Chapter 32
Varum would be happy if he never heard Dain’s name again.
He hadn’t met the elf, but he hated him.
Kalyani’s laughter trailed behind him. The sound eased some of the tension in his body.
When had something so minor become so important?
Had it happened suddenly, or was it something that had occurred so slowly he didn’t notice?
He refused to come home again and be unable to find her.
Twice now, he’d felt an emptiness, a sort of bleakness that had grasped him like the icy hands of a specter when he hadn’t been able to find her.
His thoughts took him to finding her behind the door.
His chest tightened as he thought about how close he had come to pressing his lips to hers.
The door of his home closed behind him, cutting off her laughs.
Nirav would keep her occupied so she didn’t have time to think about Tanira trying to get in.
Varum wasn’t so sure he would be able to keep his thoughts from straying for the rest of the day.
He was more motivated than ever now to find a way for Kalyani to leave Tarangarh.
He strode into his office and pulled out the maps of the trench.
He knew the ins and outs of the city as well as anyone.
He knew its weaknesses and strengths. Somehow, somewhere, in all that knowledge, was the path to freedom for Kalyani.
And if he was lucky, redemption for his colossal lapse in judgment.
Rohan would never forgive him, but Varum wouldn’t ask that of her brother. Getting her home safely was the least he could do under the circumstances. No matter what it took, no matter how arduous it was, he would get Kalyani home.
Varum put thoughts of the Masters aside as he pored over map after map and studied logs of the currents.
He tracked the distance from the trench to shore and looked over the migration patterns of dangerous marine life.
He checked the shipping lanes the Sea Elves had taken note of to find the safest, quickest route.
The problem was that there wasn’t one. Each path posed a different danger.
The greatest was getting out of the trench.
He found it hard to believe that with as much time as Kalyani spent in the water, that she hadn’t encountered any Sea Elves.
That didn’t mean they hadn’t seen her, however.
He’d have to swim some distance behind her to ensure that no one tried to attack her.
He tossed down the pen and leaned back in his chair, closing his eyes. He wished to return home and tell her that he was taking her that evening, but the patrols were still too numerous for them to pass unnoticed. They had no choice but to wait.
Varum sighed and leaned his forearms on his desk, staring at the map once more. They needed a distraction. Something that took everyone’s attention elsewhere. He suddenly sat up, a smile pulling at his lips as an idea took root.
“The next Assembly,” he murmured.
It would occur in three days. The vast majority of the city would be in attendance. The timing could work. He chuckled as the tightness around his chest lessened. There was enough time for him to get things in order. He hoped it would be enough for Nirav, too.
Varum looked around his cramped office with its tiny desk littered with papers. He could walk out now. Few would notice his absence now that Tanira wouldn’t look for him. There were details he needed to iron out with both Kalyani and Nirav anyway.
He pushed to his feet to leave when the Tidewarden rounded the corner.
Varum met Arvind’s bluish-black eyes. The elf had never been pleased at their involvement, and while Arvind had never outright admonished Varum because it would’ve hurt Tanira, the Tidewarden had made it clear he thought his daughter could do better.
Handsome and charming, Arvind wielded his power carefully—and exactly. He was never showy, preferring to be deliberate and calculating in every action he took and with each decision made. So, the fact that he was there was not something Varum dismissed.
Varum dipped his head to the elder official. “My lord. What brings you to my office?”
“Your report.” Arvind looked around the office as he strolled casually inside. “Why did you send it through Tanira?”
“I didn’t. I wasn’t finished with it. However, she found it and made the decision to bring it to you without telling me.”
Arvind’s brows shot up as he clasped his hands behind his back. “She told me you asked her to bring it to me personally. Are you calling my daughter a liar?”
“I’m merely explaining what happened.”
“Those are carefully chosen words.”
Varum held the elder elf’s gaze, not bothering to say anything else.
Arvind suddenly inhaled quickly. “I’m sure you’ve noticed that I added new patrols and increased the guards.”
“I did.”
“You don’t seem thankful.”
Varum eyed the Tidewarden as he wondered about the elf’s anger. Could it be because he’d contradicted Tanira’s account? Nay. It was something more. Unease made Varum’s stomach clench. There was no way Arvind knew about Kalyani. If he did, he wouldn’t be holding back.
It wouldn’t do Varum any good to get into any kind of debate with him. He didn’t want Arvind’s attention on him now that he was leaving. The fact that the Tidewarden was there made Varum rethink things.
“I’m grateful, my lord. One of the requests I made in the report was to have additional patrols to keep our city and its occupants safe.”
“You should’ve come to me right after you found the two elves helping the Masters.”
