Emergence (The Infernal Guard Book 1)

by SGD Singh

  Asha turned her gaze to the view of fog, where the trees stood like indifferent ghosts in formation.

  I heard about Tzirga. It wasn't your fault, Asha.

  Asha just shook her head and tears began to roll down her cheeks. Aquila felt like his chest would crack open with her pain.

  “She wouldn't have been there if I hadn't—”

  Jumping up, Aquila wrapped Asha in his arms, enveloping her cold and shivering frame in his warmth. “Don't. Tzirga knew what she was doing when she chose to go with you. If you want someone to blame, blame Ranya.” He rocked her back and forth gently as she shook with sobs, her anguish pouring into his mind, and Aquila tried to project calm serenity toward her. He felt her relax a little, and she took a shaky breath. He told her, “They tortured Janu to get his ring for her. One of the Vampires admitted it.”

  Asha pulled away, meeting Aquila's eyes. “What else did he say?”

  “Not much.” He gathered her into his arms again, resting his chin on her head. “We're all gonna die horrible deaths, Ranya's the queen of all Underworlders, the queen of the universe, we'll be sorry we were ever born, blah, blah, blah.”

  Asha shuddered, wrapping her arms around his waist.

  “We're going to find her, Asha. And when we do, she'll pay for what happened last night.”

  Asha nodded.

  “Did you eat?”

  “What?”

  “Eat something.” He kissed her, standing and pulling her up with him. “I'll start the bath.”

  “I'm not hungry,” Asha called, following Aquila inside. He turned on the water and the sound filled the room as he watched her look down at the fruit and nuts on the table. Closing her eyes, she winced, and Aquila felt her pain at seeing Janu lying lifeless, with a knife meant for her sticking out of his chest.

  That wasn't your fault either.

  He died saving me. The Goblin wanted to kill me. Why?

  Aquila turned Asha slowly toward him, raising her chin until her eyes met his. Kissing her between each statement, he said, “Eat something. Take a bath. Sleep.”

  He led her to the bathroom. “Tomorrow there's a Jodha meeting.”

  “But—” He could see that the thought of facing Barindra, Chakori, Garud, and Uma made Asha feel sick.

  “You'll be useless at defending your reckless and insubordinate behavior if you don't sleep. C'mon, it's nearly dawn.”

  “Will you stay with me?” Asha didn't meet his eyes. “I mean… just until…”

  Aquila wrapped his arms around her and kissed her forehead. He waited until she looked up at him.

  “We live with death every day, Asha. You of all people should know this.” He lowered his voice and tried for his best Garud imitation. “We don't mourn death in The Infernal Guard. Didn't you read your rule book? It's rule number one. No moping.” Aquila added softly, “I'm surprised your grandfather didn't teach you that one.”

  Asha's smile was full of sadness as she nodded. “Actually, he did…”

  “I know neither Tzirga nor Janu would want you to mourn them.”

  Tears spilled down Asha's face, but she held his gaze as he gently wiped her cheeks.

  He planted one soft kiss on each eye, and then Aquila forced himself to grin. “Now get in the tub. I promise I won't peek. I'll sit on the bed and cheer you up.” Taking off his filthy jacket, Aquila lay back on Asha's bed, crossing his arms behind his head, his legs hanging to the floor. He could feel Asha's gaze on him as his black T-shirt rode up, revealing his weapons belt, and Aquila tried not to smile as she hurried into the bathroom.

  “So, a Werewolf walks into a bar…”

  Chapter 40

  Movement caught Asha's eye as she finished combing her hair, and she turned to see Aquila's hawk land with impossible grace onto her balcony. The sun was beginning to set, the fog was settling back in, and as the light from her room illuminated him, Asha smiled in spite of everything.

  What?

  You should see yourself. My magnificently beautiful hero.

  Aquila crossed the room, taking her face in his hands, and smiled. Asha felt a sudden acute awareness of the bed behind her as her heart pounded. Heat surged through her body, and Aquila's hands trailed along her skin, lightly, teasing, leaving her breathless. His lips finally met hers and the world vanished into pleasure as Asha was lifted in his arms. She was lightheaded with the awareness of lying on the bed, Aquila's weight pressing deliciously against her, and she couldn't think beyond Aquila, and enjoying every part of him, and now.

