Page 29 of The Divine Lies We Weave

Leela glanced around, unsure of what she was meant to be ready for. She shifted under his gaze as his lips twitched with the familiar look that meant he was up to something.

The ship lurched forward, and those who weren’t prepared, like Leela, faltered backward. She grabbed the railing and steadied herself, pulling herself closer to the darkness.

Leela gasped as the ship floated, heaving a mighty groan as it soared and hoisted off into the navy-whipped skies. She peeked over the side of the ship and regretted it when her stomach churned and dizziness washed over her. Crouching, she sucked in a breath and told herself to hold steady. It would be over soon. She would touch land once more.

They took flight as a horde of drakion careened across the dunes like a wave of dark shadows. Their howls ripped at the night sky, teeth and claws gleaming underneath the moonslight.

Thank the Flames.

Thank us, indeed. Did you ask where we were headed, mortal?

No. I didn’t get that far.

Because you are too focused on these feelings you have for him.

Her chest wrenched. I have no feelings. Not for a man who told me he couldn’t love me.

The Viperess hissed with a low chuckle.

Leela watched Rajesh take the wheel, steering them through the skies. Wind whipped at his hair behind his face, flickering like the coat he wore. Flecks of light danced within his eyes, and her heart skipped a beat.

No.

She couldn’t.

She was still in disbelief, like the last few minutes hadn’t happened. She was clearly dreaming. Rajesh had actually died at the base of the dunes, and he was taking her into the above bliss.

This is very real, mortal. Best get used to it.

Leela rubbed her arm. She didn’t know which she’d rather—reality or death.

For now, the chaos had settled, and Leela relished in the fact that she was heading somewhere safer.

At least, she hoped it was.

8

LEELA

Leela stayed in the shadows, clinging to the railing with pale fingers. She decided this was where she was safest from the moonslight and the need to vomit over the edge. She blended in with the bleeding patients as the crew bandaged the injured or offered them warm drinks.

“You must be her.”

Leela gazed into a pair of chestnut eyes. She tried to put an age to Tanmay now that he wasn’t rushing around trying to get Rajesh’s attention. His cheeks rose with a smile, slightly puffier than a man who may have fully grown. Perhaps he was twenty-moons and still growing into his features. Either way, his lanky frame shuffled over as he tugged at his fingers, a nervous twitch in his lips.

“Her?” Leela questioned.

Tanmay kicked a loose clump of sand. “Her. Leela. I’d know that expression from anyone. Like he saw a desert spirit. A beautiful one, but one nevertheless.”

“Oh…” Leela gulped. Had Rajesh told anyone else about her? Or was she a pretty secret? Clearly, he had told Tanmay, and whether that was because this younger gentleman and Rajesh were friends, or because he was his second mate, she wasn’t sure. “What has he said?”

“Nothing much,” Tanmay said. “Just your name. That was all I ever knew.”

Oh…

“How do you know Rajesh?” she asked.

“He’s my captain. Took me in after the monsters tore down our walls. Saved me from a ruined village. Trained me up to be his second mate because he saw potential,” Tanmay said, puffing his chest.