9. Leela #3
Nalini responded, “I love your enthusiasm, Leela. But we have been hunters for quite some time now and its always led to a dead end.”
“Or, lost on the other side of the world or in another kingdom,” Iravan added.
Leela bit her lip. They had been in this game longer than she had. She needed to believe them, but she still clung to the hope that the artifacts were out there. She would find the weapon to kill the lustisha, and she would find a way to get rid of the Viperess without losing herself along the way.
Or killing Rajesh.
Nalini approached Leela. “You are more than welcome to stay, Leela. We can help you try to control the Viperess. But you have a long road ahead of you. Grasp your mind or she will control you, and you won’t like what will happen.”
Leela bit her lip and nodded. She understood the risks. The longer the conversation continued, the more it was all she could think about.
“And we can try to find the artifacts?” Leela suggested.
“We can try, but we’ve been trying for years, and it hasn’t gotten us anywhere,” Nalini said. “Besides, the kingdom decides who hunts the artifacts. We are Gilded Thorns. Hunters for monsters, not artifacts.”
“What about the palaces? Or the empires? Do they have any of them tracked down?”
“We are the Nihikian Empire,” Nalini said. “We work for the King of Nihikia to hunt the monsters and protect the people. We are the Gilded Thorns, the king’s weapons. Vessels, on active duty.”
Leela squeezed her eyes shut. “Oh…”
They really had tried everything. All the things Leela had been working hard for over the last few years were now useless. All the nights she pondered and had her informant sneak out of the palace. Now, it was all over. The hope was lost.
And she was stuck with a vengeful Flame.
“We will find a way to help you,” Nalini said. She smiled, one that tugged at Leela’s heartstrings. “We will do whatever we can, so we don’t lose you again.”
Unlikely.
“We’re just going to keep her here? Under the same roof as me? Why don’t you just get a katar and drive it through me now?” Rajesh argued.
“We will work it out,” Nalini said, tearing her gaze from Leela to her son. “We are not losing Leela again. We don’t need to lose anyone else in this game.”
“He has a point,” Iravan interjected.
“Bu—” Rajesh started.
“We are not losing her again,” Nalini said, tone taut.
Rajesh turned his dark look to Leela.
Leela’s stomach churned. “Only if it is safe to do so.”
“We will keep as much distance between you two as we can,” Nalini said. “I will talk to the superiors about a solution as well.”
Leela sucked in a breath. “B—but the palace can’t know I’m here! They’ll drag me back to that shithole. I… I ran away from a marriage.”
Nalini locked her eyes on Leela, pity nestled within. “Then we will find another way.”
Rajesh shook his head and stormed out of the room.
Leela watched him leave, trying not to let the slight tinge of hurt affect her.
She knew it was simply because Rajesh didn’t want to be around her, and there was a good reason.
The Viperess could kill Rajesh, and Leela didn’t want that.
The more distance she put between them, the more likely he would survive.
Why would she put herself closer to the person the Viperess wanted dead?
“I don’t understand,” Leela said once Rajesh’s footsteps stopped echoing. “Why don’t you just let me go? I can survive in the desert.”
“No. You won’t,” Nalini said, stroking Leela’s cheek. “We have plenty of room and resources here. We will find a way. I promise. And besides, Rajesh will come around to the idea of having you here. He’s just in shock.”
“I don’t understand why you’d leave us together.”
Nalini sighed. “Because Rajesh knows the pain of having something inside you when you don’t want it and don’t know how to push it aside. Because of that, he is the strongest among us and a comfort when you need it.”
Leela wondered what Nalini meant. But she was too tired and overwhelmed to ask any more questions. The conversation was draining, as if it had sucked all the happiness from the room—and her.
“Get some rest,” Nalini encouraged. “Iravan can show you around the place and help you settle in.”
Leela swiveled to Iravan, noticing a broad smile plastered over his face, igniting his entire features.
“Pleasure,” Iravan said. “We have an amazing place here, Leela. I can’t wait to show you.”
“Sounds riveting,” Leela said, sarcasm dripping from her tongue. There was still one last question she needed answered. “Who else is alive? Did my family make it?”
Nalini’s expression told her all Leela needed to know. The older woman bowed her head and glanced at Iravan. “I’m sorry, Leela. If they are, we aren’t aware of it.”
Leela let the hope fizzle out. She grew silent, chewing the inside of her cheek. There wasn’t a lot of hope, only a small bit.
“It is great to see you, Leela. Under different circumstances, I would pull you in and hug you. I am sure Rajesh would do the same,” Nalini said.
Leela’s chest throbbed. She forced a smile. “I would hope so.”
“Right,” Iravan said, smacking his cane on the ground. “Where should we begin?”