“Ah, finally awake. Humans are so fragile—I was beginning to worry I’d used too much venom.”
The voice is like silk wrapped around a dagger. I blink away the fog to find myself staring at possibly the most beautiful woman—no, naga—I’ve ever seen. Silver scales shimmer across her exposed skin like starlight, and her movements are pure liquid grace as she slithers closer.
Nalini. Sundar’s ex. Because apparently my day wasn’t complicated enough.
“Love what you’ve done with the place,” I rasp, pushing myself upright despite my spinning head. “Very ‘evil lair chic.’ The torches are a bit much though. Ever heard of LED bulbs?”
Her perfect lips curl into something between a smile and a sneer. “How fascinating. I can almost see why he’s drawn to you. Such… spirit, even in the face of certain doom.”
“Doom? Really?” I manage to swing my legs over the divan’s edge, fighting waves of dizziness. “Did you get your villain dialogue from an 80s B-movie script?”
Her tail lashes, quick as lightning, stopping inches from my face. “You think this is a game, little girl? You have no idea what you’re involved in. What he is. Whatweare.”
“Oh, I don’t know.” I’m pretty sure it’s the venom making me this mouthy, but I can’t seem to stop. “I know he likes his tea with exactly two sugar cubes. I know his tail gets twitchy when he’s trying not to laugh at my jokes. I know he pretends to hate reality TV but has definitely gotten invested in The Great British Bake Off.”
Nalini’s beautiful face twists with disgust. “You speak of trivialities. He is a guardian of ancient power, a keeper of sacred traditions. And you… You’re nothing but a temporary distraction. A pet he’ll tire of once the novelty wears off.”
The words hit harder than they should, especially after Sundar’s recent distance. That familiar doubt creeps in—the same voice that whispered I wasn’t good enough for Derek.
“He’s been quite distant lately, hasn’t he?” Nalini’s voice drips with false sympathy. “Pulling away? Making excuses? That’s how it starts, you poor thing. I should know.”
I hate how my throat tightens. Because she’s right—something has been off.
“He’s researching something,” I say, though I’m not even sure why I’m trying to convince her. “About my bracelet.”
Nalini laughs, the sound like breaking glass. “Oh, precious. Is that what he told you? And you believed him?” Her tail slides closer, silver scales catching the torchlight. “Did you really think you were special? That you could hold the interest of someone like Sundar? He’s lived centuries, guarded ancient powers, and touched divine magic. And you can barely handle such small human affairs without failing.”
I want to argue, but what if she’s right? What if…
No.
Something clicks in my head.
This feels exactly like Derek. The way he’d twist everything around until I doubted myself. Until I felt small. Until I believed I was lucky he even looked at me.
But Sundar… Sundar isn’t Derek. Iknowthat, somewhere deep down.
“You know what’s funny?” I push myself fully upright, ignoring how the room spins. “For someone who claims to know him so well, you really don’t get Sundar at all.”
Nalini’s eyebrow ridges arch. “Oh?”
“Yeah. Because the Sundar I know? He doesn’t care about ancient powers or divine magic nearly as much as he cares about helping Mrs. Chen’s grandson price his baseball cards fairly.Or making sure to inform Mrs. Brindlewood that her ‘definitely magical’ teacups are actually from Target.”
My voice grows stronger with each word. “He’s not some untouchable guardian anymore. He’s someone who makes me feel safe and seen and worthy, even when I’m being completely ridiculous. And maybe that’s not enough for some scaly snob like you, but it’s everything to me.”
Nalini’s beautiful face contorts into something ugly. “You dare—”
“Yeah, I dare. Because I trust him. And nothing you say will change that.”
Her tail whips through the air with a crack that echoes off the stone walls. “Then you’re even more foolish than I thought. If he truly cared, why hasn’t he noticed you’re missing? Why hasn’t your precious protector come to save you?”
“Because,” a deep voice rumbles from the shadows, “I was waiting to hear exactly how much poison you’d try to spread.”
Sundar emerges from the darkness like something straight out of my most dangerous dreams—hood fully flared, golden eyes blazing, every scale gleaming with barely contained fury. His tail moves with lethal grace as he positions himself between me and Nalini.
“Ah, there you are,” Nalini says nonchalantly, though I notice she’s shifted into a defensive stance. “Come to collect your pet?”
“I’ve come,” Sundar’s voice drops to a register that makes my toes curl despite our dire situation, “to end this pathetic attempt at manipulation. Though I must thank you, Nalini. Your little performance has proven something rather important.”
