by SGD Singh
Chapter 30
Aquila watched in horror as Asha fell back, her glowing eyes unseeing, her dark hair floating around her as she fell, as if the air itself had turned to water. He was already on his feet and down the steps, hardly noticing as Fria and Hua Tseng crumpled to the floor, their heads hitting the stone with a double crunch, hardly noticing when the room erupted into chaos.
Uma was shouting something, but Aquila ignored her as he slid across the floor to Asha's side, gathering her in his arms.
Asha…? Her fear and anguish still coursed through him, and Aquila wanted to strangle the Illusionists.
“Jesus…” said Lexi, right behind him, touching Asha's hand, and Aquila flinched. “She's ice cold!”
“Move.” He didn't recognize his own voice as he stood and carried Asha through the parting crowd. Prabhnoor and Senya were both shouting at him to put her down, but Aquila raced for the door and up the stairs before he could say something he knew he would regret.
“The garden!” Nidhan's voice called behind him.
“He knows,” Lexi hissed.
Passing the mess hall, Aquila kicked the doors open and spun, wracking his brain for where the most powerful healing plants were, vaguely aware of the icy pain along his skin, comforted by the knowledge that it meant Asha was alive. Asha…
Chucho towered over him, his expression fierce, and Aquila realized there were at least ten other people in the garden, crowding around him.
“Put her down here,” Chucho said. “Near the papaya trees.”
Jiao Wan touched his arm, and Aquila shrugged away from her. “Put her down, Aquila. It's okay. Me and Chucho can take it from here.”
Lexi reached for Asha and Aquila stepped back, ignoring her glare. “Don't touch her. You'll burn.”
Kelakha and Ursala moved forward as one, standing in front of Lexi. He felt their firm grips on his arms as they turned him and marched Aquila to the papaya orchard. Without a word, his brothers helped him lower Asha onto the damp grass. Only when they stood again did Ursala curse as he examined his burned hands.
Shoving them aside, Jiao Wan and Chucho knelt by Asha, and after a hushed conversation, Chucho moved her hand against the nearest tree, which immediately began to die.
“Nobody tell her about this,” Lexi said, pointing to the tree and taking out her phone. “I'll get more roses sent over.”
† † †
Two stories below them, Chakori looked at Barindra. “She's the one.”
Barindra shrugged his massive shoulders. “Maybe.”
“Maybe?” Chakori slapped her armrest. “Did you see that, Commander? Every single Trainee—not just Aquila, who I didn't know could move that fast in his true form, and not just Lexi and Nidhan—all of them rushed down there to her. Every one of them. And she actually hurt the Illusionists.”
Javin grinned, the scar on her face shining. “She's the one. No doubt about it. Shit, I was fighting the urge to rush in there myself.”
Garud watched Prabhnoor carry out a still-unconscious Fria and Wei Feng followed with Hua Tseng. He yawned. “It would certainly explain her difficulty following orders.”
Chapter 31
Aquila?
He raised his head and watched Asha open her eyes. He saw her take in the hospital room. Lexi, Nidhan, and Mia, their faces filled with badly concealed anxiety. She turned to the pile of dead rose bushes, her glowing eyes widening before they met Aquila's. “Shit. What happened?”
“First of all,” said Lexi, shoving a glass filled with something green at her, “Senya said to make you drink this odoriferous concoction as soon as you woke up.”
Asha drank it, holding her nose. “How long have I been—”
“Only twenty minutes,” said Aquila, taking the glass from her.
Mia said, “Fria and Hua Tseng are still—What?”
“You don't have to tell her the second she comes to!” Lexi said. “Jesus!”
Oh, god. No—
They'll be fine. They just sort of… passed out when you screamed. Senya says they're okay.
Asha lay back against the pillows with a sigh, and Aquila reached for her hand, making an effort not to let her feel his relief. Her eyes filled with tears, and he knew he wasn't hiding it very well.
“I'll go check on them,” Nidhan offered, leaving the room. He returned a minute later, smiling. “They're awake and trying to gag down that same drink. Wei Feng and Chucho are with them. Don't worry, Asha. They only have a few bruises on their faces. What? Would you stop hitting everyone?”
