The Hand of Kali Box Set Vol 2

by T. G. Ayer

  She was both curious and annoyed, what with not being able to see the speaker. Scowling, she looked over at Sabala, who responded with a huff and a toss of his black head. His eyes though, remained inscrutable. All four of them.

  But Maya’s heart was racing as she studied the hellhound, piecing together each time the voice had spoken and confirming Sabala had been at her side every time.

  Was it really possible?

  Maya blinked, opened her mouth to speak then shook her head and clamped her lips shut. She looked over at her parents, her confusion clear in the question in her eyes.

  Then she sighed and looked back at the hellhound. “Sabala?”

  The creature dropped his head in a brief bow. “It did take you an awfully long time to understand. I was beginning to wonder if I would have to draw you a map,” he said, his tone a little put out as he met Maya’s shocked stare.

  All Maya was capable of saying was, “Shut the front door!”

  Chapter 23

  Maya stared open-mouthed, first at her parents and then at the hellhound, her ears ringing. Had she imagined him speaking to her? No, she hadn’t. And yet she still felt as though this simply could not be possible.

  Sabala had never once given her any indication he was capable of speaking and yet the hellhound had been the one to guide her all along. How had she not realized it was him, especially when she’d only ever heard the voice when he’d been around? She should have put two and two together before this, so why had she been so dense?

  No point in asking. She knew why. Her mind had been way too occupied with Claudia.

  And then Maya stiffened. “Don’t tell me you can read my mind?” She could have sworn there were one or two times when the voice in her head aka Sabala had spoken specifically in relation to something she’d been thinking.

  The hellhound snuffed, tossing his head as though the very thought offended him. “Of course not. I’m merely sufficiently attuned to your mood and body language which enables me to assess what troubles you. There is, of course, no guarantee that I am always correct in my assumption.”

  Maya cleared her throat and sat back. “Good to know.” She glanced over at her parents, her eyes as wide as theirs.

  Both looked like they were completely unsure of how to handle this latest development in Maya’s crazy life. Then Leela looked over at Sabala. “Since you were there, would you be able to tell us anything we could have missed?” Leela stiffened as she realized the implication of her words, then turned to Maya quickly and said, “Not that I’m implying you’re holding out on us, honey. I just want to be sure since you were concentrating on the demon. Maybe you missed something happening behind you.”

  Maya raised her hand. “Makes sense, Mom. No need to explain.” Turning her attention to Sabala, Maya said, “Anything you recall will help. Especially now that I’m under investigation. Though, even if you can fill in any blanks, I’m not sure how you’ll work as a formal character witness.”

  Sabala lowered his head for a moment, as though thinking something over. “I understand the motivations of the board, though I must say they are quite unfounded. But then, the way the human mind works has little to do with truth and fact and more to do with emotions and political maneuverings.”

  Dev raised his eyebrows, his eyes filled with admiration at the hellhound’s deductions. Then he said, “You’re right there. Sadly, we cannot avoid the inquiry. The board is determined to ensure that Maya is not a danger to her fellow agents and of course to the general public. So every little bit will help her case.”

  Maya frowned. “Is it that bad? I actually need to put together a case in my defense?” she asked. Disappointment flooded her heart as she understood where she stood with the board of KALIMA. “How is this even happening? I thought you and Mom ran this whole show?”

  Dev shook his head, but his wife answered instead. “There’s something we haven’t told you, Maya. After it was revealed that I am an avatar of Bhumi, the other majority contributors to the agency felt that I was compromised. I’m afraid I’ve been voted off the board. I may have some hope of returning but only if there are no future catastrophes related to myself or any family member, past and present.”

  “That’s bullshit,” Maya said, fury filling her head with heat. “Where do they get off saying crap like that? You helped save the world. Are they blind?”

  Leela sighed and looked over at Dev, her expression almost helpless. “No. They’ve acknowledged my hand in putting everything to rights, but they felt that it was a conflict of interest for me to be a majority shareholder.”

