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Chapter 35

THE DAY AFTER THE NIGHT BEFORE

T he next morning, I woke to an empty bed and Blue standing on my pillow, arms on his hips. “Did you bang him?”

It was too early for an interrogation. “Bleurgh.”

“Did you bang Araz?” Blue was insistent.

“No. It was a strange night.”

“I heard. It’s all over Prashikshan domain. Those furry bastards.” He paced, dark eyes glittering with rage. “If I was just a little bit bigger.” He made a fist and slammed it into his free hand.

He looked so damn cute, I wanted to squish him. “You do know they’re dead, right? Araz killed them.”

My mind was filled with the glorious image of my drohi gone fire mode, standing over the bastard Bash.

My drohi…

“The two that attacked you are dead,” Blue said, “but the others aren’t. There was a plan, you know. The Authority are looking into it. Interrogating the pack.” He did the fist thing again, and this time I caved and scooped him up for a face hug.

“Damn it, woman, you’re crunkling my whiskers,” he mumbled against my cheek. But his tone was good-natured. He loved it really.

Wait—had he said they were interrogating the whole pack?

“They’re not interrogating Ravi and Prem, are they?” I set Blue back on the bed. “Those two had nothing to do with any of it.”

“I heard. Did you know he’s from a royal bloodline? Given up as an offering to the gods.”

“I found out last night.” I threw off the covers and swung my legs out. “I need to shower.” I stood gingerly, then stopped and looked down at my feet. Feet that felt sturdy, attached to legs that felt strong.

“How you feelin’, chickadee?” Blue asked. “Better?”

“Yeah…yeah I am.”

“The moon bathing worked then. I made sure to stay out till dawn, even got on my front and bathed the old butthole, you know, for thoroughness.”

“Ew, Blue. TMI.”

He chuckled, his little belly jiggling. “You should have seen Drake’s face. The darn ferret was disgusted, and I was like, what you all disgusted for, you’re a ferret. Anyway, tall, handsome, and silver is making breakfast.”

“And Araz? ”

“Abs for days is not in the building.”

My heart sank, and I reminded myself that last night had been a one-off. I wasn’t going to ruin it by chasing Araz for more, and maybe if I didn’t chase him for more, he’d offer it.

No.

Bad Leela.

I headed for the shower. “Are we training today?”

“Baby steps, chick.”

“I can manage.” I did a little hop to illustrate.

“Yeah, yeah. You’ll watch and nothing more.”

“Fine.” I shut the washroom door. “See you downstairs in twenty.”

We usually had about an hour between the morning meal and having to leave for training, for digestion purposes, Pashim had explained, and it was getting late by the time I made it to the second floor.

I bumped into Remi coming out of the kitchen. “Fucking hell, Leela,” she said. “I knew I should have gone with you last night.”

Ah yes, she’d offered to get some air with me. “I’m okay.”

“I know, but…they were going to kill you.”

“But Araz protected her,” Remi’s drohi said. “As a drohi should.” There was pride in those words .

Remi pulled me into a hug. “I’m glad you’re okay.”

“Is that Leela?” Dharma said from somewhere behind Remi.

The next moment, I was surrounded by my friends and offered hugs all round, and it hit me that this was my family now. These potentials, these demigods. For the first time in my life, I had real friends, and I couldn’t help but wonder how much of my loneliness back in my world had been because I’d shut myself off.

Hug time over, everyone drifted off, and I went in search of Pashim. He was at our usual table, but as soon as he saw me, he shot to his feet and crossed the room to pull me into his arms.

I melted into the embrace. “I’m fine.”

And I was. Maybe too fine for someone who’d almost been killed a few hours ago.

Where was my trauma? It had to be a demigod thing.

He smiled down at me, but it looked off. Like there was something missing. I didn’t like it.

“I wanted to come and see you sooner,” he said, “but Araz told me to let you sleep.” He guided me to our table.

“You spoke to Araz?”

