Emergence (The Infernal Guard Book 1)

by SGD Singh

  Nidhan looked at Lexi and blurted, “Viktor? Why didn't anyone tell me about… pretty much any of this?”

  “Because we can take care of ourselves,” said Lexi, dusting off her sleeve.

  “Oh, you can, can you?”

  “Yes, we can!” Lexi snapped. “While certain people were busy getting thirds at the buffet, others were avoiding death quite effortlessly, as a matter of fact.” She studied her nails.

  “Well, next time Viktor shows his, what was it again?” Nidhan attempted to sound like a gushing girl, “Male super model Paul Newman ass—”

  “Unfortunately, he didn't actually show his a—”

  “Can you guys just stop, already?” said Asha, grabbing both their wrists. “I feel suddenly faint, and I won't be held responsible for whatever happens to you while I'm unconscious.”

  Lexi clicked her tongue. “Already abusing her Talent.”

  “So sad how power corrupts,” agreed Nidhan.

  They started to laugh, and Asha said, “You do realize Aquila and Garud are probably staking Viktor right now.”

  Jumping up, Nidhan howled, “Viktor! Oh! Beautiful Viktor…” Placing a hand over his heart he bowed his head. “We will now observe a moment of silence to mourn the tragedy of Lexi never actually getting to see his gorgeous super model ass.”

  Lexi kicked out at him half heartedly. “Notice they didn't ask anything about the hair he took.”

  Asha nodded. “They looked at each other mysteriously over it, though,” she said, feeling the side of her head where her hair was thin.

  They sat quietly for a minute, then Nidhan pointed at Asha. “You know what? I think you're right. Dādi knows something. The day you got here, I asked her who you were, and she was vague. She seemed… haunted when she mentioned your grandparents and your dad, and when I started asking her questions, she kicked me out of her room. And then she acted really weird when she first saw you, remember? Almost like, like you terrified her. I thought at the time her hip hurt, but… Also, don't you think it's a little strange the way she has your grandmother's picture displayed? Definitely worth looking into.”

  Asha nodded. If she had to sit around and miss training for two days, she would ask permission to go home and talk to Nidhan's grandmother.

  After another long silence, Lexi said, “Asha? You saw… I mean, Aquila did actually appear out of a giant bird, right? Please tell me you saw that, too, and I'm not crazy.”

  “I saw it.”

  Lexi sighed. “Oh, thank God! Why didn't any of them ask about… wait. Do you think they can all do that?”

  Nidhan said, “English, people. Aquila did what to a bird?”

  “Aquila is a bird,” Lexi told him. “Well, sort of. Sometimes? I wonder if… fuck, I need more sleep.”

  Nidhan hissed, “No profanity, Lexi, remember?”

  Asha said, “Aquila told me earlier that Afzal ordered him… that he's been watching me since I—”

  “Hold on. You mean, he's your bird? The bird? Okay, that—”

  Nidhan shouted, “Will someone please tell me what the hell is going on?”

  “Nidhan,” said Lexi. “Do you actually think we have even the slightest clue what's going on?” She held up a finger, “First we're attacked by Vampires. Who, aside from actually existing at all, were apparently sent by someone who wanted Asha, for some Underworlder voodoo crap, or who knows. Then, some shape-shifting hawk-boy rescues us. And now the super awesome, probably-can-turn-into-animals Jodha cops want to know what Asha's hiding.”

  “Oh, is that all?” Nidhan threw up his hands. “Why didn't you just say so? It makes perfect sense when you put it that way!”

  Lexi looked at Asha and said softly, “Is there something? Something… you're not telling us?”

  Asha thought of her nightmares, but she shook her head. Given that Lexi had almost been killed, they didn't seem worth mentioning. ‘And now, big emergency! Asha's having bad dreams! Really bad dreams!’ Still, the thought of sleep made her insides twist.

  The lights dimmed three times, signaling class. Lexi and Nidhan hugged Asha, promising to visit her again as soon as they could, and left.

  Exhaustion weighed on her, making her dizzy, and she lay back against the pillows and studied the ceiling. It was painted like the winter sky at sunset. Peach, lemon, and raspberry sorbet across ice blue. Despite her determination not to, Asha was asleep within seconds.

