Chapter 31
No matter how Kalyani tried, she couldn’t relax. She had wanted to call Varum back, to run and cling to him so he would stay, but he had left before she had the chance. She had stared at the door long after it closed behind him, counting the seconds until his return.
She had known fear before. It wasn’t an emotion someone grew accustomed to. No matter how many times it found her, it always burrowed deep and stayed long after the event was over.
The same was true now. She couldn’t shake off the apprehension, couldn’t dispel the worry.
She looked back at the wardrobe and contemplated climbing back in.
Her feet even took a tentative step forward, but she realized it wouldn’t save her if someone came looking.
Nothing—and no one, not even Varum—could stop them if they came for her.
Kalyani turned her attention to the window as she moved closer to it.
The lattice was still closed, but she could see through the spaces to the water beyond.
She didn’t want to die, but if her choice was being hauled out of Varum’s home by force to be executed, she would rather take her chances in the water.
Even if she were crushed to death, it would be better than whatever might befall her at the hands of those who despised her kind.
She wanted to hate Varum for bringing her here, but she couldn’t.
Because if their places were reversed, she likely would’ve done the same thing.
Not too long ago, she had been that desperate to find Lata.
If she’d had even a hint that a Sea Elf could help her, she would’ve found a way to find one.
So, how could she be angry at Varum for doing what he thought was necessary?
“Where does that leave me?” she whispered.
She put a hand against the lattice. If it weren’t there, could she really go through and take her chances of being crushed? She peered up, trying to see how deep they were, but just as before, she couldn’t see anything but varying shades of dark blue.
For so long, the wonders of the ocean had lulled her into the water. She had frolicked and played, uncaring of how worried Rohan became. She had always known she would return. Nothing in the water scared her.
At least, that was how it used to be.
Now, she was terrified of everything. The water was just out of reach, yet she didn’t want to swim.
If she somehow came out of this with her life, she might never get back into the ocean again.
Her entire life had been in that one location.
Even moving to Serenia had only been up the beach.
There was an entire world out there, waiting to be seen.
Fear of the unknown and obligation had kept her by Rohan’s side.
Even he had left with Farah and saw Shecrish. What had she done? Swum. Ignored promises of staying close to shore. And for what? To be trapped in a place that seemed waiting to snuff out her life.
The doorknob rattled, yanking her out of her thoughts. Kalyani spun and hurried to plaster herself against the wall behind the bedroom door. She gazed at the wardrobe, wishing she had gotten back inside.
She listened as the front door swung open, but no one made a sound. Her ears strained to hear Varum’s voice call out to let her know it was him. Her blood was rushing so loudly that it drowned out everything else.
Suddenly, the door she was hiding behind was yanked away from her. She gasped even as her gaze landed on Varum.
“Why didn’t you answer?” he asked breathlessly. “I’ve been calling your name.”
Had he? She hadn’t heard anything. She tried to swallow, but even that was difficult.
Varum blew out a breath and nodded as if gathering himself. “You’re pale. We brought food. A good meal will help.”
She belatedly realized that his hand was wrapped around her wrist. How had she missed how big his hands were?
How long his fingers were. Her wrist looked as fragile as a twig in his grasp.
She stared down at his blue skin that was so different from hers.
They were opposites in every way, yet somehow, she trusted him.
It hadn’t been intentional. But somehow, it just… happened.
“Kalyani?”
Her name was a caress that fell from his lips.
She lifted her gaze to meet his. Time slowed as they stared at each other, lost in the moment and whatever held them.
He took a step closer. That one movement made her stomach quiver, and heat spread through her.
Then his beautiful eyes dropped to her mouth.
“Is everything all right?” Nirav asked as he pushed against the door.
Varum reached out with his free hand and kept the door from opening any wider. “I found her. We’ll be out momentarily.”
“Oh. Right,” Nirav said with a chuckle.
She struggled to breathe as Varum continued to stare at her lips. She was just about to make the same demand as before when he suddenly released her and backed up several steps.
“Answer next time, please. I was worried,” he stated. “Now, come. Nirav is waiting for us.”
She watched him walk from the room. It seemed he was always walking away from her lately.
Or maybe she was just clingy. She tended to do that when she was scared.
But this wasn’t a situation where she could cling to anyone.
She needed to keep her worries to herself.
It wouldn’t do to let anyone know just how troubled she was about the situation.
Kalyani followed Varum into the living area to see him and Nirav at the table, setting out food.
Nirav flashed a bright smile when he saw her.
She found herself returning it as he hurried her over and sat her down.
Varum put a plate of food in front of her.
Both he and Nirav seemed relaxed, like nothing of concern was happening.
If that was how they wanted it, she could follow along.
Nirav kept the conversation flowing as she picked at her food. She didn’t recognize any of it, but it smelled amazing. And she was hungry. Once she finally gave it a try, she realized how delicious it was. She stuffed her face while Nirav told stories about Varum growing up.
