by T. G. Ayer
"That was definitely not your fault Maya. And you’ve done everything possible to help her. Even bargaining with the god of death. See, you’d sacrifice your own life to make Ria well and that’s the mark of a true friend and an amazing human being."
"Yeah, still. I wish she hadn’t gotten involved. And what about you Joss? Now you're also mixed up in this mess." Maya paused. "Wait a minute, where do your parents think you are?"
"Come on Maya. They think I’m going away with your family for a few days. Your parents agreed to cover for me in case mine come looking, which we both know they won’t."
The nonchalant, uncaring expression on Joss’s face didn’t fool Maya. Joss’s absentee parents never really cared what their daughter did. Right now, they were happy as long as she stayed out of their hair. Maya remembered meeting them the first time, many years ago. They’d barely even acknowledged Maya, looked right through her when she’d entered their house and been shown to their daughter's room. It struck her early on they weren’t home even when they were.
It only made Maya more certain no matter how much she felt her parents interfered and tried to control her life, she preferred it that way. At least it showed they cared. Joss’s parents, on the other hand, cared so little they had no idea how they hurt their child.
"So you forgive me, right?"
"For what?"
"For starting this whole mess. If it hadn’t been for me the demons wouldn’t have got there filthy demonic nails into you or Ria."
"Shut up, Joss."
"Fine," Joss answered and pouted. "Have it your way."
A knock on the door interrupted their banter. Maya called out for the visitor to enter. The double doors opened, ushering Nik inside.
Joss yawned. A little too well timed for Maya's liking. She threw her friend a dark look but Joss ignored her and said. "You guys chat. I'm going back to bed. I'm way too tired to keep my eyes open." She fluttered her fingers at them and sauntered out of the room.
Leaving Nik and Maya alone.
The silence felt thick, slowly becoming awkward, making Maya just want to claim exhaustion herself. So many things had happened, so many words said and not said.
Maya was about to say goodnight when Nik spoke. “Would you like to see the gardens?”
That was the last thing she’d expected and it caught her off-guard. “Sure. But what can you see in this darkness?” she asked gazing out the door and into the garden shrouded in shadows.
“Well, if you don’t come you'll never know.” Nik gave Maya a cheeky grin and she laughed softly. He looked so sexy, smiling at her, his eyes all crinkled up. How could she refuse?
“Okay, now I’m curious. Lead on.”
Nik led her along the balcony toward a curved stone stairway leading into the densely planted garden below. The cobbled path, lit by flame torches every few feet, wound its way deeper into the trees.
Maya remained silent. She was afraid to break the spell woven around them. She had to admit she enjoyed the time alone, just walking, and no talking. With so much ahead of her the next day, she certainly didn't need the added stress of tension between her and Nik. Maya crossed her fingers at her side and sent up a prayer for nothing to mess up the evening.
With her hand tucked within the crook of Nik’s arm, she breathed in the rich fragrance of jasmine and roses, listened to the call of the peacocks, and gazed up at the gem-studded rock ceiling high above them.
At last, their stroll came to a halt and Nik slowed as they entered a large circular garden. A marble fountain claimed the center, a stone dancing girl endlessly poured water from the fat pitcher in her arms.
Nik led Maya to a nearby stone seat. She sat, taking in the trees and the soothing sound of running water.
“This is so beautiful.” Maya sighed deeply. “I can’t believe this actually exists way down here . . . wherever it is we are.”
Nik chuckled beside her, his dark eyes lighting up as he smiled. It never failed to take her by surprise how one little smile from him could turn her stomach upside down and make her breath come just that bit faster.
He leaned forward, elbows on his knees, steepling his fingers. “Tell me something.” When Maya stared at him, questions in the curves of her eyebrows he asked, “How do you feel about this rescue mission? Do you have any doubts?”
“Nope, no doubts. I agreed to do it so I have no intention of backing out.” Maya sighed. “But I still wonder if you guys could have gotten all of this totally wrong. How sure can you be I am the right person for the job?”
