by SGD Singh
“Very creepy eyes, too…” said Kelakha with a shiver. “I've never seen one up close like that.”
As if on cue, Shaan opened his eyes, and Jiao Wan jumped back with a squeak. Asha raised her hands, knocking him out again, but not before she had seen them. Blacker than black. Shaan reflected only the absence of light. His eyes were like bottomless, cold pits of despair.
Everyone stood unmoving, a collective shudder passing through them as if the room had gone cold.
Prabhnoor cleared his throat. “All right, let's get him secured before that happens again.” Reaching under the bed, he brought out straps that ended in arm and leg restraints and some sort of head-confinement device, and he buckled Shaan up until he resembled a mummy.
Asha's eyes widened. “How often do you have to use those?”
Prabhnoor shook his head. “First time. Let's hope they hold.”
As if to meet the challenge, Shaan's dark eyes opened again. This time, Jiao Wan was ready and, without hesitating, she grabbed his head with both hands, her red hair falling across her face. “Ready, Prabhnoor!”
“Asha, the paste. Now.” He pulled out his revolver. “Everyone else, out. Unless you'd like to experience what it feels like to be splattered with Revenant blood.”
Asha took a scoop of thick, cold, turmeric-onion-garlic paste and put it straight into Shaan's eyes, the heat from them drying the paste almost as soon as it touched him.
The scream that followed was so loud, she was sure civilians would hear it three stories up and across the forest. The room seemed to shake with the sound of it.
She felt a sharp stab of anguished panic, and she stumbled.
Asha!
I'm fine! Don't do that!
Lathering more of the paste onto Shaan's eyes, Asha ignored the pain in her ears, and tried not to feel Aquila's distress as he fought with every ounce of his self-control to stay outside.
Jiao Wan struggled to hold Shaan's eyes open, shouting something in Cantonese that sounded suspiciously like insults when he tried to bite her hands.
And then it happened. The smell of coffee filled the room, overriding the garlic and onion. Black, iridescent tears began spilling out of Shaan's eyes, bubbling up from under the cracked yellow paste.
“Get back! Get back!” Prabhnoor shouted at them, shoving with his elbows as he held his revolver up, and Asha and Jiao Wan hurried to stand against the wall behind him.
The tears flowed down Shaan's face, pooling around his head, and Asha felt the hairs on her neck stand up.
“C'mon, you piece of shit,” Prabhnoor mumbled. “Get away from his head, goddamn you.”
“Do you want me to—” Asha began, and Prabhnoor held a hand up, silencing her.
“Just stay back,” he hissed.
Abruptly, the tears stopped. The oily black mess seemed to consolidate into one shimmering puddle, reminding Asha of an obsidian version of the T1000 from Terminator 2. It dropped to the floor, moving—
“Oh, no you don't!” Prabhnoor screamed as he shot at the center of the quivering mass.
There was loud pop, and the room was bathed in light so brilliant that Asha had to cover her eyes with her arm. She was showered with hot liquid that began to burn, while another horrendous screech, even louder than the one before, rang in her ears.
The light faded, and Asha looked down at herself, her clothes steaming and torn, covered dark blotches, the skin red and raw on her hands and face.
“Well,” said Prabhnoor with a grin, wiping his sleeve across his face. “That wasn't so bad, was it? First Revenant kill!”
Jiao Wan and Asha looked at each other and started to laugh, their hands still shaking.
Aquila burst into the room, rushing to Asha, with the others right behind him.
Everyone looked down at Shaan unconscious on the bed. His breathing was uneven. The worst of the Revenant blood had missed him somehow, and Asha looked up. The ceiling had taken the bulk of it, the plaster eaten away at the heart of the damage.
“Get me the detox plants,” Asha said. “The nerve herbs, also the brain healing treatment…” Prabhnoor and Jiao Wan left the room. “And blood cleansing!” she called after them.
“Obviously!” Prabhnoor called back.
For the next two hours, they attempted to heal Shaan. Asha ignored her exhaustion, barely aware of the burning on her skin. The faces of the Collector's dead children flooded her mind whenever she thought of rest. Yet Shaan showed little improvement. He regained consciousness only to gape around in horror, tears streaming down his face. Asha could almost feel his weakened mind fighting to accept the massacre, as he recalled the fate of his wife, his parents, his children. Over and over again.
