15. Leela
LEELA
Leela woke the next day drenched in sweat. Nevertheless, she groaned and rolled out of bed, trudged over to the wardrobe, and grabbed a red blouse and a matching pair of flowing pants that curved at her hips and cut into a triangular shape at the ankles.
A rusty orange kissed the horizon in a beautiful awakening dawn, bathing the courtyard in a golden glow.
Leela tiptoed over the courtyard sands and opened the bathing chambers, warmed by the morning sun as it crept over the edges of the open roof. A distant chirp eased Leela into the water.
She threw her sweaty clothes at the edge and laid her new ones beside it. The water eased her muscles, and she sighed, leaning back against the edge. As soon as the water washed away the sweat, she focused on the Viperess.
The Viperess unfolded from the warmth at the nape of Leela’s neck. Are you not concerned…?
Leela sighed. About?
Everything. I’ve never heard your thoughts so quiet. I did not realize you could.
Ha-ha. Of course I’m thinking. I just need time to process.
Think faster, mortal.
What else is there to think about?
The Viperess bristled. Your ex-fiancé says he harnesses a Flame that, when his emotions are left unchecked, makes the monsters that ruin this world.
Shocking, yes. But what shocks me more is: why didn’t you know about it?
Who is to say I did not?
Leela sat up. So you did. Was it you who put it on him?
The Viperess’s only response was a long, arduous hiss.
Leela bit the inside of her cheek. If the Viperess would curse Flames and generations to churn their emotions and form monsters, what else could she do?
Do you not find it puzzling?
What is there to puzzle about now? There isn’t anything that can be done about it, and you still want your revenge on him, right?
Of course I do.
Then shut up and leave me the fuck alone for more than five minutes.
The Viperess hissed again but obeyed.
“Didn’t expect to see this first thing in the morning.”
Leela jerked around, splashing water over the edge and splattering Iravan’s cane. A smirk twisted his lips.
Leela hugged the corner and crouched so only her head was visible—at least she hoped.
“I didn’t realize anyone was awake,” she said, heat rising over her cheeks.
Iravan chuckled. “Oh, doesn’t bother me. It isn’t like I haven’t seen it all before.”
Her cheeks burned. “That was when we were young.”
“Please rephrase that because it makes me seem suspicious,” Iravan said. “I’ll leave you, I just didn’t want to awkwardly walk away, and you suddenly hear my cane or the door and think it was someone else.”
“And who else would I think it was?”
“Rajesh, perhaps?”
She kept her face guarded behind an indifferent look. “No. Because I have other things to do, and I’m sure he does as well.”
“That he does.” Iravan winked. “I’ll see you at breakfast then?”
Leela nodded.
Iravan’s chuckle echoed out the door.
Ugh. She’d have to get used to seeing old faces again.
Leela quickly finished washing her hair and got out.
She dried herself and got dressed in the red blouse with golden embroidery around the arm.
She hitched her pants up as far as it could go, trying to hide the little stomach pudge she had.
Living in the palace meant she was well fed, but it didn’t mean she was as toned as she’d like to be, and her hormones didn’t allow her body to forget.
While twirling damp pieces of her hair, she left the bathing chambers.
Not even a step out of the room, she froze as her gaze connected with Rajesh’s from across the courtyard.
She soaked him in like he did her. This morning, he wore a silky black shirt and loose pants with a wrap in the middle. His curls sat in tufts, and the edges of his hairline were shaven into a gradient finish. A light stubble rode his jaw, highlighting the jut of his chin.
Her mouth dried.
Last night’s conversation rose. Not that she’d forgotten it or would be likely to forget it anytime soon.
Over him, I assume?
Shut up.
She cleared her throat. “Morning.”
“Morning.” He cleared his throat too. “How did you sleep?”
“As well as one can, considering.”
He smiled faintly. “A fair point. Are you heading down for breakfast?”
“Yes,” Leela said.
“Need me to take you?”
Leela opened her mouth to retort that she didn’t need someone to guide her, but the truth was, she still had no idea where she was going.
Even after spending days within this place, she still turned down the wrong halls.
And best to get there quicker than wander around aimlessly and without proper protection.
“Fine,” she said.
Rajesh led the way. He paced over the courtyard into the hallway, opening the door for Leela and then shutting it behind her.
Silence choked them in its cage. Leela glanced at Rajesh whenever the hallways opened into a strip of light.
His shadows continued to haunt her, a steady reminder of what ruined her entire life and stole the best thing from her.