“We are certain, Maya. And Kali’s very presence around you when you were hurt is enough confirmation that you belong to her.” Nik stared at Maya with a strange look in his eyes. He threw his arm across her shoulders and gave her a quick squeeze. “Don’t worry. I’ll be right there with you.”
Maya's answer never got past her lips. He was too close to her, his body and thigh pressed up against her so close she could barely breathe. All she managed was a nod but when he didn't respond she looked up.
The moment their eyes met Maya felt her stomach tighten. The intensity in his expression held her attention. So much she barely noticed as he closed the distance between them. His mouth claimed hers before she could take another struggling breath.
Maya lost herself in the heat of his lips, in the depth of the passion of that kiss. Her heart beat so fast and hard she felt sure he’d hear it soon. His hand snaked to the back of her head bringing her closer, deepening the kiss and stealing all her breath. Maya reached up and threw her arms around his neck, needing to hold on to something.
Probably a good thing she was seated; her legs would certainly not have held her up if she’d been standing. Nik pulled back, and they both gasped for breath in the heat between their mouths. Maya told herself it was time to pull away, time to put some space between them. They were in a garden for god's sake. Who knew who was watching?
But all she could do was look at his mouth and hope he’d kiss her again. And it was as if nothing could keep them apart. They were drawn together as if nothing else mattered but that next kiss.
Not so long ago Maya would have snorted with hysterical laughter had someone told her she’d be kissed with such mindless passion. It just wouldn’t have seemed possible she’d have the power to move someone this way. And that was the crux of it. She could tell Nik was as much moved by the kiss as she was.
The rustling of feathers and the loud call of a peacock close by pulled them apart reluctantly. With one last tender kiss, Nik sat back and glared at the intruder.
“Shoo,” he said, waving away the beautiful bird.
“No, don’t.” Maya grabbed his hand. “He’s so beautiful.”
“Yeah, nice to look at but nosy and noisy as hell.” Nik snorted.
Maya laughed. “No he’s amazing. Look at those colors. And isn’t he a proud fellow too?”
Nik held Maya’s hand as she spoke and the warmth of his fingers crept all the way into her stomach with lightning speed.
She cleared her throat. “Pity though.”
“What’s a pity?”
“That the dude is the one who's gorgeous. I feel sorry for the girl peacocks.”
“True. They can get ignored sometimes. Dull brown is not the most eye-catching of colors.”
Maya chuckled as the peacock turned and circled the fountain, head held high as if he knew they’d been talking about him. “Showoff,” she called but he paid no attention, just continued strutting until he came right back to Maya’s side.
“Shoo,” Nik waved the bird off. “This girl is mine. Go find yourself a girl of your own.
Maya flushed at his words. He’d referred to her as his girl. But what did that really mean between a human and a demigod? What would be the future for their relationship?
And just like that, the spell was broken. The threads of those warm and crazy feelings still lingered inside Maya, but reality had returned and her immediate future had no place for making out, let alone
a romance.
They walked back, fingers still entwined, their steps slowing as they got closer to Maya’s room. Nik paused outside her door, and Maya met his eyes. He seemed as uncertain as she was and she wasn’t sure how good that was.
He smiled and stepped away until their threaded fingers could no longer keep hold.
For the next few moments all was right with the world and with the underworld.
All was right until Maya awoke the next morning.
Chapter 41
Maya rose and found breakfast on her bedside table and a peacock on her balcony. She’d slept well and was grateful for the toast and yogurt to fill her hungry belly. Although no sun shone, there seemed to be an abundance of light outside.
A quick soothing bath got her moving and she was dressed and ready, having found her freshly laundered clothes hanging over a chair near the dressing table. Maya gave the beautiful room one last glance and closed the door behind her.
Joss waited in the foyer and threw Maya a bright grin. "You're finally awake sleepyhead."
"What? Did I oversleep?"
"No, I woke up way too early. Those darned peacocks sure know how to make a racket," Joss grumbled.
Nik walked in, a serious expression darkening his features. Half a dozen white-garbed Rakshasa guards accompanied him.
"What’s wrong?" asked Maya.
