Page 187 of Tiger's Dream
Kelsey’s hands were still gripping the shirt of my old self and his hair stood on end. With Ana’s truth stone pressed against my chest, I noticed that Kelsey’s aura didn’t match the one worn by my other self. Before I could tell Ana, we heard Ren’s voice come from somewhere above us. “I said,let…her…go.”
There was another crash and a vengeful Ren stalked toward them. He said, “Don’t…make merepeatmyself.”
I asked Ana,Is he remembering?
He is on the verge, but no, not yet.
Well, let’s put the poor guy out of his misery.
Ana waved her hand over Ren’s head and he screamed.
Touching her back, I asked,What’s wrong?Why is he in pain?
He’s…he’s fighting me, she said.
Why?Doesn’t he want to remember?
Ana answered,I need your help.A part of him senses our presence.Ren refuses to submit to our interference again.He is a tiger fighting for his mate.
She put her hand on Ren’s head and I touched his shoulder.Relax, brother, I whispered to his mind. Ren groaned and bucked against us. I couldn’t really blame him. If someone had taken Ana from me in such a way, animalistic lashing out would be the least I’d do.We won’t keep her from you any longer.It’s time for you to remember. Ren settled enough for Ana to finish and then he slumped to the deck. I stood and took Ana’s hand.It’s done, then? I asked.
He will remember everything except your presence when we first took his memories.
Ren stood and began explaining about the veil of concealment and how Durga had hidden away his memories.
“That was a close one,” I said after they were all gone.
She glanced up at the deck above us. “This was a dangerous place for us to be in. You could have met yourself twice here.”
“Right.” I brushed a hand over my jaw, remembering how I’d watched this scene over and over. “Our old selves can’t see us?”
“No. They are gone now. I don’t remember seeing us. Do you?”
“No. I think we’re good.”
“Fortunately for us, that was the last time we had to meddle with Ren’s mind. Speaking of which, we have only one more thing on our list.”
“And then we get to take a break?” I asked, thinking of having Ana all to myself on a white sand beach.
“Yes. But, Sohan, this will be the hardest one of all. And I won’t do it myself. If this is going to happen, it needs to be your choice and your choice alone.”
“What is it?” I asked, swallowing a lump that formed in my throat.
“We must return to the moment of Yesubai’s death.”
I nodded. “Okay. I think I can do that.”
“It is not seeing her death that I fear will be your undoing.”
Cocking my head, I said, “What else could it be? What do we have to do? I already know Kadam won’t want us to save her.”
“No. We are not being sent there to save her. We are to go to the moment you became a tiger.” Wetting her lips, Ana stepped closer and took my hand. “Do you remember? Our final task is to create the curse that changed you.”
Chapter 36
A Promise Fulfilled
“The curse,” I echoed, my voice trailing off.
