Emerge: The Captive: (Book 3)(57)

“How did you know his name?” Jayesh laughed.

The elephant, Kandula, had told her his name. Sasha had never felt comfortable revealing her special connection with animals to her teacher. She decided then that she would show Jayesh today, but not here.

Kandula gazed at Sasha with trust and an eagerness to take her wherever she needed to go. Animals are so much better than people. Sasha could give them her unfailing trust and they returned it without guile, secrets or manipulation. Kandula offered her a step up, lifting his back leg. Sasha hopped up and held on with a squeal as he lifted her all the way up to his back, where she scrambled up the length of him, like she rode elephants all the time.

“Done this before?” Jayesh smiled.

“Never.” She sat carefully where Kandula told her to sit. When she gave a second thought to the ethics of using such a beautiful creature as a beast of burden, he assured her it was his pleasure to take her on her journey to the sea.

Jayesh is taking me to the sea? But Kandula quickly reminded her that he was the one taking her to see the leaves. Sasha gave him a playful pat on his enormous head and decided it was not a good idea to argue with the sage wisdom of elephants.

Sasha only half listened to Jayesh as he climbed up behind her. She was enjoying her chat with Kandula far too much. As they made their way across the rolling hills, Sasha learned Kandula was a young bull with a pretty mate and a newborn calf. He and his mate worked for the monks, but were always treated with reverence and given the run of the valley that was their home. Kandula and his mate came when they were called, but otherwise they were free.

“You aren’t listening to a word I’m saying,” Jayesh said.

“Oh, sorry.” Sasha winced. She was bad about that. She often forgot that humans tended to treat animals like part of the scenery when to Sasha they were part of the conversation. “I’m just enjoying the ride.”

“I thought you might like to get out of the temple for a break. We’ve been working so hard these last months; I know I’m starting to go stir crazy with the routine.”

“It’s like living the same day on an endless loop,” she agreed.

“With no end in sight for the two most stubborn people on the planet.”

Sasha laughed. “It’s frustrating how we both know what we need to do to get out of here, yet we both refuse to do it.”

“Maybe we deserve this place.”

“Wait. Stop.” Sasha felt the stab of pain in Kandula’s front foot. Before she gave it a second thought, she slipped down the elephant’s left side, just catching his offered foot as he lowered her to the ground.

She patted Kandula along his trunk.

“What are you doing, Sasha? Be careful. He could trample you,” Jayesh called from above.

“He won’t.” She dismissed Jay’s concerns as she rounded to Kandula’s right side, telling him to lift his injured foot.

The great elephant snorted his dismissal, claiming it was nothing to concern herself with.

“You have a rock in your foot, Kandula. I can feel how much it pains you and you’re not walking another step until I get it out.”

Kandula grunted at her.

“I am not a silly human. You’re a silly elephant. Now give me your foot.” She gestured for Kandula to lift his foot high while she prodded the area between his toes, looking for the culprit. She knew she looked like a madwoman, having a one-sided argument with an elephant.

“I see it,” she murmured, grabbing the knife sheathed at her hip. She dug the offending rock from his foot, checking for cuts or any sign of blood. All the while, Kandula protested her fussing. She laughed at the way he looked at her like she was some strange bug on the end of a stick.

“All better?” She smiled as the elephant wrapped his trunk around her shoulders, sniffing her hair.

Without comment, Jayesh tossed her an apple, which she gave to Kandula for a treat.

“So now you know,” Sasha said as she took her place back up in front of Jayesh.

“Now I know.” He chuckled as they set off across the open valley. “You must lead an interesting life, talking to animals.”

“They’re easier than people. They trust me and can sense I understand them and they never fear me. Most creatures are eager to offer me help when I need it because I do the same for them.”

“You shouldn’t be here, Sasha,” Jayesh said softly.

“I know.” She reached to pick a flower from a low-hanging vine, tucking it behind her ear.

“You should be training to become a woman who inspires peace. Instead they push you into a life of war and death.”

“Who knows, maybe I can do the world some good … staring down the barrel of a sniper rifle.”

“Hang on to the girl you are, Sasha. Don’t let them beat it out of you.”

Sasha found herself wondering what Jayesh was like before life had beaten him down into the jaded man she was just beginning to get to know.

“So Kandula here told you where we’re going?” he asked in a cheerier tone.

“His thoughts are somewhat confusing since animals don’t think with words. I saw something about the sea and then something about going to visit leaves.”

“Good boy, Kandula.” Jayesh reached to rub his big, floppy ears. “He hasn’t given away the surprise yet.”