Page 96 of Tiger's Destiny
“You don’t know what they’ve been through,” I responded.
“Perhaps they are soft like you.”
“I’d really appreciate it if you’d stop using that word.”
“Very well. Then I will use the wordslowor perhapswilting.”
I gaped at her. “You’re pretty quick to judge, aren’t you?”
“I must make quick assessments of my warriors, yes.”
“Have you heard the phrase, ‘Don’t judge a book by its cover’?”
“I do not spend my time judging books.”
I snorted and tripped on a rock. Anamika helped me to right myself, but I shoved her away, pointed my finger, and threatened, “Don’t you dare call me soft.”
She bowed her head slightly and continued on with a small grin on her face.
Looking around, I noticed that several of her warriors had fresh injuries. One man had a bandage-wrapped leg, another sported a nasty cut across his brow, and a third limped painfully.
“Have you been in recent battle?” I asked.
Anamika frowned. “Yes, we have been engaged in war. There have been many casualties.”
I bit my lip. “Have you heard of a man called Lokesh? Is that the man you fought?”
She shook her head. “We are fighting the demon Mahishasur.”
“Mahishasur?”
The name sounded familiar, but I couldn’t remember what it meant. I’d have to consult Mr. Kadam’s research—that is, after I ditched the bossy Barbie in calf-hugging boots.
At sundown, we wound our way through a narrow passage to a valley surrounded by towering mountains. Ahead was the camp. Tents dotted the valley as far as I could see.
Surprised at the numbers, I remarked, “You have a lot of men.”
“Not as many as I came with,” she said softly.
Anamika led us to the largest tent somewhere in the middle of the camp. After having her men untie Ren and Kishan and depositing them onto a soft rug, she dismissed all but one and conferred briefly with him before sending him out too. With a weariness she didn’t show in front of her men, she sank onto a chair, removed her boots, and massaged her feet. They were cracked and crusted with blood.
I knelt on the straw rug between Ren and Kishan and casually commented, “You are indeed tough if you can maneuver long distances with feet as injured as yours.”
She set her feet on the floor as if embarrassed. “Do you expect the commander of the last of the Vedic Aryans to coddle herself, bathe her skin in milk, and anoint her hair with fragrant soaps like you?”
“I’ll have you know that I’ve never bathed in milk. Who are the Vedic Aryans?”
Anamika sighed heavily. “We are the last of our people. Once we were one of sixteenMahajanapadas.Our republic flourished under the rule of my grandfather, but one by one each of the sixteen kingdoms was conquered. Now we serve the Maurya Empire and answer to its head, Chandragupta Maurya. I was the captain’s advisor, but he has been . . . lost. Now his duties have fallen onto me.”
I berated myself for not studying Indian history more. If I had, I could at least figure out what time we were in. Ren and Kishan might know. Still the name Chandragupta sounded familiar. I’d read about him or heard of him somewhere before.But where?
Anamika turned her back to remove her armor. I heard the thump of her helmet as it hit the floor and ignored her while I tried to awaken Ren and Kishan. They were breathing and their hearts were beating, but Ren’s pulse was very slow. When I found I couldn’t rouse them on my own, I took thekamandalfrom Kishan’s neck and wet their lips with a few drops.
After splashing water on her face and arms, the long-legged warrior returned and stood behind me, watching my efforts as she brushed out her long hair. I bristled under her scrutiny but wouldn’t give her the satisfaction of making eye contact. When she caught her brush on a snarl, I leaned over Ren and Kishan, hoping she wasn’t paying attention, and took the opportunity to pour a little fire power into both brothers. Color returned to their faces, and they stirred.
Cobalt blue eyes blinked, and Ren sat up.
“Are you okay, Kells?”
