I opened the door slightly while holding the book in my hands behind me.
Outside, a pretty girl with long black hair, brown eyes and an amazing figure stood in a white top and blue jeans.
"Khushi?"
What the hell? Why is she here?
"Let me in!"
You know, usually I would be really excited in this scenario. But seeing that I had a flying cannibal book in my room and a stolen Grimoire in my hand.
"My room is filthy. Just tell me why you are here?"
She raised an eyebrow. "Dude, I feel like an animal at the zoo. Open the damn door."
Girls were allowed in the hostel doesn't mean they came to the hostel. At least not normally.
"Why do you- Aghh!"
I dropped the burning book. Wait! Burning book?
Dammit! The little bastard took advantage of my distraction.
"Bro! I know!"
"Know what?"
She looked around at the boys staring at her, and gave me a 'do you wanna do this out here?' look.
I looked down at the little glutton who had just finished devouring the ashes. And now he was lying on the floor with a bulging belly.
"Give me a minute."
I closed the door and picked it up. "Now listen, you little-"
It dissolved into sparks and flames onto my arm and merged into me.
It didn't burn or anything. Just a small warm line that I traced to my heart.
Am I tripping?
I turned around and let my pretty visitor in.
Khushi was pretty, and in an Indian Engineering college, that means she might as well have been Miss Universe.
And I had her right where I always wanted her. Now, let's see if I'll like what she wants to do here, because my sixth sense sensed it was something that I won't like at all.
"Where are they?'
"Where are what?"
"The books, you idiot!"
"What books?"
She made a face of 'don't you dare' then whispered slowly,
"The ones you stole from Nitin!"
"I didn't steal anything from Nitin! Are you crazy or what?"
"You are a terrible liar and an even worse Poker player."
Huh? But I usually win at it.
She gave an exasperated sigh and raised her hand.
"Tattva-Unmīlana"
A soft golden glow covered her hand, which she started using as some kind of a detector.
She went around my room touching things. I wasn't even afraid for my privacy as I was fascinated by the spell. "Is that a real spell?"
She looked at me suspiciously. "Where are they?"
"Where are what?"
She gave me a meltdown stare.
"I've been watching you. I saw you run out of the Library, and 2 minutes later, the books are missing."
"Did your spell find any books here?"
That shut her up.
"No, but the story tracks."
"And by the way, why hell should I answer to you?"
She stared and then produced a dagger that spun around in mid-air right above her palm.
"Okay.. good point."
I may not pass, but I know Negotiations 101.
"Your first spell failed. Are you sure you want to risk angering a potentially powerful mage over a bruised ego?"
That made her pause.
"You are not a real mage. You were stealing beginner stuff."
Her voice was steady. Fun fact, she was not good at poker either.
"In that case, let's walk back and let Suresh decide how he feels about an unknown mage like you spying on his classes."
I opened the door with confidence.
"You are not a Patil."
She was sure this time.
"I am not, but who says I am an enemy of theirs?"
It was clear now that she was a spy too. But from somebody else.
"Because you haven't struck me down yet."
"So, how do you wanna play this?"
I braced myself to duck and apologise if the bluff failed.
"If you really are a neutral party, I would like you to meet someone."
Bingo. Honestly, it was riskier. But despite how pretty she is, this one's clearly a middle-level grunt. Low enough that she had to come here personally. But high enough to get in touch with someone important.
"Lead the way."
I had been waiting outside of these 2nd-grade apartments for a while now. So I ordered a kadak (Slang for crisp and tasty) Ganne ka Ras (Sugarcane Juice) from a nearby street stall as I waited.
She came back out with a gruff-looking Punjabi in a white turban and a huge black beard.
He didn't speak. Or at least if he did, it got lost somewhere in his growl. But I understood the gesture. 'Enter the Dragon.'
I finished my juice, crushed the glass and followed him in.
We went right up to the top floor, where a young man of about 30 sat behind a desk. He was clean-shaven and dressed smartly in a traditional yellow Kurta, white pyjama.
Honestly, you can imagine his looks, just search 'yuva neta' (Young indian politician) and you get the picture. Just pick one of those guys who look quite trustworthy on the surface.
The Sardar ji knocked politely.
"Come in."
"So Kotwal, whom have you brought?"
I guess the Punjabi has a title, Kotwal (Head Guard)
"The one Khushi reported, Jagirdaar. This is the guy."
"Oh, Toh aap hain? (Oh, so it's you?)"
"Both of you, wait here. Let's walk and talk."
He got up from the desk and motioned for me to follow.
I obeyed.
"So let's start with the basics. I am Girdhari Shyamlal Pandey, the Jagirdaar of the Pandey Mahakul. Who are you?"
"My name is Lakshay Chauhan, and for now, I am just a neutral mage."
He stopped walking. And in the same smiling and polite tone, continued. "Beta Chutiya na kaato hamara! (Don't fuck with me, son!)"
"Let's start again. I am Girdhari Shyamlal Pandey, the jagirdaar of the Pandey Mahakul. Who are you?"
"I am Lakshay Chauhan. I am a newbie mage."
"Yes, I figured, In time you will find that I am good at figuring things out. But I don't really like figuring things out. So speak always speak well and speak true. You would do well to remember that."
"Yes sir."