Page 14 of Tiger's Dream
Finished, I stood and nodded to Kadam, who put his hand on my shoulder. Using the Damon Amulet, I removed all signs of our presence. As the thump of a helicopter grew stronger, I put my hand on Kadam’s shoulder. Once again the world tilted on its axis as we spun in the whirlwind of time.
***
My stomach settled more quickly than it had before, and as I took in our surroundings, I glanced at Kadam.
“If you wouldn’t mind finding Anamika,” he said, “there are a few things we need to discuss. I’ll meet the two of you in the throne room.”
I was still angry with him over his absolute refusal to consider altering history. As I made my way toward Anamika’s room, I wondered how long we’d been gone and if she was asleep or still in her bath. Turning on my heel, I decided to check the bath first and was faintly disappointed not to find her reclining amid thousands of pink bubbles. I didn’t have any designs on the goddess, but I sure enjoyed getting her riled up. A fight with Anamika would have distracted me from what I’d just experienced with Kelsey, at least for a little while.
Softly, I knocked on her bedroom door but there was no response. When I opened it and crept silently inside, I expected a very upset woman to put me in my place about entering her bedroom without her leave, but instead I was amazed at the changes she’d made in her room.
For a woman as tough as Anamika was on the outside, I’d expected her room to be simple, austere, or perhaps similar to her tent on the battlefield. Instead, I was surrounded by softness. Not luxury, though that was still there, a remnant of Lokesh’s trappings, but the room felt warm, inviting.
Several vases full of flowers wafted their fragrant scent, which combined with the slight smell of woodsmoke from the dim fire. She’d used the Divine Scarf to make thick rugs and pillows, and her room was full of tokens and gifts that had been offered. The walls were decorated with elaborately stitched tapestries but also with children’s drawings. Relics, pieces of pottery, and small carved likenesses of the goddess in battle adorned simple wooden shelves.
Despite the varying levels of skill in creating these items, Anamika seemed to award them equal regard, as childish renderings were placed right next to masterpieces. Though there were many pieces displayed, there was still an order to them. It was almost as if each item were placed in exactly the right spot.
Heading toward the bed, I found her soundly asleep. Her hair was spread out on the pillow and her hand rested upon it. The light dusting of freckles across her nose almost disappeared in the darkness, but her dark lashes and eyebrows were still easy to see in the firelight.
Shifting, she turned on her side toward me. I inhaled. Night-blooming jasmine and lotus. The flowers in her room almost overwhelmed me with their fragrance, but her warm scent was better than all of them anyway, though I’d never admit that to her.
I noticed she’d yanked the blanket up so far that her feet stuck out. I reached over to cover them. Anamika was as tall as most men, though I still had a few inches on her, and a formidable warrior in battle. She had muscle but not overly so—she was still curvy in all the right places, and her thick hair was surely the envy of every woman who met her.
It was those long legs that were the problem, I thought with a smirk. All of those other things were distracting enough, but it was her legs that got her into the most trouble. Her legs were…well, amazing would be an understatement. I had to constantly stave off male devotees who felt the need to worship the goddess a little too much.
When she sighed softly, I studied her lips and thought she had a beautiful mouth, a mouth made for a man to kiss. It was too bad she preferred using it to abuse men instead.The karkasha, I thought with a grudging smile. Well, not all men. Mostly just me. But even I had to admit that Anamika was a beautiful woman, an actual goddess made human. Any man would want her, would fall at her feet to worship her. If I hadn’t been in love with Kelsey, then even I might have been overwhelmed by her charms.
What I wanted was a real woman, though. Someone warm and soft and loving. Not some ice princess who looked down her nose disdainfully at me and had a smart remark about everything I did. Anamika was too regal. Too stiff. Too cold. Too…
The sleeping goddess snored softly.
Congested?
I stifled a laugh and imagined how she would be utterly mortified to have me tease her about snoring and would likely zap me with a lightning bolt if she ever found me hovering over her as she slept. Still, I had to give the woman credit. The dark circles under her eyes were plain to see. Anamika was a perfect goddess. She worked hard, she loved her people, and she had a soft heart.
Gently, I shook her shoulder, hoping she’d been sleeping long enough. She moaned quietly in protest. I shook harder. “Ana. Anamika, you need to wake up.”
“Go away,” she mumbled.
“No.”
“Why must you always bother me when I’m attempting to relax?” she said with her eyes closed.
“I live to annoy you,” I replied.
“How lucky for me.”
She rolled to a sitting position, though her eyes were still closed, and smoothed a hand over her messy hair, mussing it even further. A far cry from the perfect image she preferred in public. I smiled, thinking she looked endearing and vulnerable, like a little girl. Then my thoughts turned to another little girl, one I’d left alone by the side of a wrecked car.
“Come on,” I said. “Get dressed. Kadam needs to see us.”
“Kadam? Who is that? A king?”
“No, he’s not a king, he’s…he needs to explain it to you himself.”
“Very well.” She rose, stumbled slightly, and poked her finger into my chest. “But after this, you’re going to let me sleep.”
I took her hand, effectively pushing her poking finger away from my chest, and wrapped her fingers around her hairbrush. “Here. You may want to do something about that Stymphalian-sized bird’s nest on top of your head. Get dressed. I’ll wait for you outside.”
