Roy

 

“Centipede-gate,” I was telling Finni. “That’s what I’m calling it. Kesari hates it, you should see the look she gives me, but she about shattered my eardrums.”

Finni grinned, but there was a softness at the edges of his mouth. “My lass Layla back home hates spiders. Screams like a banshee, too.”

“Is she in Shifters of Anubis?” I asked, curious. Finni didn’t talk much about his life back in Ireland.

He shook his head. “Nah, just a healer. Miss her with every breath.”

I nodded, a little disconcerted with where this was going. I didn’t think of Kesari like that – was Finni implying that? And I sure as hell didn’t want to miss anyone like that.

Although, since the night before centipede-gate, two nights ago, Kesari had been acting a little weird. Sometimes she seemed to lose her train of thought or think too much. Maybe she needed another break. That girl would sink into her work if I let her. I made a mental note to take care of that.

This afternoon we were attempting, for the second week in a row, to break into a vault tucked into the back of the basement. Brute force hadn’t worked in this case. And after two weeks of trying to pick that damn lock, I was ready to get creative.

“Doc, you got it?” I asked as she met us at the top of the stairs, carefully holding a glass bottle of clear liquid. She nodded and followed us downstairs, a little too quiet, and I frowned.

She just needs a good night’s rest, I reassured myself.

As Morriz eagerly stepped forward to take the acid to pour into the lock, I nudged Kesari. “Hey, Doc, you okay? You seem kind of out of it.”

“Need a caffeine fix,” she said in a distant voice. “Nothing to worry about.”

I was about to speak when Morriz let out a yelp of joy and the door clicked open. “Wish we tried that sooner!” he cried out.

“I’m gonna head back upstairs, I think,” Kesari said.

I was looking down at her and she glanced away, biting her lip. “Kesari,” I started to say, reaching out for her shoulder and squeezing it. “Something’s–”

Then there were yells and exclamations as something metal clicked and loaded.

Get down!

Oh, shit!

Move, get out of the way!

Kesari turned, not comprehending fast enough and I saw the blur of silver out of the corner of my eye, hurtling fast and straight at her. Each beat of my heart seemed to clock those moments as I reached for her, knowing there wasn’t enough time and I twisted, shielding her.

Pain was old hat for me, but I let out a deep, ugly grunt as my shoulder and side were pierced with what felt like heavy, round metal bolts. Bolts that burned and dug in.

“Roy!” Kesari gasped, as I checked her over. “What did you do?”

She was unhurt. Good.

“Yes, but you’re hurt. Roy, look at me. Roy?”

The burning was getting worse and my hands slipped off of Kesari. Gritting my teeth, I shook my head and got out, “It’s fine. It’s fine. Just get me upstairs…”

Thoughts were disconnecting and the lights were flickering. I stared up at the ceiling as my knees sagged and a weight began to press on my chest.

Arms were being slid under mine, dragging me up the stairs, each one a struggle and I was starting to sweat. Where the hell was Kesari? Was she okay?

And then she was in front of me, leading the way, smiling back at me, even though there was desperate fear in her eyes. “I’m okay, I’m right here, Roy. You’re going to be fine.”

“Here, let me go,” I said roughly as we got into the infirmary room. When had we gotten to the second floor? I shook my head, vision blurring, and the weight became more pronounced.

I slipped to my hands and knees, gasping for air and then Kesari was there. A smear of blood was on her cheek and her eyes were huge and terrified. I saw her mouth moving, she was shouting and ordering people. Then she was calling for me and I tried to stay, but I was drifting away.

 

I was in the Lewis Science Library at Princeton, trying to finish a paper and it was getting late. All the lamps were burning low and it was hard to write by. My hand was rushing across the paper and I knew I'd have to type it up later, but for now, this would do.

There was a book I needed and I shoved back the chair, hurrying down one aisle, then another. I couldn’t find it. I had to find it, though. Wait, it wasn’t a book…

Ahead of me, Kesari was taking down a book from the shelf and glancing through it.

It was Kesari.

“Hey, Kesari!” I called out, trying to run to her, but she was turning away. “Kesari!”

She rounded the corner and I ran forward, but she was gone. It was nothing but empty, twisting aisles and no way out. My heart pounded and I choked a little as though I’d run too hard.

“Kesari!” I was yelling now. “Kesari, where are you?”

The image shattered and I was in Kazakhstan. Staring up at the Tien Chen Mountains, I tightened my collar and bent my head against the wind. All around me, the landscape stretched out, rocky, gray, and endless. Lonely and forsaken.

I was looking for something, wasn’t I? I had a contact to meet…

Walking uphill was hard and my chest hurt by the time I reached the peak. Ahead of me was an archway and I blinked as I walked through it. Color exploded against the landscape, flowers opening and trees unfurling. I blinked and held up my hand.

There, ahead of me was Kesari, standing with her face tipped up to the sun and hands held out, as though standing in a shower of sunlight. She was wearing a deep green saree, with a veil wrapped around her head and I caught my breath.

This time I was careful. I walked slowly up to her, watching her with every step and holding my breath as though she’d vanish.

“Kesari?” I asked.

But she didn’t answer and I reached out to touch her. The image rippled like water and I was tilting, falling through it and landing on my back, hard. Ice and snow were in my hair. It was freezing.

“Get up!” screamed a voice. “Good for nothing brat.”

“Where is she?” I demanded, standing up and shivering. It was nothing but blackness and swirls of snow hitting my face, stinging my eyes and my bare skin. “Kesari! Where are you?”

“She’s gone, long gone. It’s for the best. Too outspoken and uppity for the family.”

“What?” I gasped. “No, you’re lying!” Now her name was being torn from my throat, over and over, as I tried to stumble through the storm and find her. I had to find her…

My knees hit solid, hard ground and I pitched forward.

Cold was creeping through my veins and my chest was seizing.

No, I have to find her…