  “Seriously? That makes no sense. If that was the case, they would have kicked both of you off ages ago simply for being my parents.”

  “I must agree with Maya,” said Sabala. “This decision does not make sense.”

  Maya studied her dad’s face, aware he’d been very quiet during the conversation. “Dad? Is there something else you’re not telling me?”

  Dev shifted in his seat then leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees. He linked his fingers before him and sighed. “I’ve been wondering myself if there is a play for control in progress that I haven’t picked up on. Maybe the move to oust your mom was strategic rather than based on legitimate concerns.”

  “Still, how does that impact on me? What would they hope to gain from bringing my powers into question?”

  Leela smiled sadly. “This entire organization was created by you, Maya. By you as Mother Radha. The agency began more than forty years ago and when your dad and I joined, it had grown to become an international organization, but only because agents relocated to hotspots around the world. Now that we’ve expanded and have solidly based branches in many major cities, it appears the power base of KALIMA has become attractive to many organizations. We have working relationships with Interpol, MI6, Mossad, to name a few, but only lines of communication pertaining to the supernatural. Which you’ll be well aware are usually off the books departments, no matter how powerful any organization is.”

  Dev nodded. “Since you have come into your powers, many of the original agents who are still alive feel their binding promises no longer hold.”

  “Binding promises?”

  “All the original agents were sworn to serve the Mother until she is born again into this world,” Leela replied, “Before she died, Radha knew the only way to protect her young self in her new life was to have the entire agency sworn to her protection. But she didn’t foresee the years lived with envy and jaded beliefs.”

  Dev nodded and patted Leela’s knee. “What’s happened over time is a new element has brought the idea of reincarnation into question. A group of agents have challenged the legitimacy of your identity as the Mother reborn and have suggested the improbability, if not impossibility, of the rebirth of a soul.”

  Maya raised an eyebrow. “And yet demons and gods and girls with Kali’s fire power are okay to accept?”

  Dev smiled, though the expression was strained. “Don’t worry, they’ve brought much of what we do into question. I’m not sure if a blanket challenge was intended or if they’ve allowed the idea to permeate unchecked out of laziness. Either way, everyone has a question-mark hanging above their heads. Everyone within the organization, and outside of it.”

  Maya sat back, the breath knocked out of her. She had so many questions she wanted to ask, so many challenges to the board’s claims, but there were too many to choose from. And in the end, she kept her mouth shut.

  Mostly because there was a very real chance that she would burst into tears at the unfairness of the whole thing. How could they question who she was, or where her power came from?

  Then she stiffened. “So, if they don’t believe my power comes from the goddess Kali, then what are they claiming is the source of my fire?” The silence throbbed in the room as Maya predicted the words before they left her dad’s lips.

  The board was claiming Maya’s power was evil.

  Chapter 24

  Maya’s
ears were already ringing as her father’s words echoed her thoughts. “They are claiming the power was given to you by an element of evil, from the devil or from whatever demonic element exists within the Hindu paradigm.”

  Maya scowled. “Who are these idiots?”

  Dev shrugged. “It’s not as if they’ve chosen to say these things to my face. But it’s pretty clear that something is rotten in the state of Denmark.”

  Maya nodded just as Sabala asked, “I fear I do not understand what Denmark has to do with the KALIMA Agency situation. And is Denmark not a country on its own as opposed to being a state?”

  Maya just stared at the hellhound. She didn’t have the heart to laugh at the incongruity of Sabala’s question, nor did she have the energy to explain other than to say, “It’s just a saying.”

  Sabala must have been true to his word when he’d explained that he was able to guess her frame of mind because he didn’t push for a better explanation. Instead, he got to his feet and trotted over to her side, settling down beside her knee as though his warmth was sufficient to make her feel better.

  But he only made her more uncomfortable.