Lexi said, “Just rest, Asha. And… take it easy.”
“I have a better idea,” said Aquila, unable to stop the grin spreading across his face. “Let's go.”
What? Where?
You'll see, c'mon.
I'm not really dressed for—
You're perfect.
Lexi rolled her eyes. “C'mon, you guys. They're having another telepathic love fest. Hey, it's still early. Who wants to spar?”
Following her out, Nidhan said, “But it's almost lunch.”
“Nidhan!”
“All right, but I warn you, I get extremely grouchy when I'm hungry.”
Lexi's voice faded down the hall, and Mia's laughter reached them as Asha jumped out of bed, slipping her shoes on.
Aquila took her hand, led her to the stairs, and soon they were riding away from Headquarters on his motorcycle, speeding along the crowded highway. Asha's arms around him, her soft warmth against his back.
The Revenant…
As Aquila's mind filled with rage, he felt Asha laugh, her arms tightening around him.
It's not the Illusionists' fault, Aquila. Someday I'll face a real Revenant, and then…
Not alone, you won't.
Asha sighed, crossing her hands at his chest. It was a strange sensation for him to both feel her and feel how he felt to her all at once. Aquila began to relax as the cool night air and his own reassuring solidity left all memory of all the Revenant trailing behind them in the wind.
They entered Chandigarh, and Asha said, “Explain to me again why we're not flying?”
“You're supposed to be relaxing, Asha.” Aquila sped up, weaving through traffic to pass two cars. Someone blared their horn at him. “Besides, you might want to buy something.”
“Do I seem like the shopping type to you?” He felt her straighten behind him.
“Ursala says all girls are the shopping type.”
Asha reached under his shirt, tickling his ribs, and Aquila swerved the bike dangerously.
“Oh, well, if Ursala says, then it must be true!”
After taking a few wrong turns, Aquila slowed in front of an enormous glass and marble building, past a sweeping wall that declared Elante in bright lights and parked the bike. Taking Asha's hand, they rode an elevator four stories up, surrounded by floors upon floors of polished granite and seemingly endless stores.
“Uh, Aquila?” said Asha, looking around at the crowds of shoppers. “This is a mall.”
“Yeah?” Aquila grinned, wrapping an arm around her waist. “I thought it would help you feel more at home. Let's get ice cream!” He jogged over to a map where they saw the Häagen Dazs store was nowhere near where they stood.
Asha laughed. “You've never been here before, have you?”
“Why?” Aquila leaned toward her, fighting the urge to kiss her. “Do I seem like the shopping type?”
Asha shoved him. “Well now that you've dragged us all the way out here, somebody better buy something.” Asha pointed at a mannequin. “Those leather pants would look fabulous on you!”
The pants were more like tights and didn't look as if anyone could actually walk in them. Aquila laughed, making a face at Asha, then glanced around at the stores.
Asha pinched his ribs, grinning.
You look as if you're suddenly surrounded by Rasatala tree demons.
Aquila made a grab for her, but Asha spun, laughing. “We are buying something!” he s
aid. “We're buying ice cream!”
The Häagen-Dazs turned out to be the fanciest restaurant Aquila had ever been inside. While they ate, dipping their fruit, ice cream, and pastries into melted chocolate that balanced above a flame in a fancy little bowl, Aquila entertained Asha with stories of growing up at Headquarters with Kelakha and Ursala. As he told her some of the ridiculous adventures the three of them got into over the years, Aquila decided Asha's laughter was the best sound in the entire Universe.
On their way out, Asha pointed out the increasingly ridiculous clothes she claimed were fashion.
“What?” Aquila laughed. “I'm not saying I wouldn't like to see you in that teensy tiny… thing.”
Asha was smiling at him.
I think it's adorable how completely oblivious you are to all the pretty girls lusting after you.
Aquila wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her to him.
There are no other girls.
Asha shook her head, laughing. Public displays of affection are frowned upon in this country. It says a lot about you that you don't know this.
Well, shit. Let's get the hell out of public, then!