“Yes. He came to see me this morning and told me what happened.” A muscle in his jaw jumped. “I failed you. I vowed to protect you, and I failed.”

“Whoa, it’s not your fault. How were you to know I’d leave the barracks or that someone would attack me right outside?”

“You could have died.”

“I know. But I didn’t.”

“Because Araz saved you. Because he was watching even though…” He took a shuddering breath. “I cannot compete with the bond.”

“Compete? Who said you had to compete?”

He closed his eyes on an exhale. “I have never in all my many years felt this drawn to a woman.”

His candor was a fist around my heart so that each beat was suddenly an effort. “What about Arti?” My words came out in a whisper. “You loved her, didn’t you? She was pregnant, wasn’t she?”

He let out a soft laugh that held no humor. “Is that what you’ve heard?”

“It’s not true?”

“Sit.” He took his usual seat, and I slipped into mine. “We are bonded to the demigods that we would be most compatible with, and love happens. Yes, I loved her, but not as a lover. The rumours of a pregnancy are untrue. But this…you. There is no bond between us, and yet… I know you are not mine. The Shakti gave you to Araz, I must not intervene, and yet I find myself unable to stop.”

It seemed that the bond always made love bloom in some capacity be it lover, friend, sibling bond or more of a parent-child one. The dynamics varied, but what determined them? Why was the bond forcing Araz and me into a romantic situationship? Why make us want each other sexually?

“What are you thinking?” Pashim asked.

“Chaya says that the longer Araz fights the bond, the weaker it will become. She says to wait for its hold on us to fade.” I wasn’t sure why I was telling him this or what purpose I expected it to serve, but it brought the beautiful light I loved back into his eyes, and I realized that was what had been missing.

“I am glad he didn’t fight it last night,” Pashim said. “If he had, he would not have found you in time.”

“But the threat is over. The rakshasa are the ones who tried to kill me. The flowers and then taking me into the woods.”

“The pack alpha refuses to accept responsibility for the flowers. He insists that attack wasn’t theirs.”

“He could be lying.”

“Why lie when you are already condemned?” Pashim pointed out.

“Shit, that means that there’s still someone who wants to kill me.” I groaned and ran a hand down my face. “And I never thought I would ever have to say that sentence.”

“I won’t be far from your side, and I doubt that Araz will let his guard down either.”

“I don’t see him here.”

“Just because you do not see him does not mean he isn’t close by.”

“The bond? ”

“Yes. It allows a drohi to monitor his demigod.”

The light in his eyes dimmed a little again. I didn’t like it. “What about Ravi and Prem? Are they all right? Can I see them?”

“I’m afraid the pack is in custody and won’t be released until the Authority finishes its investigation.”

“Araz mentioned the Authority too. He said they were in charge. Who are they?”

“A committee of Asura. Born, not made. Guru Chandra is one of them, and there are four others, including two Danava. They are the law here.”

“Like a council?”

“I suppose so. Now eat up and we’ll go to training. You may watch today.”

“Urgh, really? I could do with hitting something.”

“You can hit the bench with your behind and watch,” he said firmly.

I conceded with a sigh and picked up my chai. “Do you know what the pareekshan is going to entail?”

He pressed his lips together. “Umbra is charged with explaining it, which I am sure she will do in a day or so.”

“But you already know.”

“Yes.”

“Can’t you tell me?” I canted my head and fluttered my lashes. “Please.”

He shook his head with a smile.

Blue hopped onto the table between us. “Is she tryin’ to butter ya up? ”

“If you mean seduce me with her wiles, then yes,” Pashim said.

“Wiles,” Blue chuckled. “Leela, you got wiles.”

“Shut up and eat some bread.” I handed him a small chunk.

“Don’t mind if I do.” He nibbled round the edges. “So, what’s the plan for today?”

Pashim answered for me. “Today, we ease Leela back into training with some light exercises, and tomorrow, we reaffirm all that she’s learned. We have a week till the first official test, and I will do everything in my power to ensure that you’re ready.”