Taken

I could have said more, but stopped. Some instinct told me that trying to persuade Jagadev further wasn’t going to help. Instead I sat and waited, watching the futures whirl ahead of me. The fire crackled in the quiet room, throwing flickering light over Jagadev’s orange-striped face and glinting off his opaque black eyes.

“Anne and Variam are banished from my domain,” Jagadev said at last. “As are you. Should any of you set foot in this place again your lives are forfeit.”

I nodded.

“Go,” Jagadev said.

I did. My muscles were tensed all the way to the door; if Jagadev was going to try anything, now would be the time. Every step I half-expected to hear a sudden rush of movement behind me.

But Jagadev did nothing. I reached the door and took a last look back. The rakshasa was still watching me from the table, lit up in the firelight, the meal untasted before him. I studied him for a moment and then turned and left. The guards let me go.

*  *  *

It was another clear winter’s day. The temperature had been getting lower and lower until it was close to freezing, and according to the forecasts there might even be snow this weekend. But for today the skies were clear, and we were taking the opportunity to do some moving.

“That the last one?” I said as I came back out into the street and saw the solitary box by the van.

“Yep,” Sonder said. “Is there anything else?”

“It’s fine,” I said. “Go ahead and take the van back. Thanks for the help.”

“It’s okay,” Sonder said. “Uh, you know, I could probably find somewhere they could use. The Council has a few buildings that are pretty much always empty.”

I shook my head. “You’ve done more than enough.”

Sonder hesitated. “Have you told them about . . . ?”

“What you found out about Jagadev?” I asked. “No. And to be honest, I’m not sure I’m going to.”

Sonder looked startled. “Really?”

I nodded. “But . . .” Sonder said. “It’s the truth. I mean, I know it’s not going to be fun for them to hear, but . . .”

“You did the research on Anne and Variam’s family history,” I said. “How much of an extended family do they have?”

Sonder thought for a moment. “I don’t think they have much of one. Not in their generation anyway. Variam used to have—”

“Right. How many of those deaths do you think were from natural causes?”

Sonder paused. “Oh.”

“And how do you think Variam in particular is going to react when he finds out?”

“Um. I guess he’s not going to be happy.”

“No,” I said. “He’s not.”

We stood by the van in silence for a moment. “What are you going to do?” Sonder asked.

“Sooner or later they’re going to have to know,” I said. “But . . . I think I’m going to wait. At least until things quiet down.”

“I guess,” Sonder said. “Are we still on for dinner?”

“Sure. Drop by whenever you like.”

As Sonder drove the van away I picked up the box and carried it back to the shop. As I did I noticed that a couple of customers were hovering around the front door. “Hi,” one of them said as I fumbled for the handle. “Are you open?”

“Sure,” I said, shouldering the door open. “Come in and—” I stopped as I realised no one was behind the counter.

“Do you work here?” the younger one said.

“Yeah.” I put the box down and headed past the counter for the hall. “Wait just a sec and I’ll find the sales manager.”

I heard the argument from all the way down the stairs. “You are not leaving that crap all over my room,” Luna was saying.

“It’s where I’m staying, all right?” Variam said.

“I don’t care where you stay but you’re not staying here.”

“You said this was a spare room!”

“I told Anne this was a spare room. I didn’t say you could have it.”

“This is such bullshit,” Variam said. “You don’t even live here.”

“Yeah, well, sometimes classes run late and I sleep over, and I don’t want to be picking your dirty clothes off the floor.”

“My clothes aren’t—”

“Hi,” I said, sticking my head through the door of the spare room. “Is there a problem?”

“Variam wants my room,” Luna said with a frown. She was standing in front of the camp bed with her arms folded.

“It’s not your room—” Variam started.

“All right,” I cut in. “Let me break it down for you guys. I have two rooms available, the living room and the spare. I don’t care who sleeps where, but if you’re a guest here you should be polite to your host, and if you’re a host you should be trying to make your guest feel comfortable.”

Luna and Variam looked at each other, then back at me. “Okay?” I said.

“Okay,” Luna said.

“So who gets the room?” Variam said.

“You’re over twenty years old,” I said. “Sort it out yourselves. Oh, and Variam, the rest of your boxes are downstairs, and Luna, you’re supposed to be minding the shop.”

Luna sighed and obeyed. Variam followed. As I left I heard them start arguing again.

I wandered into the living room to find the rest of the boxes in a pile, stacked neatly but unopened. I thought for a minute, then went out onto my balcony and climbed the ladder to the roof.