Page 13 of Damned and Broken Gods
“Have you seen Priti?”
“Not yet, but she promised to pop over later this evening. We have a week off before training resumes and we prep for the next test, and I, for one, am going to make the most of the downtime!”
“We should start preparing the evening meal,” Araz said to Chaya.
“Good idea.” Chaya dropped a kiss on Dharma’s head. “I’ll see you downstairs in a little while.”
Dharma looked up at her, a soft smile on her face.
The love between them was a palpable force, and longing fluttered to life inside me. My gaze flicked to Araz to find him watching me, an indecipherable expression on his face. “Food should be ready in an hour,” he said.
He followed Chaya from the room.
Dharma stepped in and closed the door behind her. “Is everything okay between you two?”
I nodded. “Yeah. We’re good.”
She searched my face. “He lost it earlier, when the Rak attacked you.”
My stomach fluttered. “He did?”
“Yeah, it was kinda epic. I think he has genuine feelings for you, Leela. I know how much Pashim meant to you, but maybe you should give Araz another chance. You are bonded, after all.”
It was more complex than that, but I couldn’t explain it to her, not without betraying Araz’s confidence and going back on my word not to reveal the truth about how to free a drohi. So I settled for smiling and nodding, ignoring the ache that Pashim’s name evoked in my heart, because if I allowed myself to think too deeply, tofeeltoo much, then I’d fall apart. His death was a raw, open wound that would take forever to heal.
“Oh shit, I’ve upset you.” Dharma sighed. “I’m sorry.”
“I’m fine.” I blinked back tears, blew out a breath, and summoned a smile. “Let’s go find Joe and Sylvie. We have a week of downtime to plan.”
That is, if I got to stay here that long.
Chapter 5
Back Off, Bitch
LEELA
The earth barrack’s kitchen was twice the size of the one in the newbie barracks, and it was more than a little intimidating walking into it. I was grateful that I didn’t have to enter alone. Dharma and Joe were with me, but Sylvie had developed a headache and opted to eat in her quarters with her drohi Pylar to tend to her.
Looking around at the impassive faces of the native demigods now, I wished I’d stayed in my quarters too.
“I thought earth barracks was meant to be the friendliest,” Joe whispered from the corner of his mouth.
“That’s what Chaya said,” Dharma replied.
“You guys aren’t the issue. It’s me they’re wary of.” But like hell was I going to let anyone intimidate me.
I spotted Araz at the far end of the room, tending to something on the stove. Chaya and Mahira were working close by him.
I strode into the room, diving into the delicious aromas, aiming for the other side of the kitchen.
A figure stepped into my path.
“Hello, again.” Bina gave me a closed-lipped smile. Her cropped hair was slicked back, her athletic form on display in fitted undershirt and tight slacks. “I hear you rejected my room.”
“I didn’t reject it, I just?—”
“Felt sorry for me?” She made a faux sad face, but the expression quickly smoothed out to something hard and unforgiving. “You think you can buy loyalty by acting magnanimous?”