  † † †

  Someone was screaming, and Asha sat up, trembling.

  Only when Senya and Prabhnoor burst into her room did Asha realize she was that someone.

  “Drink this,” Senya ordered, handing her an impossibly large copper glass. It tasted foul but when Asha gagged, he motioned impatiently for her to drink all of it. “Beet, spinach, garlic, and habañero with aloe and black salt. Heals your blood.”

  Asha drank it in gulps, holding her breath.

  “Now,” said Senya, handing the glass to Prabhnoor and sitting on the bed. “How long have you been having nightmares?”

  “They started the night of my birthday,” Asha admitted, looking at her blanket.

  Senya tensed. “Before they took your hair.”

  Asha nodded.

  “Okay, there's more going on here… let's see… first, go take a bath.”

  Asha blinked, fighting the urge to sniff herself.

  “Red button. That's the blood cleansing bath. Dandelion root, burdock roo—”

  Prabhnoor cleared his throat.

  “Never mind. Just go. Meet us down in Weapons in… two hours.” Senya stood, motioning Asha to hurry, and left. After squeezing Asha's hand sympathetically, Prabhnoor followed him.

  Taking deep breaths in an effort to slow her pounding heart, Asha made her way out of the healing department. Moving along the deserted veranda, she tried to ignore the horrible laughter that still echoed in her ears. Climbing the stairs mechanically, Asha walked along the veranda, held her ring to her door, and crossed to the bathroom, pressing the red knob on the tub. Steaming brown water that smelled like cinnamon, orange, mint, and cloves began to fill the large tub.

  Submerging herself completely a few minutes later, Asha made an effort to clear her mind, but the images of her nightmares were waiting when she closed her eyes, and she was soon gasping for air. Fighting exhaustion, she made herself stay in the bath until her hands started to prune, then took her time dressing.

  She was standing in front of the carved metal door of the weapons room within an hour and a half, unsure of whether or not to enter.

  “You must be Asha,” said a voice behind her, the sound gentle and comforting.

  A short, middle-aged man with a greying beard stood smiling at Asha when she turned, and she caught her breath. He had the exact same eerily-blue-green creepy eyes as her.

  He smiled kindly and motioned Asha forward. “I am Janu. Come. Senya is already waiting inside.”

  Orange light shone in the darkness to Asha's left, and she followed Janu toward it, the heat making her shirt stick to her back. The sound of voices grew louder as the hallway opened onto what looked like a plush hotel lobby—over sized chairs and couches placed around coffee tables—except it was too hot and the lights were too low.

  Senya sat on a couch facing a man whose back was to Asha. She recognized Arihan by his long braid and scarred back. He turned and smiled at Asha, his silver incisors shining in the dim light. “Heard you had your first run-in with Vampires,” he said, grinning. “Don't worry, in time you learn to love it.”

  Asha joined Senya on the couch, and watched Arihan look at a door in the wall as if he were waiting for someone.

  Senya turned to her. “Janu is a Seer, Asha. Now, we don't know the extent of your Talent yet, but everyone needs sleep, right?”

  Asha nodded, feeling like she might burst into tears.

  “Okay. We're gonna give you a necklace. You must wear it at all times and especially when you sleep, understood?”

  A necklace? Asha nodd
ed at her hands again.

  “Good,” Senya said. He held his hands out and Asha reached for them, grateful for the sense of wellbeing that washed over her. Senya's eyes closed as he concentrated.

  Then they flew open and he gasped, pulling his hands from hers. “There's… Janu?”

  “She is no ordinary Trainee, Senya,” Janu said in his soft voice. “Once she embraces her Talents… well. It's a very exciting time.” He looked at Asha with a twinkle in his eyes.

  “Still speaking in riddles, as usual,” Senya muttered.

  “Seers are not all-knowing, Senya, as I've told you many times. All I can see is…” he fixed Asha with a piercing look. “Let Asha go home for the rest of the week. With the others, of course. And intensify the training schedule when she returns on Monday. In the meantime, Asha, get some rest.”

  He bowed his head at Asha and left.

  Arihan frowned at her. “He said Talents. Plural.”