  Right now.

  With a ragged sigh, Aquila abruptly stood, pulling Asha up along with him, spinning her around on unsteady legs.

  “I should definitely avoid your room…” He voice was thick, his eyes dark with desire as he raked his hands through his hair. He cleared his throat. “You ready? Chakori really hates it when people are late to meetings.”

  Asha threw her pillow at his head with a satisfying thud and tied her hair roughly into a bun as she stalked out.

  The sound of his laughter trailed behind her.

  † † †

  As she entered the conference room outside Afzal's office, Asha's steps faltered. Every single Jodha member was already seated, along with Afzal, Yael, Dhevan, Arihan, Senya, and Prabhnoor. Ursala and Kelakha sat flanking the only remaining two seats.

  Oh, shit.

  She felt Aquila's hand on her back. Don't worry; they almost always look this pissed off.

  Their chairs were across from Chakori, Garud, and Uma. Barindra leaned forward at the end of the table where he sat between Javin and Fanishwar. Afzal, at the opposite end, spoke quietly to Yael, who nodded and wrote something down.

  Barindra fixed Asha with his piercing yellow eyes. “I want you to tell us exactly what happened from the beginning, Sandhu.”

  Aquila and Kelakha tensed on either side of her, straightening, and Asha hurried to begin. “First, I should tell you that I've been watching Ranya during my spare time.”

  Uma opened her mouth to say something, and Barindra raised a hand, silencing her.

  “From what I've seen, and what she pretty much admitted, Ranya's gathering, or attempting to gather, some kind of Underworlder army so she can rule the world.” Asha swallowed as they stared as if she were insane. “Or something.”

  Uma snorted. “That's preposterous! No one can control Underworlders to that extent—or even at all. Not outside their own species. It's—”

  Arihan said, “Explain the Asura, Vampires, and Goblin, then.”

  Barindra held up a hand. “Let Sandhu speak.”

  So Asha went over every encounter with Ranya while Yael took notes, Afzal closed his eyes, and Senya watched her. The Healer was obviously concerned that Asha was under too much stress. As she recounted the horrors of the village house and murdered family, every Jodha leaned forward, eyes dangerously alert. Barindra stopped her and made Asha describe the place three times before sending Chakori and Garud rushing out of the room with one hand motion.

  As Asha moved on to finding the note from Janu, skipping over the part about Kairav and the full moon, Senya interrupted. “Commander, with all due respect, give Asha a break. She needs to drink something.”

  Barindra looked at Senya for a moment, his expression like stone. “Fifteen minutes,” he said finally. Then he turned to Fanishwar, ignoring them.

  Asha stood, stumbling, and six arms reached out as Aquila, Kelakha, and Ursala rushed to steady her and Senya glared across the table at Barindra, Uma, and Javin, who seemed unmoved.

  Tanvir was waiting for them in the kitchen, and he hurried to give Asha hot ginger milk with turmeric and lots of honey. He placed steaming plates of potatoes, Chinese cabbage, and beets with pomegranate plum sauce in front of each of them at the large cutting table.

  Straightening his Yankees cap with a sympathetic smile, he said, “Eat.” Studying Asha's face, and the others' protective attitude, Tanvir added, “Is Barindra being too hard on you, Sandhu? You want me
to beat him to a bloody pulp?”

  Asha laughed at the image of round, soft Tanvir fighting the impossibly huge Barindra.

  “Oh,” he said, a hand flying to his heart. “She doesn't think I can do it, boys! I bet you don't think I'm Jodha, either, do you?”

  Asha blinked. “You're Jodha?”

  Tanvir bowed. Then, spinning faster than she thought someone his size could move, he Turned in the blink of an eye into a large grey and black Asian crow, perched on the worn stool. Fixing her with one ebony eye, the crow tilted his head forward as if to say There! Now do you believe me?

  Asha laughed, clapping. She reached out to the crow's shining feathers, and he snapped playfully at her hand, jumping up with spread wings to land on the light above the cutting board.

  “Tanvir… brave and strong.” Asha nodded, looking up in wonder at the crow. “So why are you always cooking?”

  Turning as he descended, Tanvir landed lightly on the stone floor, fixing his hat backwards on his head. “Maybe I like to cook. Did you ever consider that?”