Ah. That was why he had come. Varum bowed his head in deference. “As I explained, I was still compiling my report. I wanted to make sure I had everything included.”
“There is more?”
“I’m still investigating.”
Arvind looked away as he nodded. “Is that why you’ve not spent as much time in here as usual?”
Wariness stole over Varum. Was he being followed? Arvind had taken note of his absence, and that wasn’t a good sign. Then again, Varum had become suspicious of everyone after sneaking Kalyani into his home. It wouldn’t hurt to be cautious, however. “It is.”
“How are you doing that within the city? Shouldn’t you be out finding more boats?”
Varum frowned while studying Arvind’s face.
The Tidewarden swung his head around and met Varum’s gaze with an expectant expression.
He needed to get out of the city, but with Kalyani.
There was no way he’d be able to do that if Arvind sent him out on a mission.
It made Varum wonder again if Arvind knew about her. Was this some kind of test?
Or worse, a trap?
“I’ve been looking over shipping lane records,” Varum said as he pointed to the ledger on his desk. “We’ve not paid much attention to what the other races are doing, but that could hold the key since they’re obviously transporting those abducted via boats.”
Arvind cut his gaze to the ledger. “It doesn’t look like there’s much in there.”
“There isn’t. Yet. I wanted to find some way of locating the two Sea Elves I saw, but so far, I’ve been unsuccessful.”
Arvind grunted as he looked at the items on the desk before lifting his gaze to Varum. “It’s easy for someone to hide in Tarangarh. Your report didn’t give much of a description of either elf, other than that they were male.”
“There was a lot happening at that time.”
“It’s hard to believe that anyone in my city would join the Masters.”
Varum had expected such a comment. It was one of the reasons he had put as much detail as he had into the report.
He couldn’t help but wonder—once more—exactly why Arvind was here.
Maybe it was time for him to do a bit of testing himself.
“Yet rumors of them have spread even to us. How? Unless someone is involved with them.”
“Surely, you aren’t accusing me.”
“Of course not,” Varum stated. “We know very little about the Masters or the organization, other than that they are kidnapping people. Those shackled on the boat were human, but what happens when all the humans have been taken? They’ve already began taking elves above.”
Arvind shook his head once. “Humans are the weaker ones. It makes sense they would be targeted.”
Varum was disgusted by the words. Had he thought the same before Kalyani? Had he looked down upon her kind with the same sort of disdain? “That doesn’t make what is happening to them right.”
“This isn’t about right or wrong. It is about keeping Sea Elves safe,” Arvind said. “I’ve reached out to the other Tidewardens to see if they’ve gathered any information. “
“I’m happy to know that you’re taking this so seriously.”
Arvind’s eyes narrowed. “I need proof. So far, I only have your account. There were no other witnesses.”
There were, but Varum couldn’t bring Kalyani into things. “What if none of the other cities have had any dealings with the Masters?”
“That means you’ll have worried for nothing.”
“I sincerely hope you’re correct.”
Arvind issued a snort. “At any rate, you no longer need to concern yourself with this issue. I’ve given it to someone else.”
Varum wasn’t surprised by the move, but it still brought a rise of anger from within him. He told himself it didn’t matter, that he was leaving Tarangarh. Now, Arvind had made it even easier to say goodbye to the city.
“As you wish,” Varum said with a bow of his head.
“I heard you visited my house today.”
Varum sighed. Maybe now they could get to the real reason for the Tidewarden’s visit. “I needed a word with Tanira to clear up something.”
Fury tightened Arvind’s face. “It had better not have been about reuniting. I know that is what my daughter wants, but I refuse to have someone like you married to her.”
“Someone like me?” Varum had heard those words his entire life, but somehow, they infuriated him now. “You mean someone who goes above and beyond for the city? Someone who is loyal and dependable?”
“You know exactly what I mean,” Arvind replied icily.
Varum snorted while barely reining in his fury. “I do, indeed.”
“Good. I’m glad to see we’re of like mind.”
“Hardly.” Varum walked around the desk and out of his office without looking back. If he stayed, he’d likely say something he would later regret. As it was, he was carrying a huge regret already. There wasn’t room for any more.
He made his way home, his thoughts filled with Kalyani and how to get her home.
As he neared, he heard the faint sounds of a song coming from his neighbor.
Varum paused to listen to the elf’s haunting voice, but it wasn’t the words that stopped him.
It was wondering what Kalyani thought of the music.
Varum trudged to the door, his hand on the knob as his magic unlocked it.
Just as he was about to open the door, he pictured her face from earlier when he found her hiding.
The relief in her gaze had sent a bolt of something electric through him.
But it was the sight of her lips that had undone him.