The Tiger at Midnight (The Tiger at Midnight Trilogy #1)(25)

“I was born near the tea plantations in the western hills, where there’s green as far as you can see. As soon as I could, I started climbing, to see more of the world. I usually go up to the top of the Fort the night before any excursion, to watch the stars come out and darkness fall from the open windows.”

“Me too,” she said softly. “I count the stars when I’m away from home, to remind me of how far I’ve come.” She cleared her throat. “Why go so far up at the Fort?”

He smiled, as if reliving a memory. “From the highest point, you can see a glimpse of Dharka over the mountains.”

“Oh?”

The mention of her home brought fresh memories to her mind, of a warm sun and the thick, moist air of summer. Dharka was flatter against the coastline, its peninsula smaller than Jansa’s, leading to rolling hills and plantations, the delta soil of the Bhagya River’s tributaries rich in loam. The land was still whole now, the janma bond still secure, and she meant to keep it that way.

What piqued her attention was that the soldier had mentioned Dharka without any of the derision she usually heard in soldiers’ voices.

It made her curious. “Have you been?”

“I’ve been before. I think. As a child. I remember kind people and delicious food,” he said.

“Maybe you’ll have the chance to go back one day,” she said slowly, parceling out her words.

“I’d like to. I’ve heard tales of its lush plateaus and striking mountains. The deep jungles.” He spoke in a way that enchanted her, careful and rhythmic, as if he measured and evaluated every word.

“The tales of the jungle animals don’t scare you?”

He smiled. “I’ve always enjoyed the company of animals,” he said. “Though maybe not that tiger.”

Esha couldn’t say she shared the first sentiment. Animals almost seemed to hate her, which was ironic given her namesake.

She hesitated, unsure how much of herself to give away in response to his unguarded admissions. Caution won and she looked out through the trees.

“I’ve never been to Dharka, but I’ve sailed past it. It looks beautiful,” Esha lied. “It doesn’t sound so different from Jansa, though, despite what people say.”

It was a test. Would he pass? Prove himself different from his bronze-clad brothers?

“No. No, it doesn’t.”

Kunal’s words were soft, dissolving into the heavy night air.

He had passed easily.





Chapter 13


Esha watched him fall asleep as they talked, one eye cracked open, before falling into a dreamless sleep herself. She woke with the first shimmer of daylight, even though they had stayed awake talking later than she intended, and she was able to catch the fading of the forest’s incandescent lights.

Something about their conversation had imbued her with a new energy. It had been a salve for her loneliness. She pushed away the other thoughts, the soft words they had exchanged about their favorite cities along the coast, the best places to eat jalebis. Now she was eager to get moving, spurred on by the plan she had formulated.

After scouting once again for any signs of the tiger, Esha quietly climbed down the tree and landed with a soft thud, her feet welcoming the feeling of solid ground. She left her pack on the ground, taking out the small metal flask inside.

First, she needed to find water. She remembered having seen a small stream to the east from the trees, close enough that she could have her flasks filled before the soldier woke. It was an innocuous reason to leave if he found her, and it would give her the ability to scout a clear path to get away. She could also scout whether the other soldiers had moved from their camp and farther into the rain forest.

For the first time since leaving the Fort, she felt in control.

The efficiency of her plan brought a smile to her face as she eased her arms toward the sky, feeling the gentle crack of her joints as her body woke up. She had left him still asleep, an arm tossed carelessly over his face, his face young and open in slumber.

Esha had looked away quickly, away from the soft slackness of his mouth that brought to mind a boy rather than a soldier.

She pushed away the memory and left for the stream.





Chapter 14


Kunal woke with a start, the cry of a hornbill ringing in his ears.

He groaned, wondering why his bed felt so hard. A glance upward toward the blanketed canopy of trees above brought the memories of the past few days rushing back. The hoots of monkeys could be heard, and soon enough, he felt the annoying bite of gnats and mosquitoes.

He looked over and saw that the branch where Esha had been was empty, and in a second, he was up, crouching low against the tree trunk as he surveyed the area through the branches. His eyes landed on Esha’s pack on the ground below, a few feet from his now dented cuirass, and his muscles relaxed.

She was still in the area. He didn’t know of a girl who would leave her pack unattended while traveling. And there were no tracks surrounding it that hinted at a capture.

Kunal realized he had been worried for a moment, that he truly did want to see her safely off. Despite his suspicion that she was the Viper.

It was better to keep her close and keep an eye on her, even if most of him did believe her. He rolled his neck, letting warmth carry into his arms as he untied his rope and eased himself down the knotty branches of the tree.