Asha would help him sleep when his hysterical despair threatened to swallow him, his sorrow tearing at him until she thought her own heart would break.
She felt as if she were torturing him, helping him sleep to forget, only to remember again.
“Somebody get that photo of his family,” she said when he was sleeping, as two hours slipped toward three. “And find Lexi.”
Raising her arms, the last remaining plants shriveled, causing Shaan's color to improve. Temporarily.
You need to rest, Asha. It's past dawn.
Turning to Aquila, she saw him flinch, and she wondered vaguely what she must look like. Tears sprang to his eyes as he stepped forward and wrapped her in his arms. A sense of warm security washed over her, and Asha closed her burning eyes and breathed deeply, leaning into him.
Maybe it's too late… maybe—
Pulling away, Asha shook her head. No. Don't…
Asha. It's been—
Lexi burst in, followed by Nidhan and Hua Tseng, holding the photo.
“You found him!” Lexi said. “That's Shaan, right? Is he dead? He looks dead.”
“He's not dead,” Asha told her. “But he wants to be.”
Lexi's eyes cut over to Shaan, filling with sadness. Then back to Asha. “What do you need?”
“The next time he wakes up, it's gonna be to you singing. You know that Hindu chant—”
“Shit, Asha, what the fuck do I look like? The Infernal Guard's designated death singer? No!”
Nidhan stepped forward, “Lexi—”
“Don't start, Nidhan. You have no idea. This man lost his whole fucking family—”
“Yes, he did.” Asha turned Lexi toward her by the shoulder, and they glared at each other. Lexi paled as her eyes moved across Asha's burned face.
“But he's not dead, Lexi. He's not even injured, not physically. Don't you think it's at least worth a try to… heal his spirit?”
Lexi crossed her arms, but said, “And if so, he can tell us something about what Ranya plans for tomorrow night?”
Asha nodded, “Maybe.”
“Maybe.” Lexi nodded, kicking at a dead plant. Finally, she said, “Okay. I'll do it.”
She approached the bed and peered down at Shaan. Turning back to Asha, she pointed. “By the way, now your eyes are creepy. Damn!”
The next time Shaan came to, the room was filled with the sounds of a Hindu devotional song. Lexi chanted in praise of the One Universe, of everlasting life, timeless light that fills all of infinity, hope of all-encompassing, everlasting love. He blinked around as if unsure where he was, and then Shaan's gaze fell on the photograph of his family, and his eyes filled with tears once more. But as the chanting continued, his color held, and his trembling slowly subsided. Lexi kept singing, her voice holding perfectly as though she could sing forever, until, relaxing for the first time that night, Shaan raised a trembling hand up to her.
Lexi stopped, moving back to stand with Nidhan against the wall.
“It's hard to remember everything,” Shaan croaked, bringing a hand to his throat, wincing.
Prabhnoor stepped forward with a glass of holy water filled with cloves and lemon.
Sipping it, Shaan continued. “There's a Witch. She… she controls Underworlders like… something I never t
hought possible. Civilians worship her as though she's some kind of Goddess.” He shook his head and stared into his glass. “When the Revenant… took over… it's difficult to remember what it made me do. Nothing good, I can promise… But she was there, this Witch. With Asura… I think. Her laughter, it…” He clutched at his head suddenly, the glass falling to the floor with a loud clatter.
Asha leaned toward him, taking his hands in hers. “I know,” she said. “Try to rest…”
Putting one hand on her shoulder, Shaan dug his fingers into Asha's back with surprising strength. “It's not safe here,” he hissed, shaking her. Aquila rushed forward, getting between them, and pried Shaan's hand loose. “She's going to unleash hell! She's—” He lay back against the pillows, pale and shaking. “It's not safe here…” he whispered again, and his eyes began to fill with anguish. Asha raised her hands.
After Shaan was asleep, Asha left the hospital, leaving Nidhan to watch over the Collector. Himat and Karan would take the next two watches until sunset.
Kelakha and Ursala disappeared down to the weapons forgery as the rest of them climbed the stairs. Exhaustion made Asha's legs heavy.
