I gasp. “But that’s impossible.”
“I assure you, it’s not. And if you want to save this boy you’ve grown fond of, you’re going to make sure that I live at least five more.” A prickly sensation races up my neck. I haven’t told her about Deven. I never said I’d grown fond of anyone. I feel dizzy and look for somewhere to sit, but the snakes are draped over every surface. I try to swallow my fear.
“Did you take some of my life each time Gopal brought me here?”
She sighs as if my question taxes her energy. “Did you not listen, darling? Gopal wouldn’t drain your life. You mean too much to him.” Some of the tension in my shoulders loosens. Thinking of my life being slowly drained away is horrifying. “Of course,” she says, “I didn’t work for free.” My head snaps up and a lazy smile spreads across her face. She reminds me of a cat toying with a mouse before killing it. But I need the toxin, so I’ll play along.
“You drained Gopal’s life?”
She snorts. “Gopal would never agree to such a thing. I’m afraid it was someone else’s life in the bargain, but those are his secrets to share.”
I don’t want to know any of this. Who? Whose life was drained away so that Gopal could turn me into a killer? So many lives already press on my conscience, and now this too. At least this time it will be my own life I give away.
“I’ll do it,” I say.
Kadru’s gaze sweeps over me and I try to look brave. “Very well,” she says. “Stay here.”
She walks toward the back of the tent. “Come, my pet,” she says, touching one of the snakes lightly on the top of its head. The snake turns and looks in my direction like it has understood the entire conversation and disapproves of my choices. Then it slithers to where Kadru waits. She pulls a curtain so I can’t see anything, but I can hear her murmuring gently to the snake. And then she begins to sing. It’s a different language, so I don’t understand any of the words, but her voice is captivating. The music tweaks something inside me, dredges up an aching feeling of sadness, and when the song is over, my cheeks are wet.
Kadru emerges from behind the curtain with an opaque vial. I reach for it. “Not so fast,” she says. She slides her hand underneath my hair and grips the back of my neck. “First a bit of youth for my trouble.” Her fingernails cut into my skin and I feel a sharp sting followed by an explosion of pain that seems to start in my chest and then radiate to the rest of my body. Black spots rush into my vision, and the last thing I hear is Kadru saying, “Thank you, my pet.” And I don’t know if she’s talking to me or to the snake.
I wake up after nightfall and my first thought is of Mani. He’s probably frantic—I need to get to him. I sit up too quickly and my stomach pitches forward. I cover my mouth with the back of my hand and try to breathe through my nose. The nausea is only part of it. My head is pounding and I ache all over. A hand closes around my ankle and I yank away, until I see it’s Mani sitting near my feet. His eyes are red and swollen, and his breath is coming in short, panicky gasps. He has walked right into my nightmare. This is the last thing I ever wanted him to see.
“What are you doing here?” I ask him as I gather him into my arms. My limbs feel heavy and slow. He tries to answer, but he’s crying too hard, and he can only manage a word at a time.
“I.” Shuddering breath. “Got.” Shuddering breath. “Scared.” He lays his head against my shoulder and I feel like a terrible person. Of course he would come looking for me, and he must have been terrified to find me here, unconscious and surrounded by snakes.
Kadru is curled up in her chair watching us with an amused expression. I give her a hard look and she shrugs. “I offered him something to drink, but he declined.” As if I thought her lack of hospitality was the problem. My legs wobble as I stand.
“May I please have what I came for?”
She holds out the vial and spins it so the liquid swirls inside the glass. “Of course, darling.” She glances toward Mani. “Is it for him?”
“No,” I say, snatching it from her fingers. “It’s not.” I’ve thought of trying to make Mani immune many times, but I haven’t wanted to take the chance. What if it didn’t work? What if I killed him? But Deven will die if I don’t try—I have to take the chance with him.
“Even more interesting,” she says. “You fascinate me.” I don’t care what she thinks of me. I just want to take Mani and go home. I hold up the vial.
“How much do I give him?”
Kadru runs a lazy hand over the snake on her lap, and I hear Mani sob from where he’s hiding behind my legs. I turn to look at him and see his eyes are squeezed shut.
“One drop at a time over two or three doses should do it,” she says.
“Well, which is it? Two or three?”