22. Rajesh
RAJESH
Days passed with the blissful spread of dawn. The crew members that left took a tinier ship back to the den, and they would’ve reached home by now. Surely, his mother would be disappointed and frustrated that he had gone after the tree instead of sticking with his job.
But how could he not go after the wish-fulfilling tree now? He couldn’t stand being the reason Leela died, and he refused to kill her.
Figured out a way yet?
We keep heading north. Toward the Whispering Mountains.
Toward the mountains said to house the biggest monsters of all. Of course. Of course, we have to head there.
The Scorpion clicked his tongue. You said you wanted this.
I know what I said. Never said I’d like it.
You have grown to care too much for her.
Says you?
What does that mean?
You’ve barely done anything to the Viperess. What happened to this vengeance of yours?
The Scorpion fell silent.
Rajesh shook his head. He couldn’t stand having to explain what desire did to someone.
He knew the Scorpion hadn’t tried to kill the Viperess yet, and whether that was because the Scorpion had a secret plan he wouldn’t divulge, or because he secretly loved the Viperess still, Rajesh would never know.
When the Viperess came at Rajesh, the Scorpion had barely stepped in as she nicked his throat or threw him across the room.
What puzzled Rajesh more was that the Viperess had just stood there, leering at him.
Almost… smiling.
A shiver ran down his spine, and he focused on the dunes ahead. The ship sailed over the sands as Navya continued to sweep them toward Kithium at a steady pace. While they could use the wind and enchanted sands to guide their way, Navya allowed for a quicker trip.
“Captain,” Tanmay said, halting at the stairs.
“Yes?” Rajesh asked.
Tanmay wrung his hands. “I… well, the crew was wondering when we might be stopping for supplies. And if we do, well, ugh, would we stop in Kithium?”
Rajesh had gone over the maps all last night.
The farther north they went, the farther they went into Kithium, the red sands turning a sluggish yellow.
He had no idea what would happen—whether the Nihikian kingdom would catch wind of their plan and come after them, or Kithium would lock them up in cells after finding out about their lie.
He was adamant that if they stuck by their hidden truth, they would make it through.
“We keep heading north. Tell them that.”
Tanmay bit his lip but nodded and scampered back onto the deck.
Rajesh thought of the maps from last, knowing the desert kingdoms became even more distant from one another when the sandstorms raged three centuries ago.
It was inevitable when monsters plunged the world into chaos, and people had to learn to survive behind fortified walls—it was the quickest and most sensible decision the kingdom leaders could make until they knew what the monsters could do.
Three centuries later, many walls had crumbled. But many held their ground, and now towns and villages were safely guarded.
It was why the passage between the dunes was quiet.
Rajesh kept an eye on the horizon as the sand swept against the edges of the hull.
His thoughts were a mess; why wouldn’t they be when the feeling of Leela’s hands were still warm and all over him?
He could still feel the pinch of her fingers on his skin and taste her lips against his own.
His fingers clenched around the wheel. He didn’t regret what he did with Leela.
In the beginning, it was meant to lure the Viperess out, but the Viperess never came.
The Viperess never wanted to, and now all Rajesh could think about was what if the Viperess didn’t want to kill the Scorpion?
Which raised the question: if the Viperess didn’t want to kill the Scorpion, what did she truly want?
Stop thinking, the Scorpion said, emerging from the shadows with glowing purple eyes.
How? How can I when I can’t focus?
What happens between the Viperess and me is between us.
You know, you never told me what happened.
The Scorpion clicked his pinchers. Did you not listen?
I did. Just refused to.
The Scorpion scuttled around inside Rajesh’s brain. The Viperess was cast out of the Awakening because she betrayed me and tried to come back to me.
Why was she cast out?
She was unfaithful. She was lured into another man’s arms and did not think to tell me. But I knew. This man threw her into the Netherworld himself for her callous actions, and I helped him.
You threw your own lover into the Netherworld? After she… cheated on you?
She turned on me! The Scorpion’s voice boomed. She was the one who trampled on my heart. She deserved everything she got.
Rajesh didn’t really care about the specific details on why the Scorpion threw the Viperess into the Netherworld. All he cared about was when the Scorpion would kill the Viperess. When was he going to strike? How was he going to do it?
And what was she waiting for?
Okay, so why the vengeance?
She split the realms to get to me. To get her own vengeance on me. Why would I not want to stop her from destroying me, again?
Have you actually spoken to her since?
You are asking some quite personal questions.
Have you?
You know I haven’t.
Rajesh scoffed. Maybe, and this is just a suggestion, you should.
Why would she listen to me? The Scorpion seethed. She tore the realms apart, causing this entire havoc. She is the reason you are now a monster hunter and your world is trapped in this relentless chaos.
It’s just that, well, the divine lies you two are weaving is eventually going to catch up to you. How do you know she isn’t sorry and hasn’t come to say that?
No. Not her. She knew what she was doing, and she stomped on my heart doing it.
“Captain.”
Rajesh blinked and met Navya’s emerald eyes. “Yes?”
She stepped closer, arms folded over her chest, and nestled against the bench with a look Rajesh expected and was not ready for.
He sighed. “What is it? Spit it out.”
“You going to tell us where we’re heading yet?”
Rajesh frowned. That was not what he was expecting her to say. Nevertheless, it was a conversation he was glad to avoid. For now, anyway. “I told Tanmay before.”
“And he was very vague in his response.” Navya grabbed the wheel under his hand, stopping it. “You and I both know where we’re going. The sands are turning yellow, and we’re heading into very dangerous territory. Are you not concerned about putting our lives at risk?”
Rajesh’s gaze turned deadly then. “Of course I know. Why do you think I told people to leave if they needed to?”
“Because this isn’t going to end well.” Navya huffed. “You haven’t even spoken to me about her yet.”
Yep. There it was. His hope was short-lived.
Sweeping a hand through his curls, he stepped back from the wheel and glanced over the deck.
Most of his crew were below deck, either pulling vegetables and fruits from their tiny greenhouse, preparing dinner, or resting.
It was during quiet days that his crew finally got to rest. At least no one would hear this conversation.
“What do you want me to say?” Rajesh whispered. He held her gaze, her emerald depths flickering with spite, one he hadn’t seen in her before.
“Just tell me we’re through.”
“We’re through.”
There was no hesitation. No hitch in his words.
He knew as soon as he laid eyes on Leela, he was never going to kiss Navya again.
He was, and always would be, unequivocally in love with Leela.
Navya was an escape and a quick release, and she’d known that from the very beginning.
He never thought Navya would catch feelings.
“I am sorry,” Rajesh continued. “You knew the moment she was back.”
Navya looked at him like she was a monster about to eat its prey. It was the look he’d been predicting since the moment Leela returned.
“Navya—” he started.
“Forget it,” she snapped. “You and I were just looking for a quick fuck. I get it.”
Without another word, Navya flounced off the quarterdeck and stormed into the rooms below.
Rajesh ran a hand over his face. He had hoped to get that awkward conversation over and done with sooner, but he hadn’t had the heart to tell her. Surely, she could have figured it out herself. They were never official. Nothing beyond sexual desire. She herself had stated it at the beginning.
Feelings do develop over time.
Yes. Thanks for your input. Now shut up and tell me where we’re going?