Page 119 of The Silent
“Tell her to show me,”Prijasaid.
Leo looked between the two women. “She said you couldshowher.”
“Showher the music?” Kyra threw up her hands. “I can’t do thateither!”
Leo smiled. “Speak to her mind, Kyra. Just like you have been. Listen to Arindam’s song and let her hear it too. You’ve done itwithme!”
Kyra shook her head. “You don’t understand. I don’t know how I do that with you. I’ve never done it before. Idon’t—”
“Try.” Prija spoke in broken English. She forced her lips and tongue around the words. “Youtry.”
Leo rose to his feet when he heard footstepsoutside.
“It’s Niran,” Kyra said before he could turn. “The fight against Arindam isn’tgoingwell.”
“I’ll go,” Leo said. “You stay with Prija and find a way, Kyra. Find a way to let her hear Arindam’s song.” He grabbed her chin and planted a hard kiss on her mouth. “I know you can do it. Just because it’s not the same as the Irina doesn’t mean you don’t haveasong.”
ChapterTwenty-Five
Kyra was left with Prija,still having no idea how she was supposed to “show” Arindam’s strange music to the otherwoman.
“You can understandEnglish?”
Prijanodded.
“More than alittle?”
Prijashrugged.
Kyra sighed. “I wish I spokemoreThai.”
“Lao,” Prija croaked. “IspeakLao.”
“Sorry. Lao.” She rose. “You need your instrument from the other building todothis?”
Prijanodded.
“Then that’s what I’m going to do.” She took the gun Leo had given her from the holster at her waist. Silence was no longer an issue. The compound around them rang with sound. Crashing and screaming for the most part. The smell of smoke filled the air. “Can youusethis?”
Prija took the gun and noddedagain.
“Good. Keep your back to the wall and shoot anyone not friendly.” Kyra just hoped that Rith didn’t come in. He was the only one of the party that Prija had never met. “Unless he’s carrying a black knife about this long.” She held her hands a foot apart. “That one is ours. He’s ascribe.”
Prija curled her lip, but she noddedanyway.
A thought occurred to Kyra. “The men who took you. One of them was a scribe. Is hestillhere?”
She shook herhead. “Dead.”
All in all, it was probably for the best. They didn’t need a seasoned warrior working with their enemy. “Okay, keep your head down and I’llbeback.”
“Not hurt.” Prija sat up. “Only thirsty. Gowithyou.”
“I’ll bring water to you. Trust me, this place smells a lot better than the last one.” She tucked her stray hair under the watch cap she’d tugged on earlier and ducked out the doorway, following the red glowoutside.
The forest was inflames.
Luckily, the compound itself was clear of most brush or anything flammable. Kyra only hoped that Sura had gotten the women away before the fire started. She ran along the path toward the women’s block where they’d rescued the others earlier, keeping to the shadows in the red glow of the forest fire. Overhead, she heard him and hereyesrose.
