by T. G. Ayer
Son of a king? Maya wanted to laugh. As if she cared one whit about the King of Patala or his coward of a son.
The kitchen spun around Maya and heated anger gave way momentarily to the urge to throw up. She gulped and breathed and blinked. Anything to keep the contents of her stomach safely inside her body. Rage was reason enough.
But how could this be real? He must be joking.
Maya looked up and met Nik’s eyes and all her questions died a quick death on her dry lips. The molten amber of a Rakshasa eyes stared back at her. As calm as you please.
How dare he stand there and look at me as if his revelation was nothing major?
"Maya. I know you don’t want to listen to what I have to say and I can understand. I should have come clean a long time ago. I had many opportunities, I have to admit. But I let each one slide. Because this is what I was afraid of." Nik grasped Maya's arms, his amber eyes now back to his normal black, the contours of his face dark with worry. She shrugged off his hands. Maya felt no sympathy. None at all. "I knew you would be upset and you have every right to be. So let me give you my message and I will leave."
Maya glared at Nik and took a step back. She didn’t want to hear anything he had to say. Not really. But a tiny part of her burned with curiosity. What was so all-fired important that Nik would risk Maya’s anger and break her heart all in one evening?
Nik gave an almost imperceptible nod, taking her silence for acquiescence. "Yama needs your help." He walked to the other side of the table, toying with his glass of juice.
Maya snorted. "Really? That’s rich. He’s a god and he needs my help?"
"You don’t know how special you are. You're the Hand of Kali, the blessed one. And for now, you are the only one who can help us."
"Us?" Maya bristled. "I thought you said Yama wanted my help?" And even as Maya asked the question she was aware of how ridiculous it sounded, especially coming from her own mouth. Yama, the god of the Underworld, the Lord of Patala, the Master of Death, a god who shouldn’t exist because gods were just myths and everyone really needed to get with the program. But yet she’d accepted Chayya’s help, submitted to Kali’s ministrations, fought a demon and stared a hellhound in the face. What’s Yama, to add to the pile of the unbelievable?
"What affects Yama, affects us all. Well, it affects us in Patala and Heaven first, but soon it will affect the human world too."
Maya tightened her grip on her glass. Only when she felt the heat beneath the pads of her fingers did she release the glass before she melted it right there in front of them. Control, Maya. Control.
"My father sent me here to guide and protect you. To help you hone your fire skill, and to give you a message. He also sent his hounds to be your guards and your guides."
"Eh? You mean the dogs that mauled me?"
"Maya, you know they only attacked because of the scent of the Rakshasa."
"Yeah, I guess I'll have to take your word for it." Nik winced at her words, but Maya felt not an ounce of sympathy for him. Deep inside she wanted him to hurt. As much as she was hurting. "So what is it Yama wants me to do?"
"He wishes for you to visit Patala and meet with him as soon as you're ready."
"What?" Maya laughed, the sound cold and unamused as it passed her tightened lips.
"Yama understands such a decision may take time for you to make. As such, he will wait for you to come to him. But please know the problem he has does get worse as time ticks by."
"Oh, so I'm to take my time to make a decision to see him, but be quick about it?"
"Something like that." A gleam of amusement flickered in Nik's eyes, doused quickly by Maya as she glared at him. She saw nothing amusing about this entire situation. Given an ultimatum by the god of death was not the most pleasant experience.
"What if I decline his invitation?" Maya asked, her chin lifted an inch, her spine straight and defiant.
"I don’t believe that's an option."
"So you’re really saying I don’t have a choice. I have to see Yama, no matter what."
"You do have a choice. But the problem we face is so great should you refuse, it will be the one decision which you will regret." Nik sat slightly back in his stool, as if he knew Maya's fury would follow.
"Decision I will regret?" asked Maya, her voice rising as she leaned forward, pressing against the table edge. "Decision I will regret? You don't know the future. You have no idea how many decisions I already regret. Take Ria for instance."
As Maya spoke, her hands grew hotter as heat twirled and swirled before her. Within her head, and within her heart, fire grew, and flame burned, fed by a rising, uncontrollable rage. Ria may be lost to her and all Nik could think about was himself and his precious needs?