Aquila tried to kiss her, and Asha ducked, twisting out of his reach.
She jogged for the elevators, smiling over her shoulder at him. “Let's get a chocolate cake for Nidhan!”
So they found a chocolate cake and, tying the box to the back of the bike, drove back to Headquarters, bringing it down to the Trainees' training room, where the rest of their class was already gathered.
Lexi and Ursala argued over a sparring-for-cake game, which Kelakha flat-out refused to participate in, joining Aquila to lean against the far wall, where they waited patiently until Asha snuck cake over to them.
After taking one bite, Asha dropped her fork onto her plate. “All right, this cake sucks. It looks like chocolate, but it tastes like butter.” She held her plate up to Kelakha who took it, devouring the second helping of cake in seconds.
Asha, you're not in France. Get over it.
Aquila kissed her cheek with icing, and Asha cursed in Spanish, smacking his arm. Then something caught her attention and she stood quietly, tapping one foot. Aquila followed her gaze to Himat, who sat alone against some mats, looking like he wished he wasn't there.
Just go sit with him.
Really? But…
Aquila laughed. Just go. I promise I won't kick his ass, if that's what you're worried about.
Asha crossed the room. Aquila and Kelakha watched as she lowered herself onto the mats next to Himat. He could feel Kelakha's questioning gaze as Himat tensed, looking even more miserable than before.
“She's not about to drain the life-force out of him, is she?” Kelakha said.
“No, man…” Aquila watched as Asha smiled and laughed, completely relaxed, until finally the haunted look in Himat's orange eyes began to fade, as if her kindness alone had healed him.
“What is it about her, anyway?” Kelakha said, as if to himself. “She's like… like…”
Aquila smiled across the room at Asha. “She's our promise for a better tomorrow, 'Lakha. She's hope.”
Chapter 32
A moonlit field. Wheat that looked like endless grass stirred gently, a sea of green turned silvery in the darkness, and Asha shivered. By the middle of February, Aquila told her the wheat would grow to silky stalks, waving spiky braids in the warm breeze, and by the end of March, it would be gold, ready to be harvested.
But this was nearly two weeks into December, and the temperature continued to drop, the mist thickened. Soon, he said, an impenetrable fog would descend on the land, wrapping the state in a ghostly blanket with each setting sun for two months; the few hours of sunlight would barely disperse it before the fog would return at dusk to engulf everything in its clammy embrace once again.
At least that meant fewer civilians out after dark.
Wondering, not for the first time, what compelled her to use her free time to stalk Ranya, Asha pulled her jacket around her even though the cold was purely psychological. She wasn't really there at all.
As the nights grew longer, the Trainees were sleeping for all the daylight hours, and they still had extra free hours throughout the night. They spent the time studying, taking healing baths, or, in Asha's case, more kitchen duty. On the rare occasion that Tanvir didn't need her, Asha met the others around the bonfire, playing music, joining in their ever-changing training games.
Or stalking Ranya.
Standing in the field, Asha listened, unmoving.
She needn't have tried so hard.
From a group of young eucalyptus trees, loud cackling erupted.
Breaking into a jog, Asha moved through the field, balancing on a narrow mound of dirt between the rows of infant wheat.
“Yes, my sisters!” Ranya's voice rose above the laughter, and Asha felt as if cold fingers tapped along her spine. “I promise you this tonight. The time for hiding in the darkness like centipedes cringing under rocks is coming to an end.”
About twenty girls and women lounged against the trees, facing an eerie, white-green fire, their shadows distorted behind them. Ranya stood closest to the flames, its light casting a green glow to her skin, and Asha fought down the sudden urge to laugh. The Wicked Witch of the West. Perfect.
A girl who looked no more than ten, with curly red hair, said, “With all due respect, Sister. How in the name of Makara snot do you plan on destroying the Asura?”
Loud cries of agreement broke out amongst the other Witches, and Asha wondered with a shudder what use they had for sea monster mucus—and how they acquired it.
Ranya raised her arms, her curved nail guards shining on outstretched fingers. “We have been taught—made—to fear the Asura. But I am here to tell you this. Very soon, it is they who shall fear us!”