"Nothing I can do anything about really, I'm just worried…if you're ready." A stab of doubt ripped through Maya and must have shown on her face. "It's not you Maya. Believe me I wouldn’t expect you to take this mission on if you weren’t ready."
"I'll be fine." Maya offered.
Joss snorted.
Nik turned on his heel. "Right, let us get going."
Maya and Joss followed him out of the room and they soon regrouped in the waiting hall in which they’d arrived the previous day. This time the platters were empty and Maya had to hide her smile at the disappointment on Joss’s face.
Chayya appeared within seconds and dusted herself off as she approached Maya. "Are you ready, Maya?"
"As I’ll ever be." The muscles in Maya's neck and shoulders bunched as her tension mounted. She had to take a few deep calming breaths before her heart rate resembled something close to normal.
Nik joined Maya handing her a bag. "Weapons. Share them between the two of you but they must be on your person at all time or you may not have them when you arrive."
Maya withdrew four vicious looking daggers and a couple of short swords. She shared them along with their sheaths, between her and Joss, feeling much more comfortable now Joss had the means to defend herself.
"Maya." Maya glanced over her shoulder to see Nik holding out the set of deadly-looking Madus and a small bottle of dark blue liquid. "Here, these are for you. They’re gold-tipped, and this is a special poison you release into the tips."
"What type of poison?" Maya asked, as she took the Madus and bottle, worried again. What if she ended up dying by her own weapon in a fight?
"It is Visha, the venom of the naga Vasuki."
"You mean the same serpent Vasuki the gods used as a rope to churn the Oceans? The same poison Lord Shiva swallowed that made his throat blue?" Maya wanted to scoff; she wanted to laugh out loud at how preposterous it all sounded. But how could she possibly laugh when she was holding this conversation with the son of Yama the god of the Underworld, while walking along a corridor in a palace in Patala in the actual Underworld. Not laughable, not preposterous. It was really happening. Or this was some amazing dream.
Nik strode beside her. "Yes, the same. Keep it safe and use it only when absolutely necessary. Naga poison is deadly to anyone but Vasuki's particular brand is lethal to demons."
Maya nodded and held tightly onto the Madu, staring at the little bottle of death.
"Okay, everyone ready?" Nods all around got Nik moving out the hall and into a smaller room not far down the passage.
The sound of footsteps hurried toward them and Maya turned to see a demon guard rushing to the group. Maya had gotten used to the other guard's respectful demeanor, so she didn't miss the leader who spent more than a few moments staring almost viciously at her as she approached. And when Maya met her gaze, the demon quickly looked ahead at Nik. Maya frowned, studying the girl-demons beautiful features, her almond shaped eyes, high cheekbones. If there weren't any laws that demons should be ugly, then this demon sure broke them all.
She listened, fascinated as the vowels and the consonants of the ancient language fell from the lips of the prince of the underworld. The lyrical tones of the Sanskrit tongue rode on the air while the Rakshasa guard nodded sagely at intervals, hands clutching at swords, jaws clenching. At the head of the small regiment, the beautiful demon stood, fairly vibrating with passion and vehemence.
This would probably be when they salute their general prince all together in one smooth movement.
But nobody moved.
A voice broke into Maya's thoughts. "Your Highness, is there anything you would have us do?" Maya glanced over and confirmed the voice belonged to the female demon with the vicious stare.
"Yes, Priya," said Nik, beckoning her.
Priya hustled past, making an effort to brush against Maya, forcing her to take a step away from Nik to make space for the darkly beautiful Rakshasa. She held some type of scroll and began to unroll it. "We have the goddess Varuni's exact location within the palace, Your Highness," she said, holding up the map.
But Maya didn't miss the movement of Nik's hand as he tucked his palm tablet back into his pocket. Of course, the prince of Patala had been brought up in the modern world; naturally he'd have an affinity for modern technology. And yet it still surprised Maya. A demigod using a tablet. So weird.
