Page 67 of Tiger's Quest
Spying my white tiger, he came in closer to inspect it. He grinned lopsidedly and flicked the tiger on the nose.
“Hey!Leave him alone.”
“Wonder what he thought ofthat.”
“If youmustknow,hewas flattered.”
He smiled for a moment and then grew serious. “We’ll find him, Kells. I promise.”
I nodded.
“Well, goodnight,bilauta.”
I propped myself up on my elbow. “What does that mean, Kishan? You never told me.”
“It means ‘kitten.’ I figured if we are the cats, you’ve got to be the kitten.”
“Hmm, well, don’t say it around Ren anymore. It makes him mad.”
He grinned. “Why do you think I do it? See you in the morning.” He turned off the light and closed the door.
That night, I dreamed of Ren.
12
Of Prophecies and Practicing
It was the same horrible dream I’d had before. It was dark, and I was seeking something desperately. I entered a room and found Ren tied to an altar with a man in purple robes standing over him. It was Lokesh. He raised the knife and cut into Ren’s heart. I jumped on Lokesh and tried to take the knife away, but it was too late. Ren was dying.
Ren whispered to me, “Kelsey, run! Get out of here! I’m doing this for you!”
But I couldn’t run. I couldn’t do anything to save him. I could only crumple to the floor, knowing life without Ren was meaningless.
Then, the dream changed. Now it was dark, and he was sitting in a cage in his tiger form. Bloody lacerations ran down his back.
I knelt down. “Come on, Ren. Let’s get you out of here.”
He changed to a man and touched my face. “No, Kelsey. I can’t leave. If I do, he’ll catch you, and I can’t let that happen. You can’t be here. Please go.”
He kissed me briefly. “Go!” He thrust me away from him and disappeared.
I turned in circles, calling out for him, “Ren? Ren!”
I saw a figure through the fog. It was Ren. He was healthy, strong, and unhurt. He was laughing as he talked with someone.
I touched his arm. “Ren?”
He didn’t hear me. I stood in front of him and waved. He couldn’t see me. He laughed and put his arm around a pretty girl’s shoulder. I grabbed his lapel and shook him, but he couldn’t feel my touch.
“Ren!”
He walked away with the girl and pushed me aside as if I was just a useless obstacle. I started crying.
A bird singing outside woke me up. I’d slept deeply, but I didn’t feel rested. I’d dreamed of Ren all night, captured, a prisoner. And, whatever situation we were in, he always pushed me away, either to protect me or to get rid of me.
Five weeks. Five short, blissful weeks was all we had together. Even if I counted the time he was there but avoided me except for dates, our time in Oregon was only about two months. It was not enough. Not when you’re in love with somebody. Somehow I always seemed to lose the people I loved.How would I live without him?
And yet . . . he was here. My parents were too. I could feel them so close I could almost touch them sometimes. It was the same with Ren only . . . stronger. So many weird things had happened to me. I had a pet snake that also functioned as a fashion accessory; I was almost eaten by a sea-horse vampire monkey; I had a boyfriend who was a tiger most of the time; and apparently I could shoot lightning from my hand.
