Page 110 of Tiger's Curse
When he asked for more details about the Kappa attack, I just shrugged my shoulders and repeated my mantra, “Lucky I had Fanindra.” I didn’t want to answer any weird questions about Ren. I knew he’d probably tell his side of the story when he became a man again, but I didn’t care. I kept my version of the trip factual, unemotional, and, more importantly,Renless.
Mr. Kadam said we’d be stopping at a hotel soon, but he wanted to find a good place to leave Ren first. I demurred, “Of course,” and smiled a sickly sweet smile back at the attentive tiger.
Mr. Kadam worried, “I hope our hotel won’t be too far away for him.”
I patted Mr. Kadam’s arm and reassured him, “Oh, don’t worry about him. He’sverygood at getting what he wants. I mean . . . taking care of his needs. I’m sure he’ll find his long night alone in the jungle extremelyenlightening.” Mr. Kadam shot me a puzzled glance, but he eventually nodded and pulled over near a forested area.
Ren got out of the Jeep, came around to my side of the car, and stared at me with icy blue eyes. I just turned my body away so I wouldn’t have to look at him. When Mr. Kadam got back in the Jeep, I peeked out my window again, but Ren was gone. I reminded myself that he deserved it and sat back against the seat with my arms folded over my chest and an intense expression on my face.
Mr. Kadam spoke softly, “Kelsey, are you alright? You seem very . . . tense, since I last saw you.”
I muttered under my breath, “You have no idea.”
“What was that?”
I sighed and smiled at him weakly. “Nothing. I’m fine, just drained from the trip is all.”
“There’s something else I’ve been meaning to ask you. Did you have any strange dreams while in Kishkindha?”
“What kind of dreams?”
He glanced at me, worried. “Perhaps a dream about your amulet?”
“Oh! I totally forgot to tell you! When I plucked the fruit, I fainted and had a vision. It was of you, me, and some evil guy.”
Mr. Kadam grew visibly worried. He cleared his throat. “Then the vision was real—for all of us. I was afraid of that. The man you saw was Lokesh. He’s the same dark wizard who put the curse on Ren and Kishan.”
My mouth gaped open in shock. “He’s still alive?”
“It seems he is. It also appears that he has at least one part of the amulet. I suspect, however, that he hasallof the other pieces.”
“How many pieces are there?”
“There are rumored to be five altogether, but no one really knows for sure. Ren’s father had one piece, and his mother brought another piece into the family because she was the only offspring of a powerful warlord who also had one. That’s how Ren and Kishan both ended up with a segment.”
“But what does it have to do with me?”
“That’s just it, Kelsey. You are helping Ren break the curse. The amulet connects the three of us, and I’m worried that Lokesh knows about us. About you, in particular. I was hoping that something had happened to him, that he wasn’t alive anymore after all these years. I’ve been searching for him for centuries. Now that he’s seen us, I’m worried that he will come after you and the amulet.”
“You really think he’s that ruthless?”
“I know he is.” Mr. Kadam paused, and then suggested softly, “Perhaps it is time for you to return home.”
“What?” I panicked.
Return home? Home to what? Home to whom?I had no life at home. I hadn’t even thought about what would happen after we broke the curse. I guess I’d just assumed that there was so much to do that I’d be stuck here for a couple of years.
Dismayed, I inquired, “You really want me to go home now?”
He saw my face and patted my hand. “Not at all! I didn’t mean to imply that I wanted you to leave us. Don’t worry. We’ll figure something out. I’m just speculating for now. I have no immediate plans to send you home. And, of course, if and when you do go, you may always return whenever you wish. Our home is yours. We just need to proceed with extreme caution now that Lokesh is back in the picture.”
I felt my panic subside, but only halfway.Maybe Mr. Kadam is right. Maybe I should go home. It would be much easier to forget Mr. Superhero if I were on the other side of the planet, right? Heck, he’s the only young male I’ve been around for weeks, not counting Kishan. It would be healthier for me to get out and meet other guys anyway. Maybe if I did that, I’d realize this whole emotional connection I feel with him isn’t really that strong.
Maybe my mind is playing tricks on me. I’ve just been isolated, that’s all. When all you have is Tarzan and some monkeys, Tarzan looks pretty good, right?
I’ll just get over him. I’ll just go home and date a nice, normal computer geek who’d never leave me. I’ll forget all about old what’s-his-name.
I continued this line of thought, listing my reasons for staying away from Ren, and stubbornly rededicated myself to avoiding him. The only problem was my rebellious, weak mind kept drifting back to how safe I felt when he held me. And what he’d said when he thought I was dying. And the warm tingle that lingered on my lips after he kissed me. Even if I ignored his beautiful face, which was next to a Herculean task, there were many other dazzling qualities for my mind to dwell on, and those thoughts kept me occupied for the rest of the trip.
