I DIDN’T GO to the hospital.
I made the excuse about needing to stick around in case any worshippers showed up.
The truth was I couldn’t face Ram.
I should have gone with him to that stupid snake farm or wherever the hell he went. I should have protected him.
I could just imagine the conversation my parents and brother were having in the car. “Why didn’t Maya see this? Why didn’t she prevent this?”
What was the point of going to the hospital anyway? It wasn’t like I could heal him.
I flopped down onto the couch and buried my face in my hands. I knew who was behind Ram’s “accident.” I should have annihilated him when I had the chance.
Ugh.
The malevolence hit me at the same time the phone rang.
It was Sanjay.
If he was calling collect, I’d vanquish him.
I ran to the kitchen and grabbed the phone in midring. “Sanjay, you bastard, what’d you do to Ram?”
“How does it feel, when you can’t even protect the people around you?” he questioned smugly.
Rage boiled up inside me. “He’s an old man. And he’s your cousin!”
“He’s a damn nuisance,” Sanjay spat. “He was always criticizing my apartment.”
“I will find you.”
Sanjay laughed. “I overestimated you this whole time. Now everyone will know what a joke you are.” He laughed again.
“Are you going for that whole maniacal laugh thing? ’Cause your voice is far too nasal to pull it off,” I pointed out.
“You’ll never find me,” he said coldly, and hung up.
I quickly punched star sixty-nine. The automated voice informed me that although the service was working…blah blah blah.
I stood there, closed my eyes, and tried to zero in on Sanjay. I strained so hard I nearly burst a blood vessel in my brain.
Nothing.
When the doorbell rang I ignored it—I knew it was an early devotee—and went upstairs to my room. I retrieved the slip of paper Tahir had given me.
Indira Bhatia
GBS Syntex
Maybe there was still a chance to redeem myself.
I only hoped it wasn’t too late.