Alex Archer - Serpents Kiss (Rogue Angel, Book 10)

Kaveripattinam, India
509 B.C.

Sahadeva held the porcelain plate and pretended to examine it as he scanned the marketplace behind him. His heart, already beating quickly, nearly exploded when he saw their pursuers.

Theyre still there, Sahadeva.

Jyotsnas whisper barely reached Sahadevas ears. He felt her trembling at his side. The marketplace offered untold terrors for her. Shed never been in a place so big or so filled with people. Knowing that they had enemies nearby only made things worse.

Carefully, so he wouldnt incur the ire of the merchant, Sahadeva replaced the plate on the stack. The merchant started haggling, but the attempt lacked passion. Sahadevas worn and dirty clothing warned all of the shopkeepers and traders that he lacked money.

After thanking the man and praising his goods, Sahadeva took Jyotsnas hand and led her toward the alley at the shops side. He touched the curved knife in the sash at his waist. Hed never killed a man before. He didnt even like slaughtering the goats to put on the family table.

But he knew he would kill the men who pursued them in order to protect Jyotsna.

She looked like a child next to him. The top of her head barely came to his shoulder. Even draped in a loose dark-blue sari anyone could see that she had a womans curves. Sahadeva worried her beauty might bring trouble to them in the city. A plain dupatta covered her head and held her thick black hair out of her face.

Sahadeva was young and slim. All of his life hed been a goatherd. Nearly a year ago, when hed turned seventeen, hed run away from home to join a group of young men whod decided to take a boat up the Vaigai River. Legends of gold and silver, of lost fortunes and fantastic monsters, had beckoned.

When hed left, Sahadeva had known his father would be angry with him and his mother would be disappointed. Three days into the journey, hed been frightened and doubtful despite the stories of adventure. Nine days later, just when theyd been about to exhaust their stores and forced to return home empty-handed, hed seen Jyotsna and fallen in love with her.

Shed wanted to see the big world he described. Her father had denied that to her as he had denied it to all his people. Only the warriors had ventured outside the cave city to get food. Occasionally they brought brides and grooms back into their secret village.

Those brides and grooms, hed discovered, had only been allowed to live there for a short time. Outsiders were put to death once the children were planted. Sahadeva had seen monstrous things among Jyotsnas people. There was no sign of anyone who had come from outside their enclave to live among them.

Jyotsna had captured Sahadevas heart. And she had been equally drawn to him. Unable to bear the thought of his death, she had warned him of the coming assassinations. Sahadeva talked her into running away with him, and they fled.

Now all of his friends were dead. Jyotsnas fathers warriors had killed them mercilessly. Only luck and his knowledge of the terrain along the Vaigai had prevented Sahadeva and Jyotsna from getting overtaken.

But those pursuers were here now. Even Kaveripattinam, as large as it was and open to trade around the world, wasnt enough to hide them.

Sahadeva strode briskly through the marketplace, past the shops and hawkers, through the maze of goods and buyers, until he reached the alley. Voices, whistles, bells and animal bleats sounded all around him.

The buildings flanking the alley blocked some of the heat of the midmorning sun in the narrow expanse. By noon Sahadeva knew the stones beneath his callused feet would be blistering.

At the other end of the alley, he a saw the harbor spread out before him. Tall Roman galleys sat in the ocean. And there were more vessels from other countries.

Since hed been a boy and his father had first allowed him to help drive goats to market, Sahadeva had loved the sea. The sailors with their stories of foreign lands and exotic sights had filled his head. When hed talked to his father about such things, his father had told him to quit wasting his time dreaming. Hed said a goatherd would never have enough money to buy a ship, and taking passage on one as a sailor was nothing short of slavery.

Things change, Father, Sahadeva thought grimly. He approached a man arranging a cart filled with woven baskets. Sir, he said. Im looking for Harshad the jeweler.

The man stroked his fingers in his long beard then pointed. Harshads shop is in the next street. On the right.

Sahadeva thanked him and got moving again. The crowd was thinner. He didnt think the men who pursued them would do anything here, but there were no guarantees. They were desperate men. Hed taken more than Jyotsna when hed left their city.

A BURLY MAN STOOD guard at the jewelers door. He looked half-asleep, but the sword through his sash was sharp and nicked from use. Scars showed on his thick arms.

When he started to enter, the guard put his big hand in the middle of Sahadevas chest and stopped him. Theres no begging allowed in this shop.

Despite his fear and the urgency that pressed him, Sahadevas pride burned. Im no beggar. His hand dropped to his knife.

The guard smiled. Youre wearing a beggars rags, boy. And I wouldnt pull out that knife. Unless youre ready to die.

Sahadeva swallowed hard and felt his face burn with shame. Ive got business with Harshad. He reached inside his shirt and took out a small oilskin pouch. Another oilskin bag was hidden inside the pack he carried, but thieves wouldnt have wanted it. Still, he never left it unattended. I have merchandise for sale.

Sunlight glinted off the gold and gems inside the bag.

Jyotsnas fingernails bit into Sahadevas arm. What have you done?

Sahadeva looked into her dark eyes. I did what I had to so that we could be together.

Tears glinted in her gaze and she looked away from him.

Sahadeva felt torn. He didnt have time to explain. Jyotsna had always lived within her fathers village. She had no idea what the real world was like or what it took to live in it.

Send the boy in here, a mans voice called from within the shop.

Reluctantly, the guard stepped aside.

Sahadeva moved forward. He had to pull on Jyotsnas arm twice to get her to follow him.

Inside, the shop was small and heavily scented with incense. A thin man with graying hair and beard stood behind a counter. He wore a white tunic. Earrings, rings, necklaces, hair bands and gold-and-silver bangles hung from pegs on the wall behind him. Jewels sparkled in settings in some of them. Harshad smiled. Welcome. What may I do for you?

Sahadeva freed his arm from Jyotsna. He placed the oilskin pouch on the counter. I want to trade these for gold coins.

The jeweler spread the bags contents across the counter. Five rings, two bracelets and a loose collection of gems spread between them. Harshad looked at the jewelry with marked interest. These are of very unusual design. Where did you get them?

I found them, Sahadeva replied. They were in the Vaigai River.

The jeweler looked up. Where in the Vaigai?

Sahadeva shook his head. There isnt any more there.

Maybe you just didnt look closely enough.

Then Ill go back and look again.

Harshad frowned. Youve been most fortunate, it seems.