  Was it proper to pet his head considering he wasn’t truly an animal? She knew she’d be offended if someone tried to pat her on the head, so now she hesitated when previously she would have rested her palm on his neck to absorb his warmth—which would have given her the comfort she needed.

  Maya felt betrayed, though it was harder to define since she barely knew anyone on the board. They were her parents’ staff and coworkers, people she hadn’t even been in contact with since she’d become more active at HQ. Other than Claudia, Maya knew barely anyone on the board on a personal level.

  Then she felt the blood drain from her face.

  “Is that why you guys have been so odd with Claudia? Is she part of this whole shit-show?” Maya asked, her tone tight as she spoke, barely concerned with what she said in front of her parents.

  Her mom’s shoulders bowed, and she twisted her fingers in her lap. Dev answered instead. “We don’t think so but we’re being careful. We don’t want her caught in the middle and having her loyalties brought into the spotlight.”

  “That’s a little complicated, isn’t it?” asked Maya softly. “The fact that she betrayed us should sit well with the board, shouldn’t it?”

  Leela’s eyes went dark. “We’ve said nothing to the board about it. The only people who know is this family, Joss and Nik. And of course, Claudia herself.”

  Maya nodded slowly, a ball of fear forming inside her. “I really, really hope she’s not mixed up with their agenda. It’s been hard enough trying to forgive her, I don’t think I’d be able to handle it if she ends up on their side.”

  Leela rubbed her forehead and exhaled slowly. “I knew that was what was bothering you. You really need to move past it, Maya. For your own good. Whatever owns you, only does so because you allow it.”

  Maya blinked at her mom, unsure what to say in the face of her logic. “It certainly looks to me like what she did was bothering you guys as well.” Then she let out a low groan. “Ugh. You guys were being weird because of the board’s shenanigans, not because of Claude.”

  Her parents both nodded and Maya sank back against the cushions, wrapping the pashmina closer around her. “Now what do we do? You still want me to go in front of the board to brief them on the mission?”

  “That’s unavoidable unless you disappear forever,” said Dev, his face expressionless.

  Leela smacked his knee and gave him a hard glare. “Don’t even joke about that. We cannot have all our lives jeopardized by reacting rashly.”

  Dev shrugged. “As Bhumi, the gods will offer you asylum. As Kali’s Hand, Maya will find refuge anywhere. And I guess as family, Joss and I will receive refugee status wherever you go. So it probably won’t be the end of the world, if it comes to that.”

  Maya couldn’t believe her ears. “This is crazy. Someone pinch me. I need to wake up.”

  Sabala shifted his head to stare straight at Maya. “I assure you Maya, you are entirely conscious at this point in time. And as much as I would love to fulfil your request, I’m afraid I’m not physically capable of pinching anyone.”

  Maya smiled at the hellhound who had raised a paw to show her the pads of his foot. Then she glanced over at her parents who were both grinning. “So? What are we going to do? What’s the plan?”

  “We go about our business as normal. Mom will continue doing her thing at Weapons Production and I’ll continue fulfilling my duties as per normal. You’ll receive a formal request to appear before the board for questioning. They’ll notify you of when, and we’ll tackle that issue when the time comes. For now, you go back to the house and keep Joss company. And get some rest.”

  “You mean I have a stay of execution for now?”

  Leela chuckled. “Until the issue with Joss is resolved, the board won’t make a move. But they’re well aware we need to figure this out fast. They’re not likely to table their plans for the foreseeable future either.”

  “What are you trying to say, Mom?” Maya asked softly.

  “If we don’t move fast to figure out what is wrong with Joss and get her back to healthy, the board may decide she’s nothing more than collateral damage. Agents are KIA all the time. And if she’s a stumbling block in their plan to take you—and us—down, don’t for one minute believe they wouldn’t take her out.”

  Maya’s heart raced so fast she was certain they could all hear it. Her mom’s words had struck her like an arrow, ripping open her safety barriers in one quick swipe.

