(Book 4) Hayden Mackay and The Fest of Vrindahina

8.1 Gate of the Gates

I gently laid an unconscious Nazira down on the rickety cot, finally getting a chance to get a good look at her condition if any better. Despite of being feeble and fainthearted as she has always been, her increasing frailty led me think how vulnerable she looked. In addition to it, this sudden incident had taken away her leftover charm that I associated with her. A pang of guilt for forgetting her behind trickled me. Unable to look at her in that condition, I dropped my eyes on the floor and walked away from her.

Ira Zutshi walked by and placed a damp cloth on Nazira's forehead to cool her temperature down. She gently rubbed her hands and wiped the black marks off her face. I walked further aside to give Ira some space and stood with my back against a wall, thinking about him.

I so wanted to believe that everything that had happened in academy was only a nightmare, and that I was going to wake up anytime now, for this episode to just vanish. It was difficult to put up with the fact that my best friend Tyrell Kissler was the reason behind this mess. His eyes, so lifeless and apathetic. His voice, remorseless. And then I remembered his warning, which seemed more like a threat. Was it a taunt? Did he doubt my capabilities as a Samagraha?

Mrs. Zutshi must have noticed that I was too quiet since she had opened the Gates and so she tried to make a conversation. "Are you hurt too, hun?"

"Not exactly," I said, my voice breaking, "I am fine. It's just...my hands are burnt."

She smiled faintly and said, "Fire of Vengeance with burnt hands?"

I tried my best to not to take her comment to heart. "Yeah, something to think about, right?"

"Ashwant will be here any moment," she said, still having that gentle smile on her face, "He might help you out with that."

I nodded slightly rubbing my hands, "Will Nazira be okay?"

She set the wet cloth on her face straight and pulled a blanket around her. "She is very weak," Ira said, "But she is only unconscious. She will be alright. Don't worry."

"I will just wait outside," I said, and walked out of the room till Ira was done with Nazira.

I was now standing in the living room of Ashwant's huge hut, built especially for the leader of the Clan of Matsyasvi. All the walls of this hut were constructed with shells, roof with vintage rocks and pebbles. The curtains against the windows were nothing but a slick black mesh nets. Smell of fishes was always there and it was adequate. Two upholstered rocking chairs at the opposite corner of the hall and, a rustic table in the middle of them, facing the fireplace filled with logs, added contemporary panache to this living room.

Fireplace wasn't aflamed. Dakshinpur was kind of a place where the fireplaces were never left alone without burning. That made me sense the air inside the hut wasn't chilly at all as it was supposed to be. It was the month of August and the last time I was here during this month, it was bone chilling. I rubbed my nape trying to push my unnecessary thoughts off my mind. I had enough problems on my plate to worry for now, I couldn't care about the weather whatsoever.

I opened the entrance door and stepped outside. How hard I tried not to, I couldn't help but notice it. I was ridiculously and profoundly impressed with this weather. It was probably a little after the noontime, with the clear blue sky and the friendly sun. No dark clouds, no snow, just the tincture of pleasant wind providing the subtle movement to the grass on the embankment. The best thing about this area was it's waterfall, the cascading water tumbling down the hill forming turquoise colored water pool. The trees surrounding the waterfall all over the hill were an addition to this beauty.

I dragged my eyes to watch a few mer-people sitting by the pool under the shade of the only huge tree with rhomboidal leaves. A group of five, their long fish tails down touching the water and their humanly upper bodies were covered with bandages and gauze. I frowned upon the few of the huts that seemed to be getting rebuilt, with a villagers sitting on the top of the hut fixing the roofs and walls.