Page 104 of Lost and Stolen Gods
“Shit, Araz, you’re going to catch a chill.”
He slow-blinked down at me, and then his skin bloomed a reddish color, and his body got hotter so that the rain turned to steam as it hit him.
I should be burning up. “Why isn’t your heat burning me?”
“Because you’re mine…” He blinked sharply. “The bond,” he corrected. “It allows you to withstand my fire. It can’t hurt you.”
I relaxed against him and closed my eyes.
“Leela?”
“Huh?”
We were back in our room.
“I’m sorry. Did I fall asleep?”
“It’s understandable. You’re still recovering from the poison. You need rest.” He lowered me onto the bed, and I quickly averted my eyes from his man bits. “I must report this attack to Guru Mihir so that the Authority can be alerted.” He strode to the bathroom and returned with a towel, which he handed to me. Then across to the wardrobe, where he pulled out clothes, dressing in quick, economic movements.
“Who are the Authority?”
“Those in charge. Stay inside the room. I’ll let Dipika know what’s happened. She’ll keep watch to make sure no non-residents enter the barracks.”
“Wait, can you make sure Prem’s okay? He’s just a boy…”
He gave a jerky nod and left, closing the door firmly behind him.
I was tempted to crawl into bed with wet hair, but I’d done enough damage to my locks the past few days, so I dried them the best I could and sat on the desk chair. I didn’t want to fall asleep.
I wanted to see Araz when he returned.
Minutes dragged by, and my eyelids began to droop. I relented and changed into my sleep shirt and pants, then climbed into bed. I’d close my eyes for a moment.
Just a moment.
Fire scorchedthe earth and danced in the air. The coppery tang of blood sat on my tongue, and my hands ached where they gripped the hilts of my axe. Demigods fought around me against an army of revenants that refused to stop coming.
Wave upon wave. Relentless. Unstoppable.
Dharma, a titan with wings and a blade that gleamed, battled two beasts to my right. But a third was behind her, and she didn’t see it. She didn’t know. I let out a battle cry and ran toward her, but the revenant was too fast, punching a hole through Dharma’s body as if she was made of paper.
I screamed for her, again and again.
Her head lolled my way, and our gazes locked, hers filled with rage and accusation.
This is your fault, her voice said in my head.You did this.
The other two revenants grabbed an arm each and pulled her in two.
“NO!”
“No! No!”
“Leela, Leela, wake up. Wake up!” Rough hands grasped my shoulders and shook me.
I snapped awake, my heart in my throat, put there by the awful pressure rising in my chest.
“Leela, look at me.” Araz came into focus, his face etched in moonlight, drawn in lines of concern. “You were dreaming. What were you dreaming?”
