26. Kiyan
26
KIYAN
K iyan’s eyes lingered on Ravana as they descended the stairs with Emma leading them.
He so badly wanted to ask her about the night when the city had burned, but he didn’t want to do it with Emma in earshot. He hadn’t been able to get the look on Ravana’s face out of his head.
She hadn’t appeared scared like most people would have, given the situation… No, even terror or horror couldn’t sufficiently describe the emotion that’d been warring in her eyes when he had found her in an alley behind burning merchant stalls.
Kiyan had been out for a walk that night when he caught the scent of things burning, and an instant later, buildings around him were catching fire like a highly infectious contagion spreading through an unaware population.
He hadn’t been too far away from Emma’s apartment, and immediately rushed over to go alert them, but he found a curled-up and frightened Ravana a block away, shivering and sobbing uncontrollably.
I’ve never seen her like that before. I got her as far away from the fire as possible, but she hasn’t said a word about it since…
His attention was brought back to reality the moment he realized she was glaring at him from over her shoulder.
What did I do to deserve that look?
“Why are we down here?” Kiyan asked, not only uncomfortable under Ravana’s scowling attention but also being back in the secret underground facility didn’t exactly bring back any fond memories.
“You’re not scared are you?” Ravana laughed, walking past him to keep up with Emma. “So, what’s the plan?”
“The plan is there is no plan. You both are going to be working on potion mixing, while I’m going to be solving Mr. Ransom’s little dilemma.” Emma narrowed her eyes at both Kiyan and Ravana. “I don’t want either one of you to get mixed up in this more than is necessary.”
“Too late for me. I’ve been dealing with dangerous stuff like this for most of my life.” Ravana smirked, crossing her arms and elbowing Kiyan when Emma turned away.
“That was before you were able to choose your own path. Things are different now, and I hope you appreciate that,” Emma retorted, but turned her focus on the long metal table aligned with potion vials.
Kiyan’s eyes shifted to Ravana. She looked caught off guard. Her defensive and cunning smile fell from her face, replaced by an emotion he was certain she would want him to notice. But it was exactly that vulnerability that Kiyan found so endearing about her.
He also couldn’t help but admire how her long black hair fell straight down her slender back like a waterfall, and how her icy blue eyes always twinkled with a hint of mischief.
Snap out of it! There are other things I need to be thinking about right now.
Kiyan shook his head slightly, willing his eyes away from Ravana, but he couldn’t quite force the small smile off his face.
“You’re so weird,” Ravana said, giving him a sidelong look as she took a step away from him.
Nice going, Kiyan, he reprimanded himself.
“Be nice, Ravana. And Kiyan, stop freaking her out.” Emma’s words were like a dagger in Kiyan’s chest.
“I didn’t do anything,” Kiyan mumbled to himself as he rolled his eyes, but then something caught his attention.
The cages with the prisoners from before aren’t around anymore. Jax must’ve had them removed before letting Emma back in here…
“Hey, weirdo! Are we going to do some learning or are you going to space out all day?” Ravana waved her hand in front of Kiyan’s face.
Kiyan grabbed Ravana’s hand gently to stop her. “I’m right here.”
Ravana’s eyes widened, her face flushing with a rosy color as her gaze fell to the way he held her hand.
They were still for a moment, watching each other’s reactions, uncertain of what to make of it.
Then, it was as if an intense disgust had suddenly come over her. “Let go of me, you freak,” Ravana spat as she snatched her hand back from him, rubbing at it as if Kiyan were dirty, but she turned away before he could see her expression.
Kiyan felt a pang in his chest at her response to his touch, even though he’d gotten used to her treating him like that.
Despite him wishing things were different, he understood her reaction to him. It was his father, after all, who had single-handedly dragged her into the underbelly of society.
“Ravana, why don't you show Kiyan some of the potions you've been writing down? I think you have a few good ones on your hands.” Emma was quick to break up the tension between them, and Kiyan was grateful for it.
Ravana glanced back at Kiyan, sneering at him before pulling on the string that tied her journal to her side. “None of these look like they’ll work. I've been at this for weeks and I still don't understand it.”
“That's because it's not about how it looks. It's about how it feels . When I know a potion is going to work, I feel it in my bones, in my very being. There's a part of my soul that sings to me and tells me that I'm moving in the right direction. All you have to do is get attuned to that voice, that indistinct tugging in your gut,” Emma explained with adoration in her eyes, as if she was talking about an old friend.
There was a light behind her gaze that he’d only seen one or two times. He realized that creating potions had to be Emma’s great passion.
Kiyan watched as she pulled herself up onto the counter, and crossed her legs while taking Ravana's journal from her. “Why don't we take a look here together?”
Emma moved her finger down the page, flipping it over a few times. “Here we go! This one seems like it'll work.”
She turned the journal back to Ravana. “Why don't you read down the list and tell me what feels right and what doesn't.”
Emma's smile was encouraging, and despite Ravana’s hesitation, she agreed.
“Well, it's a fulfillment potion. The idea is that you drink it in the morning and it gives you all the nutrients you need for the day. I thought it might be nice to fend off hunger for those that can't afford multiple meals.” Ravana’s fingers nervously tapped the hardcover of the journal.
Kiyan couldn’t help but frown.
Only somebody who’s been profoundly hungry would feel the need to write a position like that…
“That sounds very promising. Now picture adding each ingredient to the potion. What does it do? Does it make the potion stronger or weaker?” Kiyan motioned for her to continue.
Ravana gave Kiyan an annoyed look but continued. “The potion consists of three horse hairs, mother of vinegar, the bark of a Fernilla tree— which makes sense to me. Then I added Amirlo sap, but that doesn’t seem right now that I’m looking at it.”
“I think that shows very good intuition, and I agree with you. I think you two should work on that potion today. Kiyan can help you with whatever you need, Ravana.” Emma jumped off of the counter just as Ravana made a face. “You don't have to worry. Kiyan might be very young, but he's extremely talented. He won't steer you wrong.”
Then Emma smiled in a way that would make anyone trust her. It was like being mesmerized by a benevolent fairy…or some kind of disguised predator tricking its prey into letting their guard down. Kiyan could never decide which feeling was more accurate.
His eyes lingered on Emma a little longer as she turned to the faulty potions.
He found it strange that she seemed somewhat familiar with them already.
Had she possibly been involved with the sabotage of the potions?
If so, then why? Emma isn’t the kind of person who would do something like that without a good reason…
“Kiyan, are you paying attention?” Ravana snapped him out of his thoughts.
“Sorry, I’m listening,” he said quickly, giving her an innocent smile.
She looked at him strangely for a moment before returning to the mixing of her potion.