NOTE: That there are some lines taken from the first two chapters of A Great and Terrible Beauty, this is to give credit to Libba Bray.

June 21, 1895

I take a step back from the shadow in the corner, the darkness moves towards me. I see the flash of a dagger and blood on the dusty cobblestones of Bombay. There is an upturned heel, a blue dress and a girl with startling green eyes and golden-red hair. Gemma Doyle.

There's more darkness and a distant hum.

"Kartik," someone whispers in a voice that is barely audible.

"Kartik, Kartik, Kartik," the voice grows louder and louder until it's pounding in my eardrums like a heartbeat, it surges through my body until it's swelling through my blood stream.

I open my eyes and see my brother's alarmed face staring back at me.

"What is it?" I ask sitting up from my bed.

"I'm afraid that our deepest fear has come true," he tells me and I see a look in his eyes I have never witnessed.

My heart quickens, "Is it Circe?"

He nods, "Get dressed immediately, we must warn Virginia."

"But we are not ready for this," I say shaking the remains of my nightmare away and sinking into reality.

"I know," he says shaking his head worrisomely.

He leaves the room and without a moment to spare I open my trunk and pull out the same black traveling cloak Amar had on. I know I will regret wearing it though considering the humidity expected in Bombay today. I grab my dagger for protection and tie it around my waistband, readying myself for a fight.

"Are you ready Kartik?" Amar asks when I join him.

I swallow not so sure that I am, "Yes."

He secures the white turban around his head and motions for me to follow him. Quickly Amar strides out the door and I follow in pursuit. We make our way along the dirt path that separates our small home from the rest of the village and head the direction of the marketplace. The sky is a washed out gray that threatens rain and the humidity is even higher than I thought it would be.

"As you know today is Miss Doyle's sixteenth birthday," Amar says picking up his pace. "I need to trust that you will watch her, for her vision may come at any time."

"I understand," I wipe my hand over my brow where beads of sweat are already forming.

"They should be on their way to Mrs. Talbot's house, so keep your eye out for them." Amar informs me as we enter the bustling marketplace.

We weave our through the throngs of people and vendors selling colourful saris and all sorts of Indian treasures. Amar comes to a stop in a dark corner that has an ample view of the bazaar.

He takes hold of my shoulders and makes me face him, "If anything should happen to me you must keep watch of Gemma and ensure that she does not enter the realms, The Rakshana will give you further instructions on anything else. Do not betray them; they are your only other guide in this life if I am gone."

I only nod.

"Do not let me down brother." Amar turns back to the crowd in search of Mrs. Doyle and her daughter.

"I won't," I say.

I turn my concentration back to the mob trying to ignore the feeling of dread that lies in the pit of my stomach. I watch the people with their tan skin and dark hair, like myself, with their baskets of ripe fruits and goods. The bustling of the bazaar is hypnotizing and I find my mind wandering off. I try to imagine what I would do if Amar were not with me, if I had to spend all my time watching over a reckless girl who clearly has a mind of her own. I turn my attention back and nudge Amar as I spot Virginia Doyle and her daughter making their way through the horde of people.

Amar notices and leads the way once more; as we draw near to them I notice the sour look on Miss Doyle's face.

Amar approaches them from behind pretending to knock into Mrs. Doyle, "A thousand pardons, honorable lady." He says bowing, putting on an act.

As my brother moves I lock eyes with Gemma Doyle who seems to blush as she takes me in. A strange feeling tingles through my body, the same feeling that I had when I was initiated into the Rakshana. It pulses through my veins until I am forced to look away from the young lady and into the distance.

"You should be more careful," a ripened Indian woman I recognize as the Doyle's housekeeper bellows at Amar. "You better not be a thief or you will be punished."

"No, no, memsahib, only I am terribly clumsy." Amar leans into Virginia and whispers in her ear. "Circe is near."

I watch from behind my brother as Mrs. Doyle's eyes grow wide with horror and she frantically whips her eyes across the crowd in search of the enemy.

Amar grabs my arm and pulls me away from the women and back into the dark corner to watch over them.

I keep my eyes focused on Gemma Doyle as she argues with her mother over something I cannot hear; Virginia takes off her necklace of the crescent eye and puts it around Gemma's neck. Miss Doyle then shouts something at her mother before tearing through the crowd in the opposite direction.

"Remember your task," Amar says and disappears into the crowd.

"Wait," I call after him desperately afraid I will never see him again.

I take off in the same direction as Miss Doyle but I fear I have lost her. I exit the marketplace through a dark alley and onto a silent street.

I approach a man walking towards me and in Hindi ask, "Have you seen a young English woman?"

He nods and points to the left down another alleyway. I nod my thanks and run in that direction onto another street just as Gemma turns the corner. I walk quickly towards her taking long strides. She takes a step back and falls to the ground shaking like a lamb and I think she is about to have her first vision. I stop a few yards away and freeze, she does the same. When nothing happens I move towards her again as she gets up and lifts up her skirts like she is ready to run. But instead she sways and I lean towards her to catch her just in time.

I kneel down and her eyelids flutter as though she fighting off sleep, "It's happening." I say.

I watch as she goes into a trance, experiencing her first vision. I keep my brown eyes locked on her as her face twists in horror at what she is seeing and I am not. Gemma opens her eyes and noticing me lets out a loud scream and starts to thrash about like she is having a fit.

I try and pin her arms down, "What did you see? Tell me!"

She only flings herself around screaming like a mad woman, her red-gold curls tangling into a mess.

"Did you see my brother?" I yell above her noise.

"Let me go!" She screams and kicks me in the groin.

I bend over in pain and she runs away. I fight it off and run after her to the front of shop where a large crowd has gathered. I watch as she pushes through them to the middle of the circle. Gemma lets out a scream far more superior to the ones I just witnessed and crumples to the ground just as the clouds decide to free themselves from the sky and pour down on all of us.

I let the rain soak through my dark curls and thick cloak as I watch the poor girl and her dead mother. I let my tears wash over my face with the rain and let out a sob of anguish. I let myself lean against a building and sink to the muddy ground because I know Amar is gone as well.