Page 51 of Heart of Night and Fire

“I ran into this idiot after I left the club,” Yasen said, again gesturing to Aarav, who was now lying face down on the stones, his quest for the door currently abandoned.

“They kicked me out of the Khada trials, and it wasn’t my fault,” Aarav said, his voice feeble but indignant. “I wanted another chance.”

“The Khada we were speaking with told him if he could win a hand, they’d let him try,” Yasen continued. Vikram arched an eyebrow, and Zarya guessed he wasn’t too pleased the Khada were allowing disqualified recruits to gamble their way back to the trials. “So, we spent the entire night between gaming dens while he lost every match and every coin in his pocket.”

Zarya covered her mouth, trying hard not to laugh.

“And then he lost his actual pockets when he bet away his clothing. Why anyone thought his rumpled vest was a fair deal is beyond me.” He curled his lip.

“So, did they agree?” Zarya asked.

“Eventually,” Yasen said. “He had nothing left to bet, but they appreciated the effort.”

Yasen looked up from where Aarav was lying at her feet. “They said he could redo the obstacle course this afternoon. They would clear it with General Amjal if I could clear it with Vik.”

“This afternoon?” Zarya asked, eyeing Aarav dubiously. It would be a wonder if he could stand up by this afternoon, let alone complete the Khada’s trial. The healer’s magical pills might help, but he was clearly a mess.

Aarav took a shuddering breath and curled his hand into a weak fist. “I can do it,” he said with a feeble sort of confidence that Zarya hoped he could translate into action.

Zarya exchanged a smirk with Yasen, whose eyes crossed as he stood up, pausing to swallow hard.

“Come have breakfast. You’ll feel better after some tea, and Koura sent some magic pills.”

Yasen slung his jacket over his shoulder with one finger and stepped over Aarav, who had resumed his wayward journey for the door.

Once they were inside, Zarya passed food and tea to Yasen while Aarav eventually made his way to the sofa, lying on it with his head back and legs splayed out. His head kept drooping, since he was having trouble keeping his eyes open.

The silence that settled over them was awkward, the tension from last night’s argument still hanging between them. Yasen chewed his food, pointedly ignoring Vikram, who kept looking at his friend with a frown.

“I have to be at the fort in a half hour,” Yasen said as he stood and grabbed the bottle of pain pills, shook two out, and swallowed them. “It’s up to you if you want to let him try out this afternoon.” He flicked his gaze to Vikram for a brief second before studying the still-prostrate form of Aarav. “If he’s in any state to do so.”

He then turned to Zarya and gave her a quick bow. “Thank you for breakfast. I apologize for the undignified state in which you found me.”

Yasen left the room without another word, his back straight and his shoulders stiff.

Zarya paused before putting her teacup down, jumping up, and running into the hallway.

“Yasen,” she called.

He turned around, his posture still rigid.

“The scholar in the forest that you told me about? Will you take me to see him later? I want to show him the book with my mother’s picture.”

Yasen’s eyes softened, his shoulders relaxing slightly. “Professor Dhawan? Yes, of course—I’ll pick you up after dinner.”

Once again, he turned and walked down the hallway.

“Where did you go?” Vikram asked when she returned to the suite.

“Yasen promised to show me something,” she said, not wanting to reveal anything more right now. Vikram gave her a doubtful glance but didn’t press the matter any further.

She was consumed with a growing awareness that nothing she understood about herself was true. But she was ever wary that she still didn’t know whom she could trust. The fewer who knew her truths, the better.

* * *

After dinner, Zarya dressed in a simple kurta with leggings and short leather boots. She paced the haveli’s front hallway, waiting on Yasen, a leather bag containing the book slung over a shoulder. Finally, Yasen knocked at the door.

“Sorry, I got held up. The swamp was behaving erratically today.”