  “The man never makes any sense,” said Senya. “It's irritating.”

  “Still. He said Talents.”

  Senya shrugged and shook his head. “Where the hell is Avinash? I have a class to teach.”

  “We weren't given much time,” Arihan pointed out. “If you're done, go to class. I'll wait for the necklace with her.”

  Senya looked at the clock on the wall and Asha followed his gaze. It had swords for hands and a beautiful mosaic of various metals covered its face.

  “All right.” Senya sighed, getting to his feet. “Take care of yourself Asha—and no junk food!” he called, disappearing into the darkness.

  Arihan sat and stared at Asha as if he could figure out her Talents.

  “Can you turn into an animal?” she said, a little too loud.

  He laughed. “I'm a Tvastar. A maker of Divine Weapons. A blacksmith. A forger.” He waved his scarred hands around. “So no. Only Jodha can shift. But I can still give Underworlders a pretty mean fight.”

  “Is that how you got those scars on your back?” she said, then winced at her curiosity.

  Arihan smiled, his eyes shining to match his silver teeth. “That is a very interesting story, actually. So we were—”

  The noise of metal gears scraping and clicking filled the room and Asha turned to see the door behind her swing open. Dhevan walked toward them, light glinting off his metal foot, and Arihan rose. Behind Dhevan was a broad man, his curly hair tied into a short pony tail at the top of his head. His powerful arms seemed too large for his height. Both men wore only long shorts, and as the second man stepped into the light, Asha was struck by how perfectly unscarred his skin was.

  He stopped short, looking at Asha with strange colorless eyes. “You look like your mother,” he said. “I have something you might like to see.” He smiled and disappeared back through the door.

  Arihan and Dhevan looked at each other in surprise and burst into laughter.

  “That's the most he's ever said to a Trainee in… ever, I think,” said Arihan.

  Dhevan shook his head. “Well, I don't see why you should have to wait to put this on, Sandhu.”

  He motioned Asha over to the coffee table and lay down a dark bundle of cloth, unfolding it with care.

  Asha caught her breath.

  Braids of what looked like gold and silver twined around shining black. Within the metal were faceted stones of the brightest blues, greens, and pinks. Fire opals shone every color of the rainbow between hundreds of shining diamonds the size of Asha's pinky nail. Larger stones hung like giant facetted tears, falling in a delicate V. It looked like it belonged in a museum.

  Dhevan grinned. “I think she likes it.”

  “It's… wait. I have to wear that thing to sleep?”

  “It's not as heavy and uncomfortable as it looks,” said Dhevan. He picked up the necklace, motioned Asha to turn around, and clasped it around her neck. It made a mechanical whir, and Asha felt a panicked surge of claustrophobia.

  She looked around in surprise at them.

  “What?” said Prabhnoor.

  “I don't know. I feel… Nothing happened. I mean, I don't feel healed.”

  Arihan laughed. “It's not a magic necklace, Asha.”

  “Although, it's no ordinary necklace either,” Dhevan said. “Onyx, that's the black stone under the metal, repels negative energy while bringing perseverance and determination. Opals are for healing, peridot alleviates fear and strengthens life, aquamarine gives courage and releases anxiety and fear, similar to blue topaz. That big stone at the bottom? That's an agate. It's for protection and gives strength. Diamonds, well. Aside from strengthening the mind, detoxing and protecting from poisons, diamonds amplify other gemstones.” Dhevan crossed his arms and beamed at the necklace with pride. “When you add gold with our special top-secret, unbreakable metal, you get pretty powerful psychic protection.”

  “How does it feel?” asked Arihan. “Lighter than it looks, right?”

  “Uh… fine… ?” Gee, thanks for the billion dollar necklace, guys. When can I take it off? “Do I have to… bathe in it?”

  Dhevan frowned. “Just wear it until Monday, and then we'll see, okay?”

  The other man returned, carrying a musical instrument, and Asha's heart leapt as she recognized the craftsmanship.

  He reached one giant hand toward her, saying, “I'm Avinash, by the way. Forgot to introduce myself earlier. The necklace suits her,” he said to Dhevan as he handed Asha the instrument.

