Page 106 of Tiger's Dream
I shook my head. “No. This tiger is very special. When you feel lonely or sad or if you aren’t sure what to do, ask your tiger. He will always be there for you and he will tell you the right way to go. Here.” Prying open her fingers, I placed the tiger on her palm. “Ask him a question.”
“Will…” She paused and licked her lips. “Will I see Kishan again?” The tiger glowed and she gasped with wonder.
“There. You see? He’s got a bit of magic in him. I promise that he will always watch over you and do his best to keep you from harm. When he warms in your palm, the answer is yes and those around you speak the truth, but when he remains cold, you should move forward with caution. Do you understand?”
Ana nodded, her eyes large with wonder. “Thank you for this gift.”
I touched my finger to her chin and smiled. “I would give you anything you asked for, Anamika Kalinga.”
Tears filled her eyes. “Then will you stay?”
“I will always be with you Ana. Even if you can’t see me.”
She seemed to accept that answer, and I left her there with her thoughts, hoping that Phet would indeed be able to guide her. She was so vulnerable, so fragile. Being with her and knowing what had happened to her had gone a long way to help me understand the woman she’d become. As I walked back to the house, I found I was looking forward to reconnecting with the adult Anamika. Perhaps now we wouldn’t fight so much. Maybe we could find a way to be comfortable around each other.
After returning to my room, I gathered my things, and as I did, a golden head peeked out from beneath my pillow. “There you are,” I said as I gathered up the snake in my hands. She wrapped around my wrist, and when I opened my bag, she ducked her head inside and the rest of her soon followed. I said my good-byes to Ana’s parents, and Phet offered to walk with me down the path to the edge of the estate.
Once we were clear of the house, he straightened his stooped back and changed to his normal form. “Best get back to her now, son,” he said.
“What will happen?”
“You mean with Anamika?”
I nodded.
“Her parents will come around eventually, but I’ll have to train her and Sunil in secret for a number of years. By the time their parents realize how skilled they really are, they will be well on their way to becoming warriors. Sunil will stay by his sister every day, taking upon himself the task of being her personal guard. He blames himself for what happened to her.
“In fact, the only reason he left for the future at all was because he believed it would do her a disservice to stay. The memories of harming his sister while under Lokesh’s thrall were very strong. Too strong for him to ignore. The last thing he ever wanted to do is hurt her.”
“You’ve seen his future?” I asked.
“Yes.” Kadam as Phet smiled. “They are very happy together.”
“Nilima and Sunil, you mean?”
He smiled, his face serene. “It’s what I want for all of you, you know. Her too.”
I wasn’t sure if he was still talking about Nilima or if his thoughts had drifted elsewhere, but I thought it better not to ask.
“Go now.” He gave me a brief nudge. “I have a lot of work to do.”
“How did you do it?” I asked. “You taught them for years. When did you have the time?”
A weary expression stole across his face. “Time is my greatest ally, Kishan. It is also my greatest enemy. You will learn this for yourself, I’m afraid.” He clapped my shoulder. “But there is much more to come for you before that. I’ll see you again soon.”
The small piece of truth stone that hung from a leather tie at my neck warmed. “See you soon,” I said.
He turned and headed back to the home, and I watched him physically change from a tall and straight man to a stooped and wizened wizard. When he was gone, I sucked in a deep breath and allowed the connection to Anamika to bloom in my chest. Awareness of her shot out from my heart and filled my frame with a piercing light. “I’m coming,” I said softly.
As I clutched the amulet solidly in my hand, I thought about the little girl I was leaving behind. The goddess had been trapped inside a broken, vulnerable young woman. The Anamika I knew had gone to great lengths to hide that little girl, locking her deep within. Maybe now, she’d open that part of herself up to me. Maybe, when I looked in her eyes, she’d let me see that piece of her, long forgotten.
In a whirl of energy, time and space folded around me, and soon I was looking up at our familiar mountain. Heading home, I smiled, feeling like I knew Anamika now in every way it was possible to know her.
I was wrong.
Chapter 24
Poolside Confession