“He didn't tell us anything we don't already know,” Lexi said, frustration in every word.
“But your singing helped him, Lexi,” said Hua Tseng. “He looked better… sort of.”
Lexi snorted, sliding her ring across her door. “Let's just hope we can keep wasting manpower on suicide detail,” she said, before slamming her door.
The glass above the indoor garden began to lighten as the sun attempted to break through the gloom of fog, and Asha stopped in front of her room.
Stay with me?
Aquila bent his head to hers, his hair falling across her face, and she closed her eyes. Always.
Inside, Asha began to fill the tub with both the immunity protection and nerve strengthening bath solutions, the combination of the herbs creating an oddly pleasant aroma, while Aquila put his jacket on the back of a chair, helping himself to fruit and nuts.
“What do you do with demolished clothes?” she called from the bathroom.
“Just put 'em in the basket,” he said, kicking his shoes off and laying back on the bed with an exhausted sigh. “Whoever's on laundry duty will figure it out.”
Asha finally looked in the mirror. She didn't recognize herself. She looked more like something from the books about Underworlders; her eyes were blood red, the centers glowing like blue tourmalines, her forehead was covered in sores, and her whole face was framed by dark tangles of turmeric-smeared mess. “Holy crap.”
After her bath, Asha dressed for combat in black wool silk with reinforced mystery metal threaded into the material. She hung the matching jacket on the back of a chair, red silk piping shining along the high-necked collar, new shoes waiting by its side. She laid her weapons belt, wrist guard, and leg holsters filled with knives and stakes on the night stand, and finally got into the bed.
Aquila's steady breathing and reassuring warmth beside her were enough to make the world transform into a mirage of perfection, and Asha snuggled up against his back, wrapping an arm around his waist with an exhausted sigh of contentment.
Aquila moved onto his back, encircling her in his strong arms, and Asha brought her head to his chest, closing aching eyes as the rhythm of his heart lulled her into a dreamless sleep.
Chapter 49
A warm hand on her shoulder, gently shaking her.
“Asha. Wake up.” It was Aquila's voice, so close.
Asha opened her eyes.
Aquila stood dressed in full combat gear, ammunition strung across his chest, the handle of a machete peeking over one shoulder. Looking at her, his eyes shone in the late afternoon light from behind his messy hair. He looked like a video game heartthrob, and Asha's pulse escalated, a horde of butterflies taking flight in her stomach.
He turned away, clearing his throat. “It's one hour 'til sunset.”
Fully awake in an instant, Asha threw aside the quilt and rushed to the bathroom. “Christ, Aquila! You were supposed to wake me up an hour ago.”
“I decided to get our extra weapons instead,” Aquila called. She heard him mutter under his breath, “After taking an ice cold shower.”
Fifteen minutes later, all her weapons and extra ammo secured, Asha stopped in the mess hall, where a simple breakfast of spicy broccoli pastries, ginger oatcakes, and hot cinnamon milk waited at the buffet. She and Aquila ate in silence with Lexi, Nidhan, and Himat before going to the hospital to check on Shaan.
Karan sat with the Collector, watching him while he picked half-heartedly at a plate of food. They were surrounded by fresh plants.
Looking up as Asha entered, Shaan pushed the plate aside. “I remembered something else,” he said. But then he looked at their matching dark clothes, additional fire power, and various bladed weapons strapped to their backs and arms. “You know already, by the look of things.”
“Know what already?” Lexi demanded impatiently, and Asha shot her a warning look.
“It hasn't started yet?” Shaan looked to Aquila, who shook his head. “The lake. They plan on polluting it on the winter solstice. Karan tells me that's tonight.”
Asha felt the realization hit her like a blow to the gut, and she stumbled. Aquila and Lexi jumped to steady her. Asha motioned everyone out with a hand motion.
“Wait!” Shaan shouted, and everyone froze. “Whatever's going on, I want to know. I think I've earned that much, at least.”
Silence filled the room as all eyes turned from Shaan to Asha. “I may have no Talent, but I was born and raised Guard,” he told her. “I know you just ordered them out for an emergency conference. Commander.”
