Star Daughter(44)

The most recent competition had been five hundred years ago? And she was somehow expected to win this one on zero knowledge or experience?

You can do this, she reminded herself, nursing her cup and nodding every so often at the apsara’s prattle. You’re awesome.

Too bad she didn’t believe a word of it.

And there, approaching like a mirage, was a different familiar mortal guy. A guy who in fact looked just like her boyfriend.

Okay, now she was hallucinating. Wasn’t she?

Even in jeans and a T-shirt, Dev Merai was as beautiful as the stars.





14


Sheetal literally did a double take, her heart somersaulting in her chest. Unless Dev had a doppelg?nger, it was him.

Why would he be here? His ancestor had kept the woman he’d claimed to love in a cage after she’d tried to leave and had abused her when she didn’t do what he wanted. And he’d bled her for profit on top of that.

Sheetal wanted to call out to Dev. But she couldn’t stop staring long enough to catch her breath.

The stars pressed in around him, apparently not grasping the concept of personal space. They pelted questions, scarcely letting him answer one before the next arrived on its heels. “Do you drive a car?” someone asked. “What is it like?”

A second star pushed the first one aside. “No, tell us if you have ever been in a movie. Is it true you leave part of yourself behind in the camera?”

Dev glanced uncertainly from one star to the other as he tried and failed to put some distance between them. “Uh—”

“Hey, hey, give him some space,” said the curly-haired human man behind him, who had to be House Revati’s champion. He waved the stars back. “I get that you’re curious and all, but don’t smother the guy.”

Sheetal kept her eyes trained on Dev’s profile, hoping he could feel her gaze boring into his skull. Hoping it hurt.

If it did, he didn’t react, so she marched right over, ignoring the astounded expressions around her, and tapped him on the shoulder.

He raised his head, and now she couldn’t deny it was Dev, from the dark eyes that drank her in to the familiar mouth she was ashamed to have kissed. A lot. Her mind helpfully wandered back to yesterday afternoon, in his bed, and she flushed.

“Your hair,” he breathed. “Wow.”

“Why are you here?” she demanded, hating how part of her was glad to see him, to hear him admiring her shimmering starlight tresses. What was wrong with her?

“Nice to see you, too,” Dev said, like he’d just casually run into her between classes at school.

She grabbed his wrist, and a shock passed between them, making her shiver. “We need to talk.”

He jerked free. “Oh, so now you want to talk?”

The curly-haired man had to pick that exact moment to join the conversation. “Hi,” he said, sticking his hand out for her to shake. “So you’re the famous Sheetal. You ran off before I could say hi at the welcome ceremony.”

“Bhai,” Dev mumbled, dropping his gaze.

Bhai. Sheetal realized where she knew this guy from. The pictures on Dev’s wall. Jeet. The flame at her core sparked, ready to burn things. “Is someone going to tell me what’s going on?”

“Maybe we should go outside,” Jeet suggested lightly, and with the stars of House Revati—and that apsara—goggling at them, Sheetal couldn’t argue. She deposited her half-full cup on a nearby table and nodded.

“Excuse us a minute,” Jeet told his entourage, and it parted just enough to let the three of them pass.

They hurried through the double doors and into the corridor, where Sheetal turned her glare on Dev. “What are you doing here?”

Jeet smiled agreeably. “I know things got out of hand, but it wasn’t his fault.”

“Out of hand? You sent him to spy on me!” With her stupid lips still tingling, it was easier to look at him than Dev.

Jeet held up his hands. “You’re right. That was out of line, and I own it. I never should have asked him to do that.”

When Sheetal didn’t say anything, he went on. “Think I’m a jerk all you want, but don’t blame him. He really let me have it after he met you, and I backed off.”

He shifted to stand directly in front of her, and for a second, it looked like his skin had a weird silver-pale cast. But then she realized he was just reflecting her own furious flame. So was the entire hallway. “What are you trying to say? Yes, you did spy on me, but it’s okay because you stopped?”

“No. I’m trying to apologize.” Jeet and Dev didn’t look alike at all, but that self-deprecating expression was one hundred percent Dev. “And doing a bang-up job of it, huh? Listen, I’m sorry.”

Against her will, Sheetal thawed a smidge. She nodded stiffly. She hadn’t expected an apology, but she wasn’t ready to forgive him, either. Or Dev, for that matter.

“Well, I’ll leave you two to catch up, but seriously, Dev was trying to do the right thing. I just want you to know that.” Jeet nodded at her and disappeared back into the common room.

Now that they were alone, Sheetal didn’t know where to look. Every bit of her was all too aware of how close Dev was, how all she’d have to do to touch him was take that last step. Finally she settled on a patch of wall just behind his ear. “You didn’t answer my question. Why are you here?”