And Nik rose a bit more in her estimation. He cared enough for his subordinate's feelings not to flash his electronics and make Priya's efforts look unnecessary or less in any way. Not that Maya cared much for the state of the demon's feelings. Being shoved aside was enough of a reminder the Rakshasa didn't like her. Maya cared even less what she thought. The demon had tried and failed to hide the venom in her eyes far too many times for Maya to be under any misconception that Priya was a potential ally.
Holding both her tongue and her temper, Maya waited to be told the location of the hapless goddess she'd come to save.
Priya ran a finger across what Maya gathered was a map of the palace. "She is being kept here." She stabbed a spot, and Maya clenched her jaw, impatient to see the layout for herself so she could get the job done and get home. She hadn't forgotten Ria, despite the churning upheaval of the last few days. "The guards at the door work in six hour intervals and there is always a man outside, so that is not the best way in." Priya ended with an almost triumphant glare at Maya.
Maya gritted her teeth.
Really, what was she thinking to allow the Rakshasa to affect her at all? She needed to keep her wits about her, particularly because she didn't trust Priya. The rest of the royal guard seemed amiable enough, not that any of them had so much as looked at Maya. They must have rules against fraternizing with the Hand of Kali, considering she was deadly to them.
"All the rooms on the same floor of the goddess's chamber are currently unoccupied, so any one will be a suitable way in," said Priya as she rolled up her map, stowing it into her shoulder bag without allowing Maya or anyone else a view of the layout.
Again, Maya had to force herself to unclench her jaw. Seriously, the demon seemed to know all her buttons right now. She needed to stop allowing a mere Rakshasa to affect her, especially one she could probably kill with the slightest flick of her wrist.
Really, Maya. Get a grip.
"Thank you Priya. That will be all. Maya will retrieve the goddess." Nik appeared oblivious to the demon-human tensions wound so tightly around him. It was a wonder Chayya or Joss hadn't jabbed Maya in her own ribs in the last few minutes.
"But she isn't trained for this. We have trackers, and archers and warriors in our guard." Priya fac
ed Nik head on with both her beauty and the fire of indignation in her eyes.
Well tough, demon. I'm the Hand of Kali so you'd better get used to it.
Yet, another voice whispered in her mind.
"Priya, you know as well as I do that we can't get in. None of us, demon or god, can get past Narakasura's wards." Nik spoke kindly but Priya's face paled. She nodded, looking almost nervous as her head moved up and down.
"Could I have the map please?" Maya kept the venom from her question. I'm the hand of Kali so I'd better start acting like it, shouldn't I?
Priya glared at her, the demon's jaw clenched so tight Maya was sure she'd hear teeth shatter soon enough. But Maya didn't back down, even when Priya went all amber eyed on her. She raised an eyebrow in an oh really expression and waited. At last, the demon relented and reached for her satchel.
"Here, Maya, use this." Nik interrupted the little female power play he had clearly missed, to pass her his palm tablet. Or had he? Maya paused to wonder when she saw his tiny smirk. Perhaps he'd not been so unaffected by Priya's questioning of his choice of strategy. Nik leaned over and tapped a small icon and a map appeared on its smooth face. Priya glared and backed off as Joss huddled to also get a view. Then he said, "Thank you. Priya, take your team and station them outside the room while we are gone. The wards are up and nobody can get in but it's better to be safe."
Priya smiled, almost shyly, bowed, and stalked back to the demon guard. As soon as she joined them, the six guards shimmered and disappeared. Maya blinked. She so had to get used to seeing that.
"Maya, you and Joss lie down and be comfortable," said Nik.
The girls glanced at each other and Joss dropped lightly to the floor. "Whatever you want with you when you arrive must be on your person before we depart. Do not leave anything behind."
Cryptic.
"So we lie here and go to sleep?" asked Maya, unsure if she'd heard right. She had to leave her body in the underworld where the demons roamed, unattended, unsafe?
"Yes, and don't worry. The doors are locked and guarded with a spell which only Lord Yama or I can undo." Nik smiled. Maya supposed his expression meant to comfort her but the last thing she felt was comforted. Worried, a tad regretful and a little bit angry maybe. Not comforted.
