The Tiger at Midnight (The Tiger at Midnight Trilogy #1)(48)

The sky was a brilliant blue that illuminated it all. Kunal looked around hurriedly, peering over the front and back of the rooftop he was on. This was the tallest one in the town, from what he could tell. It was a long shot, but from up here he could see everyone and everything.

He peered above the crowds, hoping he had picked the right roof to give him the vantage point he needed. There.

A small figure, curly hair peeking out of her uttariya, moved against the current of traders bustling their way to the market after sunup. His training as a Senap helped him sift through the unnecessary, and he felt his eyes go sharp as he focused on the contrary figure.

Kunal knew in his bones that it was Esha. He traced her through the crowds, watched her start moving faster toward the eastern gate. His headache began to recede, and with it went that steady drumbeat in his head that always seemed to call to him.

Control.

Kunal climbed down from the rooftop to land on the street with a soft thud.

She wouldn’t get far.





Chapter 31


Esha moved as quickly as she could without drawing notice.

She worked her way through the outer edge of the bazaar, winding her way to the river. Perhaps she could find—steal—a small boat or convince someone to help her go north toward Amali. Either way, it felt good to put distance between herself and the soldier.

The colors of the bazaar faded as she began to take the small, narrow passageways toward the east. She kept her head down, letting her uttariya slip down to cover her face.

As she rounded the corner, she collided with someone coming from the other way. Esha stumbled back and looked up to apologize when her heart stopped.

Kunal stood in front of her, his armor gone and bare chest heaving with exertion. His eyes flashed as he drew closer.

“Going somewhere, Esha?”

“I merely stepped out to get some fruit.”

Esha reached a hand into her pack and he grabbed her wrist, inches away.

“I read your note.”

“Good, did you enjoy it? Like the image I painted?” He ignored her, though a faint blush crept up his neck. He reached into her pack with his other hand and pulled out a mango.

She noticed the slight pucker of his brow with glee.

“A mango?”

“Mangoes,” she corrected him.

“Mangoes.”

“They’re delicious, aren’t they? Juicy, sweet.” He began to look at her as if she were losing her mind, and she angled her body, her other arm sliding down to her waist sash. “You look confused.”

“I would’ve thought you’d have a better excuse than that.”

“Better than mangoes? Impossible. They’re the royalty of the fruit world.” She almost chuckled, but she saw his eyes dart to her other hand and knew she had to pause her fun. “And, soldier, you really should get smarter if you want to play with me.”

Esha threw herself into his side, hitting him with enough force that he let go of her wrist and tumbled to the ground. With her other hand, she brought the hilt of her knife down, aiming for his head, but he caught her hand inches away from his skull, twisting her wrist.

Her body twisted with it and she rolled into the fall, landing and jumping up.

Now she ran.

She tugged at her sack as she fled, pulling out her real whip and tucking it into the palm of her hand. It wasn’t a weapon she could use just anywhere, so she’d have to draw him into a dark corner.

Esha smiled, a tight line. Dark corners were her specialty.

The smile slipped a bit as she turned a corner, keeping to the shadows. She had meant it—he would have to be smarter to play at her level. But somehow the idea of playing had started to lose its appeal.

How many moons ago had she sat with Arpiya, sitting on the steps of the training ground at the rebel base, talking about the glory of serving their country and bringing back balance, the power they felt when they brought down their enemies?

Never had they talked about the loneliness, or the fear. Last night had been a respite, one she hadn’t expected. To just tell the truth, and have someone see both faces she wore.

But she had a bigger purpose now. She couldn’t entertain these ideas when the cease-fire the king had worked so hard for, that the country needed, might be at stake.

Until then, she was the Viper. She would be the nightmare everyone thought she was. The darkness in her soul overcame her, one that was familiar and an old friend.

Within a minute, another set of footsteps could be heard behind her.

Esha didn’t bother hiding her steps now.

She ran as fast as her feet could take her, bobbing through the outskirts of the bazaar and under stall covers and unfurled blankets. Disgruntled shouts followed her, and she knew from the echoing of curses after her that Kunal was still on her trail, not far behind.

Esha swerved into a small alley, using a woman with a huge basket of jackfruit on her hip as cover. The sun burned into her back even in the shadows of the alleyway, and she hastily mopped her brow with the edge of her uttariya.

She scrambled up the loose stone wall of a building, collapsing on the rooftop above.

Esha stopped for a minute, catching her breath, but continued moving. Moon Lord’s mercy, she refused to be caught, not only because she had to get to Amali. The shadows of her days in the dungeons of Gwali loomed, threatened her.

A noise came from below and Esha started off again on the rooftop, nearing its end. Ahead was another rooftop, but there was a gap, and Esha looked around frantically.