But Rajesh had said he wanted to find a way to get rid of the Scorpion and the Viperess, so maybe there was hope.
Perhaps Leela could find a way to get rid of the Viperess… ? Get Rajesh back…?
The Viperess snarled, uncoiling within her mind. Steady now. If I die, so do you.
I don’t quite care. If I die, then maybe this silly centuries-old lover’s spat would be over?
Not likely. If I really must, I can find someone else. And who wins?
No one. That’s the point.
Someone has to win, mortal. The Viperess said, almost purring.
Why?
Because none of this had to happen the way it did.
Leela ignored the Viperess and focused on Rajesh. His hair ran in curls along the edge of his jaw, bouncing as he paced alongside her.
His gaze locked on hers, and she quickly turned away.
“Something you want to say?” he asked.
“No,” Leela said.
“Are you sure? I am more than capable of listening.”
“Oh, I know,” Leela remarked. “I don’t think there’s anything I can’t say to you.”
“We can get over the awkwardness, and you could tell me about what happened to you in the last six years?”
Leela contemplated telling him and almost falling back into their familiar conversations.
It was like the last few days where Rajesh was super pissed at her had vanished, and he was trying to reconcile with her.
What had happened on that voyage for him to change his mind about her?
What made him decide to find the artifact and destroy the Flames?
“I can’t pretend that everything is okay between us,” Leela mumbled. “That takes time. So no, I’d rather not speak. I’d rather walk in silence.”
Rajesh snapped his lips shut.
Leela was thankful the rest of the walk was quiet.
He continued to guide her over thresholds and down long hallways, some with candles flickering on and sometimes with nothing at all.
Red dirt coated her feet, staining them a gentle hue.
The smell of something sweet and musky assaulted her senses and drew her deeper into the den.
Heat wrapped itself around her, and she shied away from the rising sun through the pockets carved from the cave ceiling, then disappeared when they entered dark hallways.
When light blasted Leela after the third dark hallway, she asked, “How in the fuckery can you see anything?”
“Scorpion,” Rajesh answered simply.
“I don’t follow.”
“We take on parts of the animal too. Scorpions absorb the light during the day to see at night. The scorpion is a nocturnal creature, after all.”
Leela’s mouth went dry. “Oh… Right…”
“Has the Viperess finally answered any of your questions? Or is she still being stubborn?”
Hiiiisssssss. The Viperess slunk from the depths, golden eyes flashing.
Leela couldn’t help but chuckle. “She’s finally said some things, yes.”
Rajesh nodded. “I’m pleased. Hopefully, we can get you to control her and her to not control you, and we can find this artifact.”
“What is the plan?” Leela asked as they entered the dining room. It was busier than she had seen it most mornings, a loud chatter blocking out the winds. “When do we find it?”
“Patience,” Rajesh said, smiling down at her. “We have time now that you’re all caught up.”
“I don’t have time,” Leela stated. “What if the Viperess takes over me? What if the Scorpion—”
“All things we don’t know,” Rajesh said, eyes staring ahead. “Let’s not waste our time on things we can’t control.”
Huh? She could never get her brain to shut up and stop thinking about every tiny thing and stew over it for hours. It was how she learned to survive. If she could think of every way to get out of a situation, then she was prepared for the worst-case scenario.
Maybe it was wishful thinking.
Or the trauma talking, who knew.
“Captain!”
As they entered the hall, Tanmay waved Rajesh over to where the rest of the crew were sitting, but lowered his smile when he realized Leela was with him. Hema, however, smiled broadly at Leela and patted the bench spot next to her.
“What are you two doing together?” Iravan questioned, gaze flickering between the two with a goofy grin splitting his lips.
Leela scowled at him.
“I was taking her to the hall,” Rajesh replied simply.
“Ah-huh,” Iravan said, smirking over the rim of his cup at Leela. “And how was last night?”
Leela shuffled on the chair and avoided Iravan’s questioning gaze.
“We got attacked by an angstent,” Tanmay said, thankfully thinking the question was for him.
“Haven’t seen one of those in a long time,” Hema said. “It had two heads, and then Rajesh’s Scorpion pierced it with poison, and it died. Lucky, because it was about to kill us all and smash the ship in two.”
“Lucky indeed,” Iravan said, bored.
Leela grabbed the metal cup in front of her and took a big sip, not realizing it was red wine.
She winced, the richness hitting the back of her throat.
She coughed to cover up the bitter taste and looked at the room filling up with people instead.
When she turned, she met the vehement eyes of Navya sitting further down the table.