Page 87 of Lies That Bleed
Dev and Nikhil started to do crowd control, pushing everyone back. “Alright, nothing to see here, give her some room,” Dev said.
Little Meera popped up beside me. “She forget her meds?” she asked Kohen with a frown.
Kohen nodded, his face taut with anxiety as he stroked her face softly. “Lost in the train crash.”
“How long does it last?” Tetra had slid off of Ariyel and limped over to Anika, sitting on the ground beside her and taking her hand. My best friend stroked her palm and I knew she felt a kinship in this moment. It wasn’t the same as having a foot that didn’t work properly since birth, but it was something… Neither of them were perfect by society’s standards.
Kohen looked up at me. “It’s been a long time since she’s had an episode. Years. Meera made her the herbal chews, and as long as she takes one daily, they don’t happen.”
My compassion for Anika grew in that moment, and I pushed my jealousy aside.
“Are any of the herbs in the forest? I could ride Onyx to fetch them,” I said, since Liana was currently saddled with our payload.
Meera shook her head. “To the best of my knowledge, the flower that stops the episodes only grows in the Imbrian Mountains.”
Tetra whistled. “So what do you do when it runs out?”
The Imbrian Mountains were two days’ travel away from the school. They’d have to get leave, and in order to do that they’d have to explain why.
Kohen shot Tetra a warning look. “We’ll figure it out. Meera made her enough for a few months.”
“But we will need to have a plan so that she doesn’t run out once she gets posted,” Meera said to Kohen in a low voice.
“I’ll figure it out,” Kohen said, and Anika’s body suddenly went limp.
“She’s coming out of it.” Kohen sagged in relief.
Anika blinked up at Kohen, licking her lips as if she were thirsty. “Is Mother baking brownies?” She sounded as if she were in a dream.
I glanced at Kohen in alarm. The convulsions must scramble her brain afterwards.
He stroked her forehead tenderly. “You’re okay. You had an episode.”
She frowned, looking around at all of us. She appeared exhausted and I felt so bad for her.
Meera held her fingers to Anika’s wrist. “Pulse is good.”
Anika peered up at Kohen, reaching up to cup his face. “It’s a pity you don’t love me back. I could make you happy.”
Kohen blushed, grasping her hand and pulling it back to her chest to set it there.
Then he looked at me, and he must have seen my jealousy, because his face changed at that moment.
He looked happy. Satisfied. Like he’d finally won me over.
“She gets confused for a bit after. She won’t remember this,” he said to us all.
But I would. I would never forget it. It was the moment I realized that I wanted Kohen Badshah for myself. That even if this were some incredible diabolical plan… I wanted him. Bad.
Tetra patted Anika’s hand and then stood and motioned to me. “Let’s give her some privacy.”
I nodded, standing as well, and walked back over to Ariyel with her.
“That was scary,” she told me in a whisper.
“Yeah, and when the instructors find out, she’s going to be discharged.”
Tetra chewed her lip. “Screw that. That’s not fair. If she takes her medicine she’s fine.”