  Dhevan and Prabhnoor exchanged an amazed look.

  Asha studied it. “What is this? I know my grandfather made it…” It looked like a small round bowl covered in leather with a dowel protruding from it and a carved knob at the end. Except the bowl and the dowel were made of shining soft wood with a familiar design of intricate inlaid stones. The back of the bowl was entirely covered with a white lotus of inlaid mother of pearl.

  “It's called a toombi. Well, Ignacio's version of a toombi, anyway. A one-string guitar.” He held a hand and Asha placed the instrument into it.

  Smiling, Avinash held it in front of his chest and began moving his left hand along the dowel, his right index finger tapping at the string. A cheerful, purely Punjabi sound resounded through the stone room, and Asha realized she was smiling.

  “Alright, that's enough!” Arihan said.

  “What?” demanded Avinash.

  “Who are you, and what have you done with our eternally grouchy Avinash?” said Dhevan. “Don't make me stab you.”

  “Oh, shut up.” Avinash growled. He pointed to the necklace, giving Asha the thumbs up. “You better go get some sleep, Asha. I'll see you for training next week.”

  Chapter 18

  “What is that?” said Asha.

  “Isn't it obvious?” Lexi blinked. “It's a bowl of holy water.”

  “Oh, of course! And what's in it?” Asha stood by the railing and looked down into the orchard behind Nidhan's house. She watched her cousin and Aquila moving between the mango trees, sparring with marathis covered in cloth, creating a blue and orange blur through the branches. The sound of their laughter drifted up to her.

  “A stone, on which is written the daily password,” Lexi said. “You simply reach your hand into it, and if it doesn't burn off, you'll know the password. And the next time someone tries to imitate our voices to lure us to our deaths, we will simply say ‘what's the password?’ And if they don't—”

  “Okay, I get it.” Asha turned away from the railing and settled into the chair next to Lexi. “So you decide the password? What if you're… breached, so to speak?”

  “I'm glad you brought that up. You see, I must reach into said holy water in order to retrieve said stone, and only then may I write the password on it. Thusly.”

  Asha reached into the bowl and picked up the stone. “Eddie Van Halen?”

  “Shh! You can't just blurt the password! Now I have to make another one!”

  “We're the only ones here, Lexi. I really don't think—”

  “Exactly. You really don
't think. Underworlder super-hearing hello! Okay, pick it out again.”

  Asha rolled her eyes, but reached into the water again. Brian May.

  “So the passwords are guitar players.”

  “Yep.” Lexi grinned. “You missed Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, and Carlos Santana.”

  “And we'll be shouting this to each other over walls and such.”

  “Let's hope we won't have to, Asha. Let's just hope we won't have to,” Lexi tried to look serious but she started laughing. Asha got the distinct feeling Lexi was actually looking forward to her next encounter with Vampires.

  “I'm sure there's an extremely good reason Uma told us not to leave the house after dark.”

  And never alone.

  “Don't worry,” Lexi said, tossing her hair. “I can wait until I'm fully trained.”

  Chotu brought up a tray of food, and Lexi shouted, “Breakfast!” down to the boys in the orchard.

  “She means lunch,” Asha said to Chotu, since it was already two o'clock.

  “What's the password?” Nidhan sounded as if he were trying not to laugh.

  “There's a new one, because Asha sabotaged the other one.”

  “And how do we know you're not a crazed demon trying to ensnare a couple of studly humans for your breakfast?”

  “He means lunch,” Asha told Chotu again, motioning for him to eat with them.

  After insisting he'd already eaten with Dādi, Chotu hurried away.

  Aquila and Nidhan joined them, laughing, their faces flushed with exertion. Asha made herself not look at Aquila. She was still trying to get used to being near him without feeling as if she might hyperventilate. Especially when he laughed.

  “Having fun down there?” Lexi glared, shoving the bowl with the password under Nidhan's nose. Lexi hated being left out of sparring and she clearly missed her daily sessions with Tzirga and Ariella.

  Nidhan reached into the water and said something to Aquila in Punjabi, and they laughed.

  “Have you tried to use your Talent while you're awake yet?” Nidhan asked Asha, throwing himself into the chair across from Lexi and beginning to eat.