(Book 2) Hayden Mackay and The Tears of the Maiden

9. At His Lair

          "As Dananjay stated, there are many things we can't imagine exists," Pruthvi whispered looking at the falling snow, "Imagine this is one such thing."

          Leena's eyes widened when the footsteps were coming closer. On hearing very keenly Pruthvi realized there were two people walking towards the outside of the entrance of the cave where they were standing. His heart hammered beneath his chest. He feared the possibility of getting caught for being uninvited guests but luckily the foot tapping sound suddenly stopped.

          Leena let out a huge sigh in relief.

          "Do you think we can ask them for help?" she asked, "May be they can be friendly."

          "Or they can be men working for Shourya," he said, "No thank you. But we are better here. Let's wait till the snow stops and then...."

          "Weather is worse today..."

          Leena was interrupted. They just heard a man's voice speaking and that baffled both of them to the core.

          "...guess winter is starting."

          "When do we have summer anyway," said the second person, "I wish I could go to India. Its hot there but better than the blustery and freezing weather."

          "You are right, man" said the first person, "By the way, is it just me or Shashi is calm today? Did any miracle happen that I didn't come across?"

           "Shashi is not inside. He is out to explore Paramarashtra. He is finally enjoying the discovery."

          Pruthvi and Leena frowned but not too much that they couldn't hear them speak.

          "What do you mean?" said the second man and then his voice filled with curiosity, "Did he find her?"

          "No, not for her," said the first man, "Shourya is the one searching for her and I think he mentioned visiting Rawat for some business."

"Then what discovery are you talking about?"

          The first man said calmly, "I heard Shashi came to know about Holognome."

          "So it's true?" asked the second one in quiet surprised tone, "It does exist?"

          "Yeah, rumor doesn't pass easily unless there is some truth in it. Quinn was known for her astuteness. Only deities can figure out what all she could invent."

          "Quinn?" whispered Leena, apprehensively, "As in Quinn Dimuro?"

          "Sshhh," said Pruthvi. Did he find her?-was the only sentence that grabbed his attention. He inferred it should be about his sister.

          "A gadget that can help us talk to a dead," said the second person, "Yeah right, as if we can actually do that."

          Pruthvi, at once, remembered Dananjay telling them about the same rumor. A gadget that can help us talk to a dead-a Holognome. It does exist. Pruthvi couldn't show out now, but he was glad his dream of existing something in his mind has come true. If he could really find it, a lot of his uncertainties could be answered. Hardik, staying beside him jerked and so Pruthvi pulled it closer stopping it make a flapping sound.

          "You never know. Quinn constructed many things we know nothing about."

          "How did he find it?" asked the second man, "As far as I know only Quinn knew about it or else the one who started the rumor."

          "No idea about it, man. Shashi has many contacts in almost every village in Paramarashtra. He could have found it from one of the sources. Or he could just have used his powers as he did to generate the virus."

          Leena gasped. "Comalica virus? He started it?"

          "Let's say Holognome does exist," said the second person, "Whom does he even want to talk to?"

          "My money is on King Harsh."

          "Rawat's kings? What good can he be now? He is dead."

          "Shourya once told me that King Harsh death had been no good to Shashi. Adding, he couldn't win the throne as he expected and on top of it, King Harsh died with many secrets. One of the many is-Only he knew anything about how to kill the fire of Vengeance."

          Pruthvi's mouth dropped and so did Leena's. They looked at each other. Fire of vengeance was the name given to Hayden, wasn't it? Who is Shashi really after- Is it Hayden or his sister? Isn't Shashi looking for all Samagraha's blood? Then why is he showing off to be interested in Hayden as a Samagraha only?

          "Pruthvi, I am scared. Where are we?" said Leena, her tone full of dread, "They are talking about Hayden, aren't they?"

          "This is Shashi's lair. This is where he lives," he said and looked down at Hardik, "Why did you really bring us here?"

          Hardik didn't move an inch. But Pruthvi heart was beating as fast as it could. He swallowed heavily against the thickness of his throat. They shouldn't have stopped her. It was really a bad idea!

          "Why doesn't he kill Breaking Samagraha first?" continued the second man, "That's should be the easiest way to start right?"

          "You are new here, man. You must learn how Shashi works as soon as you can," said the first man, "He doesn't care about the weak. He starts with the strongest one first. That's why his focus is on fire of Vengeance."

          Suddenly wind rustled strongly crunching the snow. Both of them shivered against it cuddling up into one. But Leena wasn't able to control and she sneezed loudly enough that the men stopped their conversation. Pruthvi grabbed her mouth to shut her.

          "Who is there?" one of them shouted.

          The footsteps resumed. Pruthvi wanted to use his stone but he didn't want to waste his energy on them. Before the men catch u on them, he quickly forced the red rolled flying carpet to open and waved it hard. Hardik pulled itself flat and stayed put on the air as if it was awaken from the sleep. Both of them jumped on it before Hardik flew quickly away from the cave.

          A shiver ran down Pruthvi's spine. Henervously tried to look down at the cave, at Shashi's lair. Both the men werestanding near the rock, cursing them and throwing stones at them but Hardik wasalready flying so high up in the air passing in the most wanted relief to Pruthviand Leena.

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