(Book 6) Hayden Mackay and The Third-Eye of the Pancharatna

30.1. A Royal Pain

Celina

The bonfire blazed in the middle and a grateful heat was spread around. Outside, the snow and rainstorms caused sporadic disruptions, the gale-force winds pounding like famished banshees. The bonfire was a fabrication, and it worked like a real one. The heat was impeccable. Damn her magic.

Celina and Nazira sheltered from the worst weather, sitting inside a small cave of the rocky hillock that overlooked Selvyn Hill. Celina had her eyes on the large opening on the hill into which Hayden and Leena had gone through and she waited to take over the task after they were done. She sat crouched with all semblance of dignity washed away in the downpour. What a hellish wet day it was, she ground her teeth being all bad-tempered and irritated.

A strong current of wind blew by. Hardik winced and flew from one corner to the other and settled beside Nazira. She was sitting completely down on the ground, back against the wall, one knee up and looking upwards at the opening.

They were holding hands, just in case they wanted to communicate. Celina pondered whose hand was the sweaty one. Pondered if the grip was tensing her wrist. And, if it was even necessary to hold her hand.

"We do not have to hold hands if it's making you uncomfortable," Nazira's voice buzzed in her head.

Was I pondering out loud? Celina didn't know what to say. She couldn't choose the right words after the way they verbally abused each other an hour ago.

They were here on a job together which wasn't only meant to put an end to the creature but to try to interact and make peace. To establish some common ground and patch things up. What worse could happen anyway? -Celina thought. She'll either succeed in making another friend or simply make an acquaintance with her only because she was Pruthvi's sister. Your bitchlike attitude is very new to me, Hayden had called her a bitch. How dare he? Maybe her critical comments were too spiteful for him to accept. Maybe he was right. Then she realized that the voice she had heard was Haimavati's. "Screw you, you called me a two-timer," she spat.

Nazira sat up straight. "That was after you called me a whore!"

"Well, I'm not wrong. That was Haima's profession before she became a queen, wasn't it?"

Nazira's face sank. Damn, she looks cute and...freaky. "There's more to the story that perhaps you aren't aware of," Nazira said. "And I'm not Haima anymore. What do I have to do to get through to you?"

"Just stay out of my mind and let me think of a way to kill the creature. This is the mess you created and I have to clean it up."

"Fine," Nazira shrugged and sat back without letting her eyes off Celina's quivering lips. "Needless to say, you look quite distracted. I doubt you'll be able to win against Agnidaanav today."

A huff of air escaped Celina's mouth. Her insides burned and she clenched her teeth and dared her to speak of any more ill of her. However, she picked up the sweetness in Nazira's voice and noticed a small smile breaking out across her face. "Did Hayden tell you that snarky remarks provoke me or something of that sort?"

"Is it working?"

"You'll see," she snapped and looked away.

They waited in silence. In the cold weather. Bonfire crackling. Awkwardness ungainly. A creature flew by their cave, screeching and threatening. Their heads turned together to watch it go skyward. Hardik squirmed. Celina's hand shook a bit, and so did Nazira's.

Celina then tried to salvage her pride. Letting out a sigh she turned to Nazira. "How was it?"

"What?"