Page 55 of Lost and Stolen Gods
It was the first time I’d heard him say my name, and although the dichotomy of the situation wasn’t lost on me, I couldn’t help but marvel at the way it sounded coming out of his mouth.
“I’m…I’m good.”
His gaze flicked to the side and then he released me with a snort. “It’s gone.”
“Gone? What…” Comprehension crept over me like an icy shroud. His concern had been an act for an invisible audience. Again.
He rolled his eyes. “Youreallyare pathetic. Let me make my position crystal clear. I will attend your training. I will be present and attentive, but I will do only the minimum required to keep the ankh satisfied. However, if you should experience a mortal wound or find yourself in mortal danger, do not count on me. Your life is a hindrance to mine. I would see it snuffed out if I could. Do you understand?”
This was it, the middle ground. This was all he was willing to offer me, but…it was a start.
I fixed a smile on my face and beamed it up at him. “Fine, you have a deal.”
“What? No. I’m not making adeal. I’m telling you how it’s going to be.”
“Yes, yes, I know. And I’m telling you that I agree. So, it’s a deal.” I dipped under his arm and started walking down the corridor toward the barracks.
“Wait! No, that isn’t what I meant.”
“Oh, I know.”
If he wanted to play mind games, then so be it. Pretending was simply practice for the real thing, right?
Chapter 20
I THINK I MIGHT JUST BE GETTING THE HANG OF THIS
Pashim didn’t show for supper that evening; in fact, no drohi were present. Apparently the fortieth night of every month, ormaheenaas they called it here, belonged to the drohi, to do with as they wished. Yep, forty days in a month, eleven months in a year, and I had no idea how many days that was because I was crap at math. Anyway, tonight, the potentials were alone for the first time in days, and it was liberating.
We cooked as a group. I made rice that wasn’t mushy while Joe tried not to burn the flatbread. Dharma and Priti made roast chicken and potatoes, and Eve and Sylvie worked on a vegetable noodle dish. The rest of the group pitched in until it was time to set the table and sit down for our first proper meal together.
We picked the main central table with its longbenches for our supper, and for a few moments, there was only the scape of spoons in bowls as we loaded up our plates with the various dishes that we’d co-cooked. I tried a little of everything, piling roast chicken, golden brown with a crispy skin, and fluffy potatoes onto one side of my plate and stir-fried noodles on the other. I made a note to leave room for the spicy vegetable curry, lentil soup, rice, and flatbread slathered in butter.
Everything smelled divine, and it tasted even better.
We ate in silence for a few minutes, filling our empty bellies, ready for some light conversation.
“What do you think they’re all doing?” Eve asked.
“No idea,” Remi replied around a mouthful of food. “I asked, but Crag was tight-lipped.”
“Is he ever anything else?” Eve said.
“Hey, he’s a male of few words.”
“The rice came out perfect,” Joe said, neatly changing the subject. “Unlike my roti.”
“Pashim is a good teacher, and your roti is delicious.” I snagged one off the pile.
“Oooo, speaking of Pashim, I have some gossip,” Priti said. “Keyton told me that Pashim had a demigod once.”
I lowered my spoon. “He was bound?”
“Yep. But his demigod died.”
“Oh no. How?”
“A pishacha killed her. Tore her in two. He leaptinto the shadowy maw to save her, and it almost killed him too. It took him six months to heal.”