This was followed by silence.
Ranya began pacing, the fire's green flames dancing and crackling in the silence.
“Trust me. Follow me. And I swear to you, my sisters, that soon, very soon… We. Will. Rule.” She grinned widely, her teeth glittering in the light. “And every single Asura who ever even thought about warping a human into a Witch… distorting a person… shattering a soul to create twisted creatures trapped in bondage, they will discover that we are not easily broken, and we will never be enslaved!” Ranya's voice rose to a shrill scream. A chilling smile flashed across her face, and she added softly, “And each and every one of them will come to regret it until their last agonizing breath.”
Ranya's eyes, which Asha now saw were so like Aquila's in shape, flashed demonically, and the other Witches sat perfectly still. They seemed mesmerized by her words.
Ranya looked terrifyingly beautiful. Her long black hair moved in the breeze, her gown flowed in silken layers of black and grey, sequins winking within the elaborate folds. Asha almost felt sorry for any Asura she came across.
“Yes, but you still aren't explaining how,” said a pretty Witch with a long nose and an alarming amount of dark hair braided at the top of her head. “That all sounds just smashing, except the part where we're all required to kiss your ass—”
Ranya held up one clawed hand, cutting her off, when another tiny Witch hissed. Though she looked no more than eight, her hair shone bone white in the moonlight.
She was looking straight at Asha.
“What is it, Tarus?” Ranya demanded.
“There's something… someone there, I can feel…”
Ranya laughed, clapping in apparent delight. “Asha? Why don't you join the party? You deserve a place among us after the way you massacred those disgusting men. It felt good, didn't it?” she sang. “C'mon! You can tell us! We'll understand. I promise!”
Everyone burst into loud laughter.
Ranya looked around at the trees. “I never got a chance to thank you for butchering that mess of useless Vampires. They were starting to bore me with their constant need to please.” She twitched her head impatiently. “But your flair for ca
rnage is positively seductive!” She giggled. “Won't you show your pretty little self to my sisters here? I've told them all about your faaabulous eyes.” She smiled, tossing her head.
Someone began chanting “Asha, Asha, Asha” and pretty soon, all the Witches joined in.
Part of Asha wished she knew how to appear to them while still wearing her necklace. She considered saying something, wondering recklessly if they would hear her, but Ranya raised her arms, silencing the Witches.
With an exaggerated pout, she said, “She won't show herself, ladies. Too much of a chicken-shit. Now we can't finish our conversation in front of her. Hope you're happy, Asha. You've ruined a perfectly good meeting. You might as well crawl back to your little fort, because you won't learn anything more tonight.” Smiling coyly, she added, “But I promise you, when the time comes for our little party, you and your freakish friends will be more than welcome to front row seats.”
Everyone howled with laughter.
“And good luck figuring out where we are!” Ranya waved a hand over her shoulder as she turned, silk billowing out behind her, blending into the darkness, as the fire went out.
Returning to the kitchen, Asha was faced with an enormous pile of onions. Kicking herself for letting Ranya provoke her once again, she started dicing.
As she moved on to peeling daikon, Aquila burst into the kitchen with wild excitement in his eyes, followed closely by Ursala and Kelakha. Glancing around to make sure Tanvir was still out, Aquila said, “There's good news and bad news.”
Ursala said, “The good news is—”
“We heard they're giving personal weapons and Talent rings today.” Aquila grinned.
“And what's the bad news?” Asha said.
Ursala and Aquila turned to Kelakha, who cleared his throat. “Janu questioned the Vampire that was taken from the house… that morning. She didn't know anything. Ranya abandoned them, knowing we were coming for her, and the Vampire knew it. She was one pissed-off blood sucker, that's for sure. She blamed Ranya for the deaths of her fellow undead leeches.”
“Betrayed by a fellow Underworlder. That's worse than ‘Infernal Guard scum’ in their eyes.” Ursala shook his hair out of his eyes with a shrug of his round shoulders. “Chakori wanted to let her go and follow her. Figured she'd find Ranya faster than we could, but Barindra wouldn't give the order, so…”