And it happened without a thought. The fire burgeoned out of control, flashing forth from her palm. A bright blaze of white and orange flew across the table, straight through the pitcher of orange juice, straight at Nik.
Time slowed as Maya followed the path traced by the blast of fire; the scorched and blistered blacked wood, the glistening glob of melted glass, puddled and sizzling mixed with boiled juice setting off a rich and fermented steam.
And lastly, Nik with is amber eyes burning as hot as the flame she’d thrown.
Nik holding his arm where Maya had burned him.
Maya swallowed, her hands burned, the palms throbbing in time with her thudding heart. Tears ached in her throat, and she wanted to apologize but no words left her lips. She stared at him, her eyes huge, shocked.
But Nik seemed to know. He seemed to see despite how sorry she was she wouldn’t apologize. His beautiful eyes grazed her face, a deep sadness set in them.
Then he disappeared.
Chapter 28
The kitchen fell silent.
A sharp clacking on the terracotta tiles announced Sabala’s entry into the deathly quiet room. At least the hellhound had respected Maya’s privacy enough to wait outside while she had her mental breakdown.
He stopped beside her, staring up at her tight features, as if expecting her to do something. "What?" she snapped.
The hound walked around the table and sniffed the ground, appearing to follow Nik's scent until he stopped at the spot where Nik had disappeared. Sabala tipped his head to one side, and looked at Maya, his glassy eyes huge - he seemed disappointed in her.
Maya didn’t have the energy to react to that. Sabala was disappointed in her. So what? I didn’t ask for any of this. This is not even my fight.
And yet a part of her laughed hysterically as she tried to absolve herself of some of her guilt.
"Maya, honey, what happened?" Leela drew up close, an arm already extended to comfort her child, but Maya shrugged her off, taking a step away. She knew how it looked. Like a stupid tantrum gone wrong. "Maya?" This time Leela’s voice, brisk and sharp, demanded an answer.
"Nik." Maya spoke the name and struggled to keep her tears from falling. She ground her jaw. He didn’t deserve her tears. "He is such a liar."
"What did he tell you?" Leela turned Maya around and met her gaze head on. But Maya hesitated. Her mom sounded too calm. Too prepared.
"Did you know?" Suspicion zinged through Maya's head.
"I-" Leela hesitated, her eyes flicking over to Sabala sitting stock still on the other side of the scorched table. The dog simply stared back at the two women, eyes black and glossy. "Look, Maya. It’s complicated. But yes, we knew."
"Complicated? How complicated was it that you couldn’t just tell me the truth?" Maya’s voice quivered, echoing the deep betrayal cutting to her soul.
Leela’s face fell when she heard her daughter's pain. She took a step forward, then stopped. Perhaps she feared another rejection or, perhaps she knew Maya needed time to absorb it all. "When Nik arrived, he told us why he was here. So yes, we knew for a while. We meant to tell you, but -"
"But what? You thought it was okay to lie to your silly little naive child? That she would just accept everything you tell -"
"No, Ma
ya. You weren't ready. And we were hoping you would be ready soon. We just didn't expect the Rakshasas to attack you."
For a moment rage surged within Maya, a molten river of fury. Was her mom actually telling her it was her own fault they’d kept such vital information from her? Maya opened her mouth to speak but Leela cut her off.
"Now, don’t you go getting that look, Maya. What happened was the Rakshasas. Nik hadn’t expected to see them right here in town. They were here before him. He had to make sure you were safe. So he asked us to wait before we told you."
"So you just listened to him? You kept the truth from me because he asked you to? You listened to him instead of thinking of me?"
"We thought he was right at the time. And to be honest, we still think it was the right choice. You were in danger. More danger from the day you manifested your Fire. We had to make sure you weren’t discovered."
"Discovered by whom?" Maya’s voice rose, louder than necessary, louder than was respectful but she didn’t particularly care about respect right now. "If you mean the demons, then that's pretty stupid don’t you think? You had a demon right here in this house, you colluded with him all this time. How could you have been protecting me when you welcomed a Rakshasa right into the family? He trained me for god's sake!"
