Page 101 of Tiger's Destiny
“The demon you fight has powers?” Ren asked.
Anamika glanced at her men and then pressed her finger to her lips and entered the tent. I followed, trailed by Ren and Kishan. The four of us sat around her table.
“I do not wish my men to fear the enemy more than they already do,” she cautioned.
She picked up a blanket and wrapped it around her body. Then she wiped away her tears with the corner. Stopping suddenly, Anamika pulled the soft blanket away from her face and stared at it. She tilted her head, considering me, before finally answering Ren.
“He has many extraordinary powers. He’s used them to raise a demon army.”
“A demon army?” Something was creeping around the edges of my brain. An old memory was leeching into my consciousness. My mouth suddenly went dry. I licked my chapped lips. “Anamika, what does your enemy look like?”
“His skin is black, and he has long horns like a bull. He uses his power to shake the earth and rain destruction on all who oppose him.”
Wheels turned in my mind and pieces of an ancient puzzle began to click into place.
“A goddess arose,” I whispered, “to slay the demon Mahishasur.” I swallowed and looked at Ren and Kishan. “We need to talk.”
Anamika stood. “You may converse at your leisure here. You should be safe enough. I must see to my men and send out the morning hunters.”
“Hunters?” Kishan asked with piqued enthusiasm.
“Yes.” She headed to the chair where she’d dropped her armor and boots. “The game has long since fled this land, but perhaps we will still find some food to fill the bellies of those under my care.”
She removed the cozy socks I’d given her and set them aside while giving me a look that said we’ll-get-to-the-bottom-of-this-later. Then she pulled on her boots and gear and was gone.
“I know why she looks like Durga,” I exclaimed the minute she was out of hearing range. “SheisDurga or . . . she’s going to be once she slays Mahishasur. I read about how she killed him when I was studying the birth of Durga.”
“But Durga was created by the gods,” Kishan said.
“Yes, but remember, she was created to defeat Mahishasur. I think we were sent here to create Durga.”
“We were sent here to defeat Lokesh,” Ren countered.
I put my hand on his arm. “Ren, LokeshisMahishasur.”
“I don’t follow,” Kishan said.
“I never got the chance to tell you, but in my vision Lokesh had become a demon. He was as Anamika described. His body is huge and black. He shoots steam from his nostrils, and he has two sets of horns.” Something else clicked. “Wasn’t Mahishasur supposed to be half man and half bull?”
Kishan nodded. “Buffalo, actually.”
“Mr. Kadam said in his letter that Lokesh had become a demon in the past. This is it. This is why we’re here.”
“Kelsey—” Kishan began.
Absorbed in my theorizing, I interrupted, “Also, I think he used his tiger-making zombie charm on Anamika’s brother.”
“She has a brother?” Ren asked.
“Yes, a twin brother. His name is Sunil. He’s the one who attacked us this morning.”
“She didn’t say he was her brother,” Ren said.
“She thought he was dead.”
“He hurt you.” Ren gently ran his fingers over the red marks on my arms.
“I’ll be fine,” I mumbled distractedly. Clearing my throat to divert my attention from Ren’s touch, I went on, “When Sunil saw me, he said, ‘My master will be pleased.’ I think Lokesh has been keeping a lookout for me. But he originally wanted to take Anamika. That must mean that Lokesh is after her too.”