Asha looked at Aquila. He held her gaze for a long second, then shrugged.
“Okay,” she said, looking around the group. “Ranya knows I can See her plans if she shares them, and she's smart. She's not giving any specific orders until the last possible moment. I'll know what will happen, but only right before it happens. I should have figured this part out, though.” Asha looked at the ceiling. “Ranya wasn't torturing babies just for fun. Or just to eat. She was collecting… material to destroy our holy water lake.” Asha shook her head, trying to clear the screams from her memories. It didn't work. “Lexi. Get the blueprints from Yael. We need to check and secure every pipe.”
Nodding once, Lexi left the room.
“Himat. Find out if Prabhnoor knows anything about… fear-infused pure blood and holy water. How long its impact lasts.”
Himat was leaving before she finished.
Asha opened her mouth to say something to Aquila when Shaan pulled himself out of the bed, his shoes on his feet before she could fully comprehend what he was doing.
“Where do you think you're going?”
“I want to help—”
Asha stood between him and the door. “You can barely stand. Karan, secure him to the bed.”
Karan moved toward him, but Shaan slapped his hands away with surprising speed.
“I can shoot sitting down then—Get your hands off me. Asha, let me fight… please.”
Asha shook her head. “You'll only get yourself killed.”
Shaan took a step forward. “Happiness and moral duty are inseparably connected.” He folded his hands, as if in prayer. “Please, Asha. Let me die happy.”
Asha and Shaan looked at each other as the silence stretched.
Finally, Asha turned to Nidhan. “Give him a weapon,” she said, and Shaan's face broke into a smile.
Aquila's mouth fell open. What the fuck, Asha.
He quoted George Washington. No one can argue with that shit!
Nidhan motioned Shaan to follow him just as Ibha and Li Tsia burst through the door, breathless.
“The forest is on fire, Asha,” Li Tsia said. “It's starting.”
Chapter 50
They gathered under the glass ceiling of the indoor garden just as the shrieks of monkeys began to fill the night. Aquila s
queezed Asha's hand and hurried through the crowd to Kelakha and Ursala. Falling into groups according to their Talents, everyone waited for Tanvir, checking weapons with palpable impatience.
In a flash of black feathers, Tanvir stood halfway up the staircase, arms raised for silence as the screeching of birds joined the noise outside. He nodded at her, and Asha sprinted to join him.
The animals abruptly stopped screaming. The sudden silence was even more horrifying than the noise, and Asha shuddered as she looked down at the faces of her fellow Trainees. Aquila grinned proudly up at her.
Tanvir whispered, “You have a plan, right?” Then bellowed, “The Commander will now tell us her plan!”
Asha took a deep breath. “Freya and Hua Tseng,” she called, and the two girls stepped forward. “I want you up on the roof. Create an illusion the Underworlders will not easily ignore.” Nodding, they sprinted up the stairs.
“Li Tsia, you and Shaan, cover them.” After only a split-second hesitation, and a glance at Nidhan, the Tvastar moved up the stairs, taking them three at a time, Shaan following slowly but steadily under the weight of what looked like a rocket launcher.
“Jiao Wan will stay in the hospital,” Asha called, finding the Healer's red hair in the crowd. Jiao Wan lunged forward in protest. Asha raised a hand. “Chucho, you will bring whoever can't be healed in the field to her.”
The shrieks outside began again with renewed strength. Or unprecedented agony.
“Lexi, Nidhan, Himat, and Mia will join me,” Asha shouted over the noise. “The five of us will unblock the pipes.” The four of them moved to stand, waiting for Asha.
Asha raised her hands. “That leaves Jodha.”
The remaining ten Trainees stepped forward in one smooth motion. Asha felt Tzirga's absence with a stab of grief as Ariella stood, her cat-eyes flashing, as the only female among them.
Asha nodded to Tanvir, and he stepped forward as she joined Lexi.
“Barindra and the others will be here in two hours,” he told them. “In the meantime, you know what to do. No Underworlder passes through that door. We cover Asha's team and we kill any and all visitors from hell. Now move!” Turning, Tanvir took off and circled once around the garden, those who could shift to birds following suit. The rest broke into a run, disappearing through the door as they shifted.