to step in and stop them from parading her around. I should contact her parents and let them know it won’t happen while I’m still alive. They’ll think they’re doing what’s right for her and the species, but no child deserves what I went through.”
“Maybe by the time it’s her turn, you’ll have stopped what’s killing the nagas, and they won’t feel the need to force her into it,” Raphael said hopefully.
“I can only dream,” I whispered. “I’m going to talk to Nakul. I need to get back on track.” When I started out of the room, Raphael took a step, but I shook my head, making him stop. “I’m going alone.”
24
Chapter Twenty-Four
I slowly walked to the basement to clear my mind. The past was ages ago, and I didn’t need it haunting me while I tried to talk to my uncle. Especially since I was talking to him about the very real life and death threats I was dealing with now.
I found the enclosure in the back corner of the basement’s main room. It was a cozy living room type area with soft couches, armchairs, and a massive TV on the wall. The only thing out of place was the glass box that held my uncle, who looked up as I walked closer. I turned to the TV and shook my head as I realized it was on. The enclosure had a perfect view of it.
I need to talk to Sorcha and Cassius. This is weird. I don’t like that they have this.
“Hey, I’m going to open the enclosure and let you out. Don’t rush up on me.” I pushed the lid off, jumped back, then took several steps farther back. He moved slowly, slithering up the side and over the top. He was a large snake, something I hadn’t taken the time to appreciate when I saw him coming out of Raphael’s clothes. I was a good size to scare humans, but he was something else. He was definitely over ten feet long and well-fed. He dropped to the floor and looked at me for a moment.
The next time I blinked, he was a man.
“The sleep was nice,” he commented, turning back to the glass home. “Good sun rock too.”
“I take it you haven’t been able to use any of that stuff before, huh?” I crossed my arms, watching him carefully.
“No, I haven’t. I don’t get to be a snake very much anymore,” he whispered. His fingers touched the glass. “Thank you for allowing me to stay in snake form for some time, it felt like home.”
“I bet. So, here’s the deal. I’m going to feed you, we’re going to talk, then I’m going to make arrangements with the local witch coven to dig into your memories. I don’t know how that’s going to go, but you should know I’ve already contacted Mahavir and Adhar to move locations, so they remain secure. I never knew you had visited them before I caught you.”
“Ah…they…they didn’t know what I had been doing…” Nakul looked at his feet, guilt seeming to weigh him down. “Do you think they aren’t safe?”
“I think someone meddled with your mind, you knew the locations of two nagas, and one of them has had a child since you went to prison. Letting them stay where they are isn’t a risk I’m willing to take. I should have gotten to them sooner, but I had the immediate worry of not dying to deal with.” It hadn’t been a major concern until Mahavir confirmed the suspicion Cassius had put in my mind ages ago. And I was just tired.
Nakul looked up, his eyes lanced with pain.
“Who had a son?”
“You’re an uncle twice over now,” I said, refusing to smile. “Mahavir’s son turns sixteen this summer and no, I’ve never met him, and don’t plan to. I won’t participate in a little party before you ask.”
“I’m glad to hear my brother found happiness, and it was fruitful,” he said weakly as if he had a bad headache, which was common in people who had their memories tampered with and thought about it too hard.
“Are you okay? Let’s get some food in you.” I gestured to the stairs and spoke gently, not wanting to upset or make him feel any worse. He was a prisoner, my prisoner, and I wasn’t aiming to be cruel to him.
“My head hurts…” He s
tarted rubbing his temples as he walked.
“Yeah, I bet,” I said kindly.
He went up the stairs first. I trailed behind him, keeping a close eye on him. Once upstairs, I was glad to see Raphael waiting in the hall.
“Can you clear out the kitchen? I’m going to get him something small to eat, so he feels a little better. He’s going to need the energy for later.”
“We’re taking him somewhere?”
“Witch coven is already preparing to go through his memories.” He nodded and went into the kitchen. Less than a minute later, he looked back out and nodded.
“It’s empty. I’ll be around, but I’ll give you two some privacy.”
“Thanks.” I watched him leave, then ushered Nakul into the kitchen.
“Sit down and wait. Stop trying to think about it. The witches will be able to tell us what memories were messed with, what type of magic did it, and if it can be fixed. If they can’t, they’ll at least clean up the damage and make it so you don’t hurt so much from the missing memories.” It wasn’t easy magic, but I knew that when I found out Nakul had the problem, and I still promised to get him the help.
There was a reason I had never done this with Raphael. It was dangerous, for one. It also exposed the person to the witch coven doing the magic. It was a similar story if it was a fae going through the memories. Those were the two big players in the memory manipulation business. There were some small groups of supernaturals who had their own versions of memory tampering, but many of them were very secretive, using their magic to protect themselves and their secrets. I couldn’t reasonably assume any of them were the culprit.
I was willing to risk Nakul because I could actively work to make his memories less dangerous. Raphael wasn’t the same. On top of that, I just liked Raphael more. I was willing to work with his memory loss rather than subject him to reliving many of his memories while others watched. Because I’d never wanted to sleep with someone more in my life, but that’s beside the point.
I went through the fridge, found a few small containers of store-bought yogurt, grabbed a spoon, and slid them to Nakul, who opened one and started to eat slowly. Next, I grabbed a glass. He needed water. Hydration was important, and he probably hadn’t eaten or drunk anything substantial since before the breakout.
