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

27.2: Love and Friendship

Feeling my heart quail and feet heavy, I walked towards her bedroom. Tyrell and Leena appeared in front of the door and exited laughing and talking together. They didn't seem to notice me approaching. What were they doing in there? Was she ready to talk? I crept to the door, easing it further open before sneaking into the room. Nazira was seated on the bed looking up at Celina who stood in front of her as if a mother scolding her kid for doing something wrong. Nazira's one hand held onto Celina's and the other grabbed a glass with half-filled hot chocolate.

The screeches of the creatures suddenly faded away. The palace seemed quiet but for an odd chuffing sound.

I gazed at her. There were nicks and cuts on her cheek and chin, her bruised shoulder wrapped in a cloth. She was back in her jeans and tunic top, and she did look healthier than the last I had seen her. But that did not make me happy. The day she had decided to save the country and her guardian by putting our relationship in jeopardy came back to me with full force. She did the right thing in the wrong way, I was convinced of that. So very much like King Harsh. "It means it was never meant to happen. You and I, it cannot happen."  Those words....how dare she speak of them. No, I was not mad, but deeply disappointed. She had plotted the entire scheme only to make me disappointed. Should I really let her succeed?

"Look," Celina said, there was a slight shiver in her voice. "You see...the thing is..." Her gawkish awkwardness and pretend tenderness were timeless. She then sighed heavily, dramatically, as if to get rid of the nervous strain from her system, and spoke quickly with a voice like that of a breaking storm. "Screw it! You know what, you did some nasty stuff, and I don't think I'm ever going to forget that I underwent the process Almourah because of you, and I'm never gonna. But I know in my heart that I shouldn't be blaming you for the decisions Haimavati took a thousand freaking years ago. And I certainly don't want to be like Endira. Holding onto those grudges will not make me a better person..."

Nazira then spoke something. Her lip clearly moved and Celina took a step back, staring black-eyed. The suddenness of hearing a voice in her mind had to be too enthralling. It certainly had been to me. 

"I don't know," Celina then said, and her voice turned brittle. "I don't know if I'll ever be in a position to forgive you. Crap, this isn't easy to say, but...I really want you to be one of us. Leena told me a lot about you, and how your presence filled the void left by my departure. That made me realize that you certainly...are not Himavati. Also...Hayden's been a total bummer, you should know this. It is difficult seeing him emotionally repressed, walking about with a lost puppy dog expression. Urgh! I hate that! We all want him to be a great king, you hear? His failure will be our failure, the dynasty's failure. We don't want that, do we? I guess it's best to leave our differences behind...perhaps." There was a look of genuine insecurity in her eyes. The quality of her voice and the expression on her face...Celina did not seem to have trouble making up her mind as well. 

Nazira smiled and nodded. The girls shook their hands and I was glad they talked through their awkwardness and cleared things up, even though I wondered if it was as simple as it seemed. Celina noticed me and turned gimlet eyes my way. Unwillingly she approached. "Your turn. But she is still quite unhealthy. Try not to be hard on her."

"I won't. Thanks, Celina."

She gave an assuring press on my shoulder and left closing the door behind her.

About time, I said to myself and walked inside. A chair at the corner seemed to be waiting for me, and a Samavek on the table that I had placed the day before when I'd come to see her only to send healing energy her way. I dragged the chair closer and sat in front of Nazira. My stone lay dormant in my pocket but I did feel its warmth before taking it out and boxing it away. It hit me suddenly and directly in my face that the person sitting in front of me was Cornelian's Third Eye who shared the vigor of the stone as much as Singh and I did.  Then I went ahead and extended my hand. She placed her warm ones over mine and looked up to read my lips, her face expressionless.