  Ursala laughed. “And maybe his civilian wife doesn't want him putting his life in danger more than strictly necessary.”

  Tanvir shrugged, grimacing. “There's that, too.” He leaned across the counter, a fierceness filling his normally warm eyes. “That doesn't mean I don't have your back, Asha. Remember that.”

  Asha stared, surprised by his intensity.

  Tanvir drummed his hands along the counter.

  “Now hurry up and eat! Barindra said fifteen minutes, right? Chop chop.” Tapping his wrist, he left the kitchen.

  Twenty minutes later, Asha reentered the conference room flanked by Aquila, Kelakha, and Ursala, whose glares dared anyone to mention she was late.

  No one said anything.

  Chakori was back and looked more pissed off than usual. As soon as the four of them were seated, she said, “The place was swarming with cops, none high-ranking enough for us to speak to. All I found out was the cremations are happening at first light.”

  “Maybe it's just a random family,” said Garud, shrugging his massive shoulders.

  “Maybe,” said Chakori, but she sounded doubtful. “We'll keep looking into it.”

  Barindra cleared his throat. “Are you ready to continue, Sandhu?”

  Nodding, Asha took a deep breath and leaned forward. Starting with finding Janu's note and ring, she told them everything that happened, finishing with Tzirga's death. “When I saw Janu being tortured… I just…” She glanced at Javin. Tiny, fiercely calm Javin, who had tried so hard to teach them self-control.

  Shaking her head, Asha said, “I panicked. I felt like we were running out of time, and I just… I'm sorry. It's my fault. If I had waited for Dhevan and Arihan… Tzirga and Janu would still be alive.”

  Asha. That's bullshit, and you know it.

  “Do you have the note Janu left?” Barindra said.

  Asha took the note from her pocket and passed it to him. He read in silence, then handed it to Fanishwar, who stood and gave it to Afzal.

  “Tell me exactly what Janu said before he died,” Barindra said, and Aquila grasped Asha's hand under the table.

  “Uh… he said, he said that I could have been Ranya. That the Asura took me when I was a baby, and that my parents…”

  She felt Aquila tense, and Asha glanced quickly at him. He had gone pale and still, and Asha felt a searing stab of grief as she squeezed his hand.

  “He said… you're—I'm the only one who can stop her. Something about being the one who can save everyone…” Asha tried to remember, closing her eyes. “I think he was delirious.”

  “Try to tell us his exact words,” Barindra said.

  “Um… word leaked out about the birth of a Seer? A Seer that could close… he didn't finish… then he said something like ‘that Seer is you, only you can stop Ranya.’”

  Barindra, Chakori, and Fanishwar exchanged what Asha thought looked like excited glances.

  “Close and destroy portals?” Uma said.

  “What?” Asha shook her head. “No. He didn't say that.”

  Javin leaned forward. There was pity in her eyes when she said, “Eighteen years ago, a Seer prophesied the birth of another Seer, one who would close all portals into the lower realms once and for all. Do you know if Janu was saying that you are that Seer, Asha?”

  Asha felt her temper flare and her hands hit the table with a resounding bang, before she could stop herself. “He was dying! There was a massive knife sticking out of his goddamn chest!” She turned to Barindra. “He wasn't making sense, Commander. My parents died when I was eight; Ranya was taken as a baby, I mean, Asura only take babies. It made no sense.” Asha lowered her head into her hands. “He'd lost a lot of blood. You can't expect me to… I can't remember exactly… everything he said.”

  The room went completely still.

  Then Uma snapped, “Raurava's puss-filled balls, Sandhu! You must know something.”

  Asha lifted her eyes to Uma and saw her flinch slightly. “Why don't you ask the Seer who prophesied the whole thing in the first place?” she snapped back. “For all I know, it's Ranya. And while you're at it, ask yourselves what Janu meant by ‘word got out.’ Someone fed information to Underworlders.”

  Uma jumped up. “How dare you?”

  Ursala, Kelakha, and Aquila stood in one motion.

  “Asha's right,” said Kelakha, ignoring his mother's flashing orange eyes. “The Asura knew to keep targeting her. How in seven hells do you explain that?”

  Ursala glared at his mom. “And she might know more if she hadn't been on kitchen duty for weeks.”

  Barindra held up a hand. “Everybody calm down. Now.”