Leela laughed as she absorbed Maya's words. "You mean Nik? He’s not a demon."
"Mom! Has he gotten to you too? Didn’t you see his eyes? He has Rakshasa eyes." Maya sobbed the last few syllables, then gulped for breath.
"Maya, don’t be silly. Nik is the son of Yama. He is a god in his own right." Leela stepped around the table. She gripped Maya’s elbows. "Listen to me. Nik is safe, he is your protector. He is NOT a demon." Leela paused as Maya’s words hit her with their full impact. "His eyes? You think because his eyes glow like the Rakshasas that he is one of them?"
Maya didn’t answer, but her silence was enough.
"He has all the power of the Rakshasas and more. He is so powerful no demon would try to cross his path. They fear him Maya, because his job is to punish them. He is their jailer as much as his father is."
Maya shook her head. It was all too much. Her eyes traced the blackened wood. Her fire had -
"But I hurt him. How invincible is he that my Fire burned his arm."
"You hurt him?" Leela’s voice rose a few decibels, consternation and admonition a confused mix in her expression.
"Well, I was angry. And it was an accident." Maya hugged herself harder.
"The only reason you were able to hurt him is because your Fire is getting stronger. You're the daughter of the dark goddess, and your power is manifesting. It also means you may just be more powerful than he is right now."
Maya snorted. "I’m more powerful than the son of a god?"
"The daughter of Kali is meant to be all-powerful. That's what you are."
"Thanks Mom. I think I’ve had about enough melodrama for one evening. None of this is supposed to even be happening." Maya’s voice became strident as on the last few words she uttered. She turned and rushed out of the kitchen, leaving Leela watching, silent.
At the stairs, Maya spared one glance toward the kitchen. Sabala followed after her, his pace, slow and regal. Certainly, he didn’t feel the need to rush after her.
Maya ran up the stairs, her palms remembering the sizzle of heat and power she’d sent.
Power.
Such a heady thing.
Maya desperately wanted to slam her door, if anything just to vent her anger. But Sabala had followed her upstairs. She could shut him out of the room but something made her leave the door ajar for him.
She flopped onto her bed, disgusted with herself. And with everyone else at the moment. So many lies. It was getting harder to distinguish the lies from the truth anymore.
Before she could continue feeling sorry for herself or continue feeding her anger, Maya’s phone beeped. She stiffened, her fingers reaching for the cell so fast she almost dropped it.
The text message tone was Ria’s.
Maya flipped the phone open to read the message. But the screen glowed blank. She frowned, checked the details and confirmed she did get the text, and it really was blank. What was Ria up to? Or was it the demon? Was she trying to call Maya to her?
Maya clicked the phone shut. Only one thing for it. She bounced up from the bed, feeling better than ever, not a twinge or a spasm of pain. She rummaged in her closet, threw on a pair of jeans and a sweater and headed out the room.
Only to be stopped dead in her tracks by a large black hellhound.
Damn, I forgot about the mutt. Now what?
The dog eyed her, as if he knew exactly what she was planning.
"Fine, you can come, but if you ever tell -" Maya laughed out loud, feeling waves of hysteria ebb and flow. What was she thinking? That Sabala would snitch? Then again, he did belong to Yama, the god of the underworld. Who knew what he could and couldn’t do.
Maya shook her head. If Sabala had a way to tell someone what she was up to then so be it. She’d cross that bridge when she came to it.
Maya slipped silently down the stairs. No sign of her mom - probably filling in her dad on the day’s developments. As she passed through the kitchen the burned tabletop glared its accusation at her. So did the melted pitcher, which sat right where she’d left it, solidified in many places with the orange juice still inside air pockets around the mass of misshapen glass.
A monument to Maya’s fury.
Maya hurried out into the darkness, almost jogging the two streets to Ria’s house. Sabala followed a short distance behind, as if merely observing her activity. Well he’d better stay out of my way if he knows what’s good for him.
