The Silent: Irin Chronicles Book Five(29)

“I hope so.”

Niran said, “There were six of them when our father died. One fell ill immediately after. She was already quite old, and Tenasserim never fed his daughters. She died shortly after he did.”

Leo said, “What do you mean he didn’t ‘feed’ his daughters? They weren’t given any food?”

Sura and Niran exchanged a look.

“Our magic is not the same as yours,” Niran said.

Sura said, “Five of our sisters were left. That was thirteen years ago. Now there are only four.”

“There were almost three,” Niran said.

Ginny asked, “What do you mean?”

“It was something I wanted to ask about last night,” Sura said, “but we didn’t have time. There were two Irin scribes some months ago who drove through the village on the road to Chiang Rai. They saw our sister Prija and tried to abduct her.”

Ginny said, “Oh, hell no.”

Sura quickly raised a hand. “I do not want to be ungenerous,” he said. “It is possible they thought Prija was lost. She is not often lucid, and she can be quite dangerous if provoked.”

Niran turned to Alyah. “She hurt them during the escape. She screamed and ran away, and the men appeared injured. They drove away, and we have not seen them again. But I need to know if the Bangkok house thinks it has the right to take our sisters.”

“You will not have them,” Sura said quietly. He looked around the garden. “All this, it is temporary. If there is any threat against them, we will be gone, and you will never find us. I eluded a Fallen angel for a hundred years. A company of Irin is nothing to me.”

Alyah said, “Leo informed me of this incident two nights ago, and I will inquire about any scribes who came through this area when I return to Bangkok. Please know, we have no desire to take your sisters if they are safe. Our mandate regarding them is broad, but we respect family. If you are keeping them safe and they want to stay with you, then that is their right.”

Leo glanced at Ginny and suspected she had something to share, but the Irina remained silent, sipping her tea and letting Alyah talk.

“If there is any training we can give them, we would be happy to do so,” Alyah said. “That is why my watcher sent me and not one of my brothers.”

Niran looked at Leo.

“He is here for his own reasons,” Alyah said.

“I can guess what they are,” Sura said. “She is leading meditation with Intira this morning. That is why Kyra isn’t with us.”

Niran’s eyes were sharp; Leo felt them like blades.

“I would like the opportunity to speak with her when she finishes teaching,” he said.

“What would an Irin scribe have to say to a kareshta?” Niran asked.

“That is for Kyra to hear,” Leo said. “Not you.”

Alyah was right. Niran wanted Kyra, but that was too damn bad in Leo’s opinion.

He’d fallen for her first.



Sura walked with Leo through the bamboo forest, deeper into the trees where deep shadows sheltered them from the sweltering heat of the afternoon sun. The houses in the forest were raised on bamboo platforms, simple structures open to the trees around them. He saw one set of eyes in a window he passed. They looked young and curious. Leo smiled.

“Our sisters have been practicing with Kyra,” Sura said, “but they are still new. I hope you are keeping your thoughts as peaceful as possible.”

“I’m trying,” Leo said. “I do have some practice with it. My watcher’s mate is Grigori, and she has also struggled. I have a tune I hum when she’s stressed.” Leo smiled. “It’s a Latvian lullaby. She claims it drives her crazy, but I know she likes it because she sings it to her babies.”

Sura smiled. “I sing ‘When You Wish upon a Star’ in my head.”

“That could get annoying too.”

“It does.” The voice spoke in English from the steps of the house they’d just passed.

Leo turned. Ah, there were the young eyes that’d been watching. He smiled at the cocky jut of the girl’s chin.

“I’m Leo.”

“I’m Intira.”

The young kareshta girl Kyra said was so gifted. “I hear you are an excellent student.”

“I am.” She kicked her foot idly against the steps. “Only so I don’t have to listen to Sura’s bad singing though.”

Leo burst into laughter and heard a door open in the distance. He turned in the direction of the sound.

Kyra.

“Intira, who…?” She fell silent when she saw Leo.

Kyra stood on the porch of her small cottage, her hair falling around her, wearing a flowing dress in a deep blue that matched the ocean. She looked like she’d just bathed. Her hair was damp and her face glowed.

Leo walked toward her, forgetting about Sura and Intira. Forgetting about Niran, Alyah, and Ginny. He forgot about his responsibilities, Max’s warnings, and Kyra’s many vicious brothers.

He saw Kyra and a door. And beyond that door, he saw privacy.

Leo strode up the steps and grabbed her hand. “We need to talk.”





Chapter Nine





Before Kyra could object, Leo had spun her around, tugged her into the dim interior of her cottage, and slammed the door. She stood still, her mouth gaping, wondering what exactly had happened.