  Slowly, they sat. Barindra leaned back in his chair, folded his arms, and narrowed his eyes at Asha. “Did anyone tell you what happened the night you faced the Revenant in the sphere?” he asked.

  Asha shrugged. “I passed out.”

  “And all of your fellow Trainees rushed to help you. Do you know what that indicates?”

  She shrugged again. “They would have done the same for any one of us.”

  Barindra shook his head. “No, they wouldn't. You are a Commander, Sandhu. People feel a strong connection to you. Where you lead, they will follow.”

  She looked at Aquila and Kelakha on either side of her. They smiled, tilting their heads.

  “You are not only a Seer, a Jodha, a Healer,” Barindra said. “You are a next generation Commander. And from what I hear of your ability to pull life from Underworlders, also a very formidable member of The Infernal Guard.”

  Javin grinned. “They can't even touch her. Not even if she's unconscious!”

  The room went quiet, and everyone waited for Barindra to continue.

  Instead, he motioned to Senya, who left the room, returning shortly with steaming drinks for each of them. Cloves in lemon, ginger, and Echinacea. Barindra whispered something, and Senya returned five minutes later carrying a small rosebush. “Here, Asha,” he said, placing the plant on the table in front of her. “Commander's orders.”

  Locking eyes with Barindra, Asha drained the life from the small plant, and dried petals fell to the table.

  Senya took out the shriveled remains, and Barindra cleared his throat.

  “Maybe the prophesied Seer was Ranya. Maybe the Underworlders targeted you because you can… watch her. Who knows? I wouldn't jump to any conclusions about spies in The Infernal Guard. The Witches make their own prophecies, after all.”

  Barindra fixed Asha with his piercing gaze as the silence stretched.

  “Only two other Seers, aside from you, remain alive, Sandhu.”

  “What?” Asha stared. Barindra hadn't wanted proof of her ability. He'd wanted her healed before dropping that bombshell. “How many… ?”

  “In the past six months, fourteen Seers have been murdered. All but Janu had their rings taken.”

  Uma said, “So we can't ‘ask the Seer who first said’ anything.”


  Asha flinched.

  Barindra gave Uma a warning look, and she shook her head.

  Chakori said, “Janu gave you his ring, Asha.” She ignored her husband's warning hiss. “Not his wife, not his son. You.”

  Asha blinked in numb surprise. She hadn't even known Janu had a wife and son. It made his death so much worse, somehow, and Asha felt her eyes fill with tears.

  Kelakha and Aquila both growled, “Enough.”

  Ursala rose, adding, “She's told you all she knows. Figure it out.”

  Barindra laughed silently, waving them out. “When you finally decide to embrace your Talents, Sandhu, I have a feeling you will be among one of the most powerful Commanders The Guard has ever seen.”

  Chapter 41

  Asha woke with a start and looked at her bedside clock. Midnight. Aquila sat reading a book at her desk by the dim light of a small lamp and she watched him silently. His honey brown eyes moved back and forth, thick eyebrows narrowed in concentration, and his hair fell adorably around his face. As her heart began to race, a small smile played across his lips.

  “Call Lexi,” he said. “She's been texting every ten minutes.”

  Lexi, Nidhan, and Mia burst through the door three minutes later, and, after helping themselves to nuts and fruit, the girls sat on the bed while Nidhan pulled up a chair. Aquila sat, still reading his book.

  “When you skip breakfast, you miss the daily password,” Lexi declared, and Nidhan rolled his eyes.

  “Okay, what's the password?”

  “I can't just tell you, Asha. You have to put your hand in the holy water.”

  “Slash? Kirk Hammet? Dime Bag Darrel.”

  Lexi laughed. “No. Duane Allman.”

  “Okay. The password is Duane Allman. Happy?”

  “Happy? No, I am most definitely not happy, goddamn it! First you almost get yourself killed without us, and then you just… and Tzirga's gone. I still can't even believe it, you know? And now Ursala said something about you being a Commander? What the fuck does that even mean? And then—”

  Lexi's phone suddenly blasted Darth Vader music, and she froze, staring from her phone to Asha in astonishment. Lexi had selected the ringtone for her father, and the two girls had joked that in the unlikely event that he ever called from his constant travels, it could only mean catastrophic news.