The house was quiet enough, despite being ablaze with lights. Even Ria’s room glowed brightly.
On many an occasion in the past and the not so recent past, Maya had snuck into Ria’s room. On days when her friend had been grounded for the pettiest of reasons, like forgetting to bring in the washing, or dropping half a dozen eggs on the kitchen floor. Things Maya’s parents would've scowled at and forgotten about because they were mistakes or accidents.
But Mr. Gupta ruled his family exactly the way an overstuffed rooster would. Once, Maya had climbed the trellis and snuck into Ria’s bedroom to find her friend trying to cover up her black eye with concealer. That night was the first time Maya ever wanted to kill someone. Her blood had boiled and she’d forced herself to shut her mouth only because she knew by then Ria would never report it, never complain, never stand up for herself.
Sometimes Maya wondered if Ria believed she deserved the treatment her father dished out.
Chapter 29
Now Maya scaled the trellis again hidden by a thick, old oak, and hoping she hadn’t grown too big for the simple wooden screen covered in pink bougainvillea.
The trellis held and Maya grabbed onto the sill, and lifted herself high enough to peek inside. The drapes were ajar, the room brightly lit. Ria lay on the bed, deathly still.
Maya lifted the sash window, sending a prayer it wasn't locked. Whenever Ria would send her those special texts saying she needed her, she always left the window unlatched.
Thankfully, this was one of those times. Either that, or the demon was smarter than Maya gave her credit.
Maya shoved the window, wincing as it groaned loudly. But Ria didn’t move. Opening it only wide enough for her to slip in, Maya dived through the gap and tucked and rolled into the room. She hunkered down below the sill, eyes darting to the door. Shut tight. Good.
On the bed, Ria still looked asleep.
For now, Maya was safe.
Muffled voices emanated from somewhere in the house. Maya didn't think anyone would be in any position to force the Ria-demon to do anything she didn’t want. From Ria’s beaten body, it was clear the demon cared little for the damage she did to her current vessel.
And now, Ria sleeping so peacefully, hardly looked like a girl possessed. Her chest rose and fell, which was comfort
ing. Somehow, Maya saw that simple body function as a reassurance she could still save Ria.
Maya’s heart pounded against her ribs, the sound so loud in her ears it hampered her hearing. She had to calm down. And quick. No telling what the consequence would be if she were to get caught.
She wasn't sure which would be worse, getting caught by the Rakshasa or facing Mr. Gupta’s wrath.
She crawled over to kneel beside the bed, and stayed low. In case the door opened, Maya could duck down and hide. "Ria," she called to the sleeping girl. When Ria didn’t respond Maya called again, this time a tiny bit louder. "Ria, wake up."
Ria stirred, then turned her head slowly to face Maya. The sheets crinkled as she moved, the sound flat in the silent room. Ria didn’t give her usually, toothy grin. Her blank eyes stared at Maya. No emotion flickered there, no recognition. Nothing.
Maya hesitated. "Ria, you okay?"
Ria sat up. The movement was fluid and fast, as if her body was controlled by something else; robotic, sudden and lacking the aspect of Ria which made her who she was. Maya gasped, almost choked as she swallowed.
She fell back flat on her butt, and stayed there. She didn’t dare to make a move. Ria sat still, staring straight ahead so Maya couldn’t see her eyes anymore. Her hands lay flat on the white bedspread, her fingers painfully thin. Maya clenched her own fingers to stop the shivers of fear coursing through them.
But she bit her cheek. No time to get scared. If it's the demon, I will have to fight her. Certainly can’t do that messing about on my ass.
"Ria," Maya whispered, promising herself she won't call out again. If Ria didn’t respond then no one was home and Maya had to get out of there.
But Ria turned toward her. "Maya, you came." She got on her knees and she smiled her special Ria smile dissolving all of Maya’s fears.
Maya scooted onto the bed and grabbed Ria, surprised when her friend hugged her back so hard she thought she heard a rib crack. "Are you alright? Is everything all right?" Maya asked, stiffening. She couldn’t mention the demon to Ria. What exactly did one know when one was possessed?
