Page 7 of Tiger's Dream
“Not a problem.” She turned away. “Sleep well, Ana,” I said to her retreating back. She stopped and nodded before turning the corner.
I’d only threatened to interrupt her bath because I knew it would distract her from the odd request to hold on to the amulet, but I couldn’t deny that the thought of finding her in a bubble bath was not an unpleasant one. Standing rooted at the spot where she’d disappeared, I stared blankly for a moment, rubbing my jaw and smiling before I remembered I had something to do.
Kelsey!
In two seconds I was out the palace door and used the power of the amulet to transport my body through space back to the place in the forest where I’d left Kadam.
As the trees spun around me—a disconcerting and nauseating feeling—and came to a stop, I wondered if I was in the right place.
“Kadam? Kadam?” I shouted.
He materialized instantly. “I apologize for keeping you waiting. Miss Kelsey was worried about me.”
“She… You just saw her?”
“In my time, yes.”
Shaking off the confusion, I decided not to probe. “You said you had instructions?”
He took hold of my arm and nodded. “Follow my lead, and when the time is right, save her.”
Frowning, I said, “I don’t think you gave me enough infor—”
The forest floor spun away, and with a sickening wrench, I was torn from the past and propelled into the future. When we arrived at the destination he’d chosen, we were still surrounded by trees and our feet sunk deeply into the snow.
“—mation.”
As I staggered to one knee, overwhelmed by the time jump, Kadam whispered some words, and the tie he was wearing burst into thousands of colorful threads. The Divine Scarf worked according to his command, and we were soon clothed in modern snow gear. With its work finished, the scarf became a thick woolen version of itself in red. Kadam tossed the end over one shoulder and said, “Follow me.”
“How is it that I didn’t pass out?” I asked as I stumbled forward, my strength returning quickly.
“The Damon Amulet makes the transition easier, and as for me, I’ve traveled through time enough now that I’ve become used to its effects. You will adapt soon as well.”
The thick conifer trees surrounding us were heavily dusted with snow and were beautiful as the setting sun caused the thick snow to sparkle in a blush of colors that reminded me of Kelsey’s cheeks. In a few moments we exited the forest and came upon a resort. The exterior coloring and sloped roof mimicked the impressive view of the mountain behind it.
“We’re not in the Himalayas, are we?” I asked, though I knew the answer already.
Kadam shook his head. “This is Mt. Hood.”
“Oregon,” I said as much to myself as to him.
I was puzzled since I remembered that Kelsey didn’t have much fondness for snow. Perhaps that stemmed from her being attacked by a bear on our hike together on Mt. Everest as we searched for the spirit gate. But if memory served, she had mentioned that she didn’t enjoy what she termed “snow sports,” and this place, from the activity I was witnessing, was clearly designed for such.
Dozens of people, including young children, were making their way to the resort, many carrying skis or boards as they headed in for the night. They were dressed in varying colors in types of clothing that I knew were from Kelsey’s time.
They filtered into a main building flanked by two brightly lit wings that stretched out on either side. From the dozens of windows, I surmised that the wings were the guest accommodations. Warm light spilled from the building, and lampposts lit our way as the sun sank beyond the horizon. We soon caught up to a group carrying their equipment over their shoulders and headed into the building with them.
After taking our turn stomping our boots on thick mats at the entrance, Kadam led me to a stone fireplace and bade me sit. “Don’t get up,” he said. “Not until I tell you.” With those cryptic instructions, he left me alone.
A waitress soon brought me a mug of steaming chocolate topped with whipped cream and cinnamon, which I suspected Kadam had requested to be sent over. As the fire and the chocolate warmed me, my heart pounded, knowing I’d soon see her again.
Kelsey, the woman I loved beyond reason, would arrive any moment. I practiced what my first words should be.You have no idea how good it is to see you.I’ve missed you so much.I made a mistake.Please come back to me.I love you.
I still wasn’t sure which words would spill out of me first and I honestly didn’t care. If I could just lay eyes on her again, I was confident I’d know what to say. A family came in dragging their suitcases behind them and stopped at the seating area I was currently occupying. The mother smiled at me shyly while the father gave me the once-over before organizing their belongings into a pile, then he told his young daughter, “Have a seat by the fire while we check out. We might be a few minutes since there’s a line.”
The girl nodded and plopped her backpack on the chair next to me. Unzipping it, she took out a book and, after tugging her pink cap down to her eyebrows, buried her head behind it and began to read.
Glancing at the girl, I smiled and nodded, but then twitched nervously again thinking of seeing the woman I loved. Picking up my cocoa, I sipped, letting the aroma tickle my nose, then froze as a new scent assailed me. Kelsey! She was here! Whipping my head around, I searched for her amid the bustle of people and cursed the fact that Kadam had insisted that I stay seated. Still, I craned my neck and twisted every possible way to catch a glimpse of her.