  The woman was known for her skill with weapons, that much was true.

  Chapter 25

  “Well, as much as this drama with the board is a kick in the gut, I may be able to see you and raise you with what I came here to tell you guys.”

  “Worse than the board drama?” asked Leela, her brow furrowing, disbelief in her eyes revealing how badly she was taking the board now gunning for her and her family.

  Maya nodded and wrapped the pashmina closer to her. This conversation was sucking up her energy big time. “It’s about Joss. And what’s really going on with her,” she said softly, glancing around, worried that perhaps the room wasn’t secure. “Any chance your office is bugged? I’m not sure I want this revealed too soon. Or at all.”

  Dev pursed his lips and waved a hand at Maya. “Don’t worry, I’ve had protection placed on both our offices, and on you girls’ quarters. I’m not about to allow the board access to private conversations, no matter how much I’m supposed to appear to trust them.”

  Maya exhaled slowly. “Okay, so Mom, you remember how I entered Kas’s mind and saw his thoughts?”

  Leela’s eyes widened. “You went inside her mind? I thought you said you wouldn’t want to do something like that to someone close. I remember you saying you wouldn’t do it to Nikhil or to dad.”

  There was an almost accusatory tone to her mom’s voice and Maya shrugged in response. “I know. But I have the life-or-death card and I’ll pull it as many times as I can if it means saving Joss. I’ll tell her as soon as she’s back with us, but I don’t think she’s going to mind. Besides, this was a little different to piggybacking on Kas’s thoughts without him knowing.”

  “Different how?”

  “Well, for one thing it looks like the human mind is super-complicated. It’s not as if you’re dropping into her mind and hearing her innermost thoughts. There must be some sort of natural barrier protecting our minds. I had to deliberately search for the memories of the basement in order to find what I was looking for.”

  “Maybe it’s a little different when a person is unconscious,” suggested Dev, his eyes now sparking with curiosity.

  Maya threw her hands in the air. “Do you guys want to know what’s wrong with her? Or do we need to go down to the lab to test my brainwaves again?”

  Dev’s eyes narrowed before he exchanged a dark look with his wife. Then he nodded at May
a, expression now hard.

  Maya mentally kicked herself. Stupid to have mentioned the testing now but it was too late to take it back unless she learned how to turn back time.

  “Perhaps the reversal of time is a lesson best left for another…time?” suggested Sabala, his tone amused though his face gave nothing away.

  Maya threw him a glare darker than the one her parents had just shared. Then she faced the couple and said, “Joss isn’t unconscious because of her concussion. When the demon knocked her out, and I followed up by throwing it into the wall and killing it with my fire, apparently I only killed its host.”

  Maya paused, her parents’ grey pallor enough to confirm their level of horror even though she hadn’t completed her revelation. She took another breath to attempt to steady her racing heart. “I probably shouldn’t have acted out of anger. Should have thought about the situation first. Maybe asked dad over the comms’ secure line what to do. But it was a knee-jerk reaction. But I’m not evading responsibility. I know what I did.”

  “Maya?” Leela said, her voice rough with a confluence of fear for what she suspected, and impatience, all reflected in her eyes.

  Maya cleared her throat. “I killed the demon’s body. So she found herself a new home. Inside Joss’s head.”

  “Dear Mother,” whispered Leela, but she didn’t sound surprised. Just horrified she’d seen in coming before her daughter had completed her explanation.

  Dev slid forward on his sofa. “Maya, as bad as this sounds, it’s not your fault what happened,” he said, raising a comforting hand, as though if he patted the air between them, Maya would somehow feel better about sticking a vampire demon into her best friend’s body.

  She shook her head. “I said I’m not going to hide from my responsibility. I should have worked with Andres—I mean Agent Mirov—to get the demon into his ghostbuster thingie. I was hasty and now Joss is likely to be possessed if we don’t move fast.”