Page 180 of Tiger's Dream
“It must have been quite the adventure,” Ana said.
“It was,” I answered as I looked out through the darkened glass and saw the flash of something large out of the corner of my eye. “I’m glad we did it. Don’t get me wrong. It was hard, and every corner we turned brought us face-to-face with something that could kill us, but we came through it, you know? There’s something satisfying in knowing that.”
Ana threaded her arm through mine and rested her head on my shoulder. We rested for a while and ate. I told her of the kraken and didn’t even need to embellish the story to see her eyes grow wide. Next I told her of the green dragon hunting us. She gasped and said we should devise some sort of punishment.
“It’s okay,” I said. “When they helped me heal you, I saw their whole lives in a glance. They mean no harm. Not really. And they do try their best to fulfil their duty as you assigned. The dragons just like being the bosses of the sea. They spent a long time being trapped at the bottom of the food chain, and they want to assert their dominance. It’s an animal thing.” I shrugged. “As a full human, er, goddess, you probably wouldn’t understand.”
Ana rose, dusting her hands. “Still, we should visit them from time to time. Help them remember that someone is watching.”
“Agreed.”
Ana made the statues with my guidance, gifting them with the power of the scarf so that they might transform me, Ren, and Kells when we appeared. When that was done, she peered up at Shiva, Indra, and Parvati and trailed her fingers over Shiva’s arm. I then regaled her with the story Kadam had taught us.
“He told me that story as well,” she said. “But there were a few things he emphasized that spring to mind.”
“Oh?”
“Yes. He wanted me to especially remember that though Shiva might have forgotten her for a while, anyone who saw him with Parvati would know that they were meant to be together, for they balanced one another’s power.”
“What else did he say?”
“He also added that Shiva was a fool to disregard his wife in the first place.”
“Yes, he was,” I said.
Looking at the statues made me think of Ren and Kelsey. Lost in thought, I touched the hand of Parvati. “You know, when the statues disappeared and the three of us were assigned the roles, I was Shiva and Ren was Indra. At the time, I thought it meant I was the one destined to be with Kelsey. That I was her true love. I hoped this even though I felt as if I were a charlatan trying to steal something that didn’t belong to me.”
Ana shook her head. “You had it backwards, Sohan. You were never a charlatan. You assumed the role you were always meant to have. Youarethe companion of Parvati. Ren and Kelsey were the players in this cosmic game. They represent the mortal half of us, the other side of the coin.” She cupped my neck with her warm hand. “But you, my handsome tiger. You were always the hero of the story. Never forget that.”
I took her fingers and brought them to my lips. “You know, for the first time in as long as I can remember, I think I might believe it.”
“See that you do.”
“Ana?” I said, snaking an arm around her waist. “When Shiva found the necklace, he won a prize.”
Her breath caught. “I remember,” Ana said softly. “He was able to claim his bride.”
“Right.” I drew her lissome body closer. “So, what happens when he gives up the necklace?” I asked.
“Hmm. I suppose the two of us will have to find out.”
Ana spun away before I could push the conversation further in the direction I intended and fashioned the statue of the shark. Leaning over him, she whispered in his ear what he should do when the visitors arrived. I hoped it included not munching down on any of us more than he had to.
Heading to the wall of windows, she twitched her fingers, and tiny, microscopic organisms grew larger and larger until they became the jellyfish I remembered. “What remarkable creatures!” Ana exclaimed, growing excited. “We’ll have to return someday and visit all the places under the sea. I am especially interested in seeing the gold dragon’s treasure trove.”
The idea of exploring underwater via jellyfish made me squeamish. “If we have to.”
“Do not fear to walk where a goddess treads, Sohan,” she said with a laugh. “Come. We must visit Ren next.”
“Ren? When?”
“When he is imprisoned with Lokesh. We must remove his memory of Kelsey.”
I whistled. “Okay, then. Did Kadam give any reason why we have to do this?”
“You know how little he tells us.”
“Right.”
