Harun’s voice was casual, but she detected the undercurrent of his words.
“Yes, exactly why.” There was more she wanted to say, how he shouldn’t be putting himself in this position, not when Laksh was still out there looking for him. Not when he was one of the only remaining Samyads alive. But she couldn’t say any of it, not without revealing Kunal’s secret.
“This is no simple task we’re asking of you. I can’t say I trust you, soldier. Reha is my little sister. She’s also the best chance both of our nations have at healing the land. Will you be able to do whatever it takes, even against your former comrades?” Harun asked.
The two men looked at each other, something unspoken passing between them. Something Esha couldn’t understand, and that annoyed her.
“Yes,” Kunal said. “I’ll do whatever it takes to ensure Reha is safe. And to save my country.”
Only two weeks ago, Kunal had almost left when Esha had given him the choice to go back to his life. No one in the tent knew that. Was she enough reason for him to stay? To betray everything he had known?
Or was he truly a part of the team?
She knew which one she wanted to believe. Esha tried to catch Kunal’s eye but instead caught Harun’s penetrating gaze, which asked her the same question.
The hawk landed on Kunal’s outstretched forearm, and he inhaled sharply as his body thrummed. Kunal reread his scribbled note to Alok once more before rolling it up and attaching it to the hawk’s claws.
He was going back to the Red Fortress while Esha and the team would continue on as part of the royal retinue, taking on roles within the nobility. Once they were all inside the gates of the palace, they’d meet again and proceed from there.
He’d leave in an hour, making a stop at the nearest garrison to check in. If he rode fast he should make it back to the Fort within a day and a half.
Kunal had made up a story for Alok, stretching the truth a bit, but letting him know the bare bones of what had happened—Rakesh had been captured, Laksh and Amir had run away, and he was the sole soldier left. He also sent a similar note to General Panak, with a few of the details omitted.
He hoped it would set the stage for his return and minimize the questions he’d receive, though it would still be dangerous. He’d have to keep his story close to him. From one angle, he was the de facto winner. From another, it was quite suspicious that he was the only one who had returned alive.
Unfortunately, that was the sort of realization that would only make him more popular at the Fort. Kunal tried not to shake his head at the idea that being thought of as a murderer would add prestige to his name. He’d always looked away when the other soldiers talked like that, resolved that he wouldn’t act that way, think that way. But after meeting Esha he could see that that wasn’t enough.
It was as if a part of him he had buried had been able to breathe fresh air. This desire to set things right, to make a difference—it wasn’t new, not really. It felt unearthed. As if the years of loneliness and obedience had buried it under armor and bronze.
Kunal watched the hawk take flight, soaring through the reddened sky of the early evening, imagining how the air would feel against his skin—his wings.
A new beginning. A chance to do something, for once.
It was all he could really ask for.
Chapter 4
Kunal sneaked into the small tent, looking around before darting inside.
Esha was lying on her side, facing away from him, but he heard her soft snores and trod lightly inside the tent. In a flash, she sat up, her body twisting in what must have been a familiar way, the knife in her hand threatening. But instead of a knife flying past his head, he saw Esha double over, groaning in pain. Her knife fell to the ground.
Kunal rushed to her side and she swatted at him. “Don’t sneak in like that; I might’ve carved a hole into your chest.”
“I noticed,” he said. “Though it doesn’t look like you’ll be carving holes into anyone anytime soon.”
Esha gave him a look. “Injury or no injury, you know I could cause my fair share of pain.”
“Indeed,” he said mildly. “But maybe now you should focus on resting and healing. Then you can threaten me standing up.”
“You sound like Harun,” she said. She pulled herself to an upright, sitting position with a grimace.
Kunal could tell she didn’t mean that as a compliment, so he said nothing. Instead, he helped her, using his hands to steady her. Her skin was soft and warm under his touch, and despite her state, he could feel the heat in his belly rising. It had been a while since they were alone together.
He knew he should drop his hands, let her sit back and keep resting, but his hands stayed on her waist, trailing up her arms and shoulders.
When he looked up, Esha was staring back, an eyebrow slightly raised. Color was slowly rising into her cheeks.
“Just checking to see how you’re healing,” he said.
Esha was lucky the knife wound had been clean and that Kunal had been able to get her to a healer quickly. By the time he had flown them close to camp, her wound had been sewn shut.
“Then you’ll see I’m healing quite well. So well, that you should really let me get some fresh air. Walk around camp, that sort of thing,” she said.
“Arpiya already warned me that you’d say something like that. Apparently, last time you got wounded you sneaked out and managed to run half a training session with the squads until she caught you.”
“And my injury then was much worse.” Esha tried to move up, but Kunal’s arms around her proved an obstacle. “So you should really let me go.”
He chuckled. “Arpiya also mentioned that when she found you, you had undone a quarter of the stitches, earning you a tongue-lashing from the healer.”
Esha sank back against the cot frame. “Also true.”
“Look, the more you rest now, the more useful you can be once we’re all in Gwali.”
“Are you leaving?”
“Tonight,” he said. “I told them it was so I could arrive by evening tomorrow but . . .”
“You mean to arrive in the morning,” she said, her voice quieting. “I’m not too fond of the idea of you leaving. Again.” A hint of something shy crept into her voice, and Kunal felt his conviction soften.
“I’ll find you,” he said.
Esha chuckled low. “Just like old times? But I’ll be in the Dharkan royal retinue.”
“I know,” he said. “But would it really be so strange for a young, beautiful Dharkan girl to catch the eye of a Senap guard?”
Esha leaned into him, before wincing in pain at the movement. “We can’t be obvious. Perhaps I’ll catch your eye, but nothing more.”
She paused.
“At least not in public,” she said softly, the hint in her voice enough to set a low simmer to Kunal’s blood.
Esha noticed the way Kunal’s eyes flashed; his body tensed, and she held back a little smile.
“We’ll have to set rules,” she said, lowering her voice.
“Harun already gave me a list—”
“Not for your communication with the team. For us,” Esha said. “We can’t tell the others.”