As it turns out, Kavan's grandfather really did suffered a stroke. The good news (or bad news, depending on who you are rooting for) is that he survived. The bad news (or good news if you wish he would suffer) is that he is half paralysed from the stroke. The hospital staff only allowed close family members to visit him in the intensive care unit so Sabrina along with Reesha and her parents had to wait outside. Even the close family members had to take turns going inside. Kavan went in with his parents while his uncles waited outside.
Since she couldn't get along with Reesha, her parents or the nasty balding uncle Darun, Sabrina stood by the corner alone. She took out her phone and swiped on it mindlessly. Noticing her alone, Uncle Darian came over to her.
"It's terrible that you have to be in the centre of all this family drama," he said to her.
Sabrina merely shrugged. She's not in the mood for small talk. Sure, uncle Darian has been rather nice and took her side earlier but she is still wary of the whole Chokshi family.
"Look, I know my brothers and father have not be very fair to you but between you and me, I think they are just being stuck up snobs about your family background," Darian said again.
"I am glad that Kavan is not marrying Reesha though, nasty little bitch, that one," he added. She looked up at that. Darian seemed like an amiable guy but he was able to see right through that fake little minx.
"I thought everyone thought she's like the greatest gift to mankind and is so sweet and everything," she said.
Darian moved nearer to her and whispered into her ears.
"Between you and me, I know she was sleeping with a few other men behind Kavan's back when they were teenagers and dating," he said.
She listened and did not react. Why is this uncle Darian telling her this? It's not as if she has any say in what the Chokshi thinks about Reesha. What is he hoping to accomplish by saying this to her? She turned to him.
"Why didn't you tell your brothers and your father? That would surely change their mind about her and about forcing Kavan to marry her for sure," she pointed out.
At this, he looked slightly uncomfortable. Guilty, even. He cleared his throat.
"It's not my place to tell," he finally said. Then he walked away, as if he didn't want to talk about it anymore. Sabrina narrowed her eyes at his back. Something smells fishy. Like a whole barrel of dead stinky fish, at that. Uncle Darian may seem nice and behaved as if he is taking her side but right now, he is the most suspicious among the whole Chokshi family. At least the balding Uncle Darun, Kavan's parents and grandfather made it clear that they do not like her. There was no subterfuge in how they behaved towards her. On the other hand, Uncle Darian had behaved as if he is taking her side but was he really? Or was it all just a show?
She thought over how he has been 'nice' from the beginning. Even when she was standing in a corner away from the rest, he had made it a point to come to her to talk about Reesha. Why? It was obvious that she and Reesha are not the best of buddies so he had no need to turn her against Reesha at all. The more she thought it over, the more suspicious she got. What was it that Uncle Darian was aiming for?
She pretended to look at her phone while secretly watching him. He had now sauntered over to Reesha and her parents, making small talk with them, smiling his friendly jovial smile. Meanwhile, Uncle Darun was merely standing there waiting. When he noticed her looking at him, he gave her a nasty glare and looked away. Well, at least he's honest about how he felt about her, she thought.
"Well, the feeling is mutual, asshole," she thought silently.
Her whole life is now in such a mess. She is on the run from the dragon council of elders. She can't even contact Meera and the kids to let them know she's okay. She only hoped Xin Yi will not be forced to go to the sea jade palace for training. She is much too young. Dashen may have given his word but he could have found a loophole.
Sabrina has even changed her phone number and checked on her protection spells daily to make sure she has remained undetectable to other dragon shapeshifters. She still doesn't have a plan on where to go after this or what to do. Since she is blocking others from detecting her, it also mean she will not be able to seek help from other dragon clans.
As she continued to ruminate on this whole tangled mess, Kavan came out with his parents and he headed straight towards her. His parents stayed back to talk to his uncles before they went in and then they stood around talking to Reesha and her parents.
"Sab, I am gonna find a way to smuggle you in so that you can help him, I just can't see him this way, he could barely talk!" Kavan whispered to her.
Sabrina secretly and internally cheered. She almost wanted to tell Kavan that the old man deserved it for trying to force them apart. It is karma right there. But then it would make her seem mean and cruel. After all, in the human world, it is wrong to cheer over an old man lying bed-ridden after a stroke. For dragon shapeshifters, they couldn't be bothered and are not as sentimental especially when that human has wronged them.
"I may not be able to do much…I can't use a lot of powers right now to avoid detection," she whispered back.
Kavan nodded in understanding.
"Just do what you can," he said.
"So, Kavan, have you told her?" Kavan's mother came striding towards them, her face smug.
"Told me what?" Sabrina turned to him. Kavan looked like he was caught between a rock and a hard place. Between the fire and brimstone of hell and here, facing Sabrina.