She watched the two of them together and how easy they were in each other’s company.
Nirav laughed and smiled often, and she saw Varum smile for the first time.
It wasn’t a grin, but a wide, happy smile that made the corners of his eyes crinkle.
It changed his entire face from handsome to blindingly gorgeous.
The more she listened to them, the more she realized they were decent individuals. How could a society reject a boy because his parents abandoned him? How was that the child’s fault and not the parents’?
It also wasn’t right that they’d spurned Nirav for his five years on land. It wasn’t as if he had volunteered to go. He had been chosen.
Neither man had picked their path, but fate had brought them together, giving each of them the family they both desperately needed.
What the Sea Elf society shunned had become her gain.
Not that she could call Nirav and Varum friends, but they were protecting her.
That was more than anyone else here would do.
“Why did you two remain in Tarangarh?” she asked. The moment she spoke the words, she realized she had not only said them aloud but had interrupted a conversation. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have pried.”
Nirav’s smile was soft as he looked at her. “I thought about leaving when I first returned, but the city has always been my home. Of course, I didn’t realize how difficult it would be to settle back into my old life. I hadn’t been back long before Varum needed me.”
She glanced at Varum, but his gaze was on the table, his face unreadable.
“And,” Nirav continued, “we talked about leaving every now and again. Varum wished to remain, and his life had been disrupted so badly already that I couldn’t refuse.”
“Would it have been any different anywhere else?” Varum asked.
Nirav sighed. “Maybe. It’s hard to say.”
“We should’ve left,” Varum said.
Surprise spread across Nirav’s face.
Varum looked up and met his friend’s gaze. “I think it’s time we both start fresh. Away from Tarangarh.” His head swung to Kalyani. “Once I have her back home, I don’t plan on returning. I stayed for too long.”
She searched Varum’s eyes, but she wasn’t sure what emotion she saw there.
He sucked in a breath and looked at Nirav. “It’s time. For both of us.”
“Where are you going?”
One corner of Varum’s lips curved upward. “I don’t know. Why don’t you choose?”
“Well,” Nirav said as he blinked, his brow furrowing, “the ocean is vast. We could go anywhere.”
“Visit the Dragon Kings,” she said.
Both men’s heads swiveled to her.
“The dragons are a myth,” Nirav said.
Kalyani wrinkled her nose, wondering if she should tell them everything.
Then she shrugged. She had already spoken about the Kings.
She might as well finish it. “They aren’t, actually.
It wasn’t that long ago that Kendrick, a Dragon King, was chasing something that had killed a bunch of dragons.
They said it was invisible, but some could see it.
I don’t know,” she said with a shrug. “But it brought Kendrick across the border into Shecrish. He teamed up with Esha, an Asavori Ranger, and Dain to find it.”
“Dain again?” Varum grumbled.
Nirav quirked a brow in question.
“That Dark Elf is in every story she tells,” Varum answered.
Nirav chuckled and motioned for her to continue.
Kalyani wiped her mouth with a napkin to cover her smile. “I don’t think I ever heard the entire story, but I know that Esha and Kendrick fell in love.”
“A dragon and an elf?” Nirav asked with a frown. “How is that even possible?”
“I left out a crucial detail. The Dragon Kings can shift from human to dragon at will. Esha went to live with him, though she still meets Savita on occasion. At least, that’s what Dain says.”
Varum rolled his eyes at the mention of Dain.
“Savita?” Nirav asked.
“Oh,” Kalyani said, realizing her mistake. “She’s a Reader. Esha’s sister.”
Varum sat up. “You know a Reader?”
“I’ve not met her personally, but some of the others have. Arya, Jai, and Dain have seen Kendrick shift into his dragon form, too.”
“There really are dragons, then?” Nirav asked, his voice a shocked whisper.
She nodded. “Apparently, quite a few. The elves almost started a war. The Conclave learned about Kendrick and attempted to retaliate, but the way Dain tells it, it was the Dragon Kings’ show of force that stopped anything from going further.”
“You make it sound as if the dragons would welcome us,” Varum said.
Kalyani shrugged as she looked between them. “Why wouldn’t they? They’ve accepted Esha.”
“But no one is supposed to cross the border into Idrias,” Nirav reminded her.
She sighed and twisted her lips. “Do the borders extend all the way out into the water?”
“Nay,” Varum and Nirav replied in unison.
Nirav looked to Varum. “We could go see, and actually surface for once. I’d like to get a glimpse of a dragon. Maybe Kalyani could ask Dain to facilitate a meeting with Kendrick.”
Varum shot them a dark look before surging to his feet and stalking away, leaving her and Nirav to laugh. After the terror of that morning, she hadn’t thought she would be able to smile for a long time. Yet here she was, laughing.