DISCLAIMER: All characters are borrowed from Libba Bray. No money is being made from the publication of this story.
Another Way – Chapter 2
We are back on the familiar grounds of Spence and it is the day of our graduation. Felicity, Ann and I sit in our graduation robes, our stockings and boots pulled off after sitting in the hot sun on the lawn for hours during the ceremony. We soak our feet in the cool lake, enjoying the feeling of the water against our skin. Our parents, family members and teachers remain near the school for the garden party being held in honor of all the graduates. The three of us have slipped away from the party to savour the quiet of the early summer day and think about all that has happened this year.
A rustling behind us makes us turn, and I see him with his arms folded, leaning against a tree beyond the boathouse. He has a smirk on his face as he watches us…as he watches me. Felicity and Ann give me meaningful smiles as they get up to leave, gathering their stockings and boots as they go. As they slip into the forest, he ambles over to sit beside me on the grassy bank.
We say nothing at first, and I lean my head against his shoulder, letting him hug me tightly. He nuzzles my hair and breathes deeply, and I recall how he loves the scent of juniper that always seems to hang about me. I close my eyes for a moment, and then I turn to reach up to his face and kiss him. He returns the kiss, gently at first, and then with more force as he pulls me closer to him. A soft growl escapes his throat. This is what I long for, what I could spend the rest of my life with; those eyes, those lips, this kiss…
"Gemma," Kartik whispers.
"Yes?" I whisper back, feeling his soft mouth against my own.
He breaks the kiss and gazes at me with a curious look on his face. It is as if he has something to say but cannot find the right words. He looks away, pretending to contemplate the lake, though I know him too well to believe that. He is thinking, considering. I tug on one of his beautiful curls and he turns back to me and smiles, reaching up to catch my hand in a soft grasp.
"Gemma," he says again, this time with more resolve. His hand on mine is cold.
"Yes?" I reply, a small smile playing on my lips. Oh, how lovely he looks when he is nervous!
"You are no longer a Spence girl as of today. Your education is complete." He indicates my robes, and I feel that he is stalling for time.
"Well, yes, I am quite aware of that," I laugh. His face falls and I realize now is not the time for jests. "I'm sorry," I apologize quickly. "Do go on."
He clears his throat. "And I…Well, I have not been Rakshana for some time now. And our shared task of restoring balance to the Realms is done. We have nothing but possibility ahead of us." He gives me a shy smile, and suddenly I am aware of what is coming. It brings a blush to my cheeks and makes my heart beat unnaturally fast.
As he fishes in one of his pockets for what, I can only guess, my heart feels as if it is trying to escape my chest. And it is succeeding.
"Gemma," he says a third time, and my name has never held so much meaning. His intoxicating brown eyes glance downward at something in his palm, and I follow his gaze to see a beautiful little ring, a diamond rosette in a gold setting, lying there. He holds it up and it catches the light like a prism, splitting it into millions of tiny rainbows. It is mesmerizing.
"Kartik, I…" I am speechless as I reach for it. He holds it just beyond my reach, grinning.
"Gemma, I haven't asked yet!" he laughs.
The blush deepens on my cheeks. "Oh, right, yes. What was it you were saying?"
He gazes at me and I see nothing but love in those beautiful eyes. "Gemma, we have shared so much already. In this past year, I feel as if we have become closer than I ever thought possible. I meant it when I said I have glimpsed a part of myself in you, and I never want to be without that part again. Will you please do me the honor of becoming my wife?"
I am lightheaded and giddy as I say, "Yes!" with a laugh. I fall into his arms again, kissing his face all over. He grins and slips the ring onto my left hand.
"It fits perfectly," I say with wonder. "Where did you get this?"
His face is full of emotion. "It was my mother's."
I reach up to hold his cheek with one hand. "Oh, Kartik…"
He holds me close. "She gave it to me just before I was to leave home for the Rakshana," he begins. I have only heard him speak about his parents once before, and that was when I blackmailed him into revealing more about himself. He told me that he had been taken from his parents at the age of six. I felt sorry for him then, but he said there was nothing to be sorry about. "I think she still held out hope that I would marry one day, even though the Brotherhood forbids it. It was a great honor for her sons to be chosen, yes, but losing Amar to them was hard. She did not want the same thing for me." A small tear escapes his eye, and I brush it away with a gentle finger. He looks at me. "I was too young to really understand her words, but I have never forgotten them. She told me to give it to the one woman I knew I could not live without."
I pull his face to mine and kiss him, lost for words. When I finally find my voice, there is only one thing I can say. "I love you," I whisper hoarsely.
It is the first time either of us has said it, though we both know we have felt it for months now. Kartik looks as if he might take flight at any moment, he is so happy. "I love you," he says in reply. "Gemma, you have made me the happiest man in the world. But you must know I don't have much to offer you yet," he continues, and I know it is hard on his pride to admit this. But it must be said.
"That doesn't matter to me," I say, and it is the truth. "I know it won't be easy, my love, and not just in this matter. We will have so much to contend with now that we hope to marry."
He nods his head, his eyes full of sorrow.
"But," I continue, with a smile, "we are most assuredly up to the task. If we can defeat an evil sorceress and return balance to the Realms, I think we can handle a few detractors who would see us miserable rather than let us break a few silly rules."
The cloud lifts from his face and there is nothing but sunshine there again, golden sunshine. "Oh, Gemma!" he laughs, and kisses me again.
We are silent for a while, reveling in each other's company. Tom and Father will be looking for me, and Grandmother would be too if she were not bedridden in our house in London, but I don't care. I want to stay in Kartik's arms forever and dream of him becoming my husband.
"Do you remember when I told you that I did not miss India?" he asks softly, murmuring into my hair.
"I remember," I say.
"I was not being entirely truthful." I turn to look at him and he continues. "I do miss it. Very much. It is just that, back then, home was still such a source of pain for me." I know what he means. His mother, Amar. It is where my mother died as well. It has been hard to forget. "I should like to return there, someday soon."
"You mean…?" I ask, suddenly excited by the prospect.
"Would you consider living there? With me?" he asks softly.
"Consider it?" I ask, giddy again. "When do we leave?"
We laugh together and kiss again and again, not caring about anything except that we are in each other's arms, and as the sun sets on the Spence grounds, I have never felt happier.
