Page 9 of Tiger's Destiny
I turned to gaze at my reflection. I looked like an exotic bird, a phoenix, in fact. Like the great bird, I was beautiful and vibrant, but I was also deadly; and soon, I would be consumed by fire.
I tucked the Scarf into one of my long sleeves, concealing it for later use. After dabbing a flowery perfume on my wrists and behind my ears, I sat down to await my groom.
Too soon, one of Lokesh’s servants came to collect me. He ogled my costume with a shocked expression, then quickly ducked his head and stayed as far away from me as he could.
Is he afraid of me? I wish Lokesh felt the same way.
The servant guided me to what looked like a small library and handed me a note and a box on his way out. I heard the click of the lock behind him and then silence.
I let out a pent-up breath and hoped that whatever plan Ren and Kishan had dreamed up would be put into motion before the wedding ceremony. Closing my eyes, I made a wish that we would all make it out alive.
I sat stiffly before opening Lokesh’s note, which said that we were to dine before a magistrate performed the ceremony. Tugging the white ribbon off, I opened the gift from my husband-to-be.
It was the biggest diamond I’d ever set eyes on. The stone was round, multifaceted, and pink. Two smaller pink diamonds were set on either side. It might have been my imagination, but the five prongs holding the large diamond into place looked like thick fingers. I imagined Lokesh’s own grasp—so strong there would be no hope for escape. I slipped the ring on my middle finger just as the doors opened.
“Ah, there you are, my dear. And what do you think of my gift?”
“It’s lovely.” I managed to give him a smile.
Something flashed in his black eyes, and he took a sudden step toward me. I stood proudly but inwardly cringed. He grabbed my chin and murmured softly with a repellent smile, “I shall enjoy tearing your pretty dress to pieces tonight. I do hope you’ll have enough spirit to make the evening interesting, Kelsey. I wouldn’t want to be disappointed.”
I jerked my chin away and leveled my eyes on him. “Believe me when I say thatallmy energies will be focused upon you tonight, my liege.”
Leering with anticipation, Lokesh took my arm and led me into the ballroom, which sparkled with the light of hundreds of candles and was perfumed by dozens of white flower arrangements. If it had been anyone else’s wedding, I might have appreciated the setting more.
We sat at a small, intimate table, and though my face was frozen into a plastic smile, beneath the many layers of sleeves, my hands were clenched into fists.
Lokesh clapped his hands to begin a traditional ten-course Chinese wedding feast, not unlike the one I ate with Li at his cousin’s wedding. There was shark’s fin soup, stuffed melon, two whole lobsters in garlic-butter sauce, five-spice beef, squab with noodles, roasted suckling pig with fried rice, sautéed prawns with honeyed peas, Peking duck, scallion-and-ginger fish, and pink buns filled with sweet lotus paste.
I tried to stretch out the meal by talking about the symbolism of each course, but Lokesh remained silent. In fact, all he seemed to be in the mood for was scrutinizing me. His dark gaze studied me like a hawk watching a rabbit.
At one point during the meal, I felt an icy touch find my ankle under my layered skirts. Slowly, the biting cold traveled up my bare leg and caressed my thigh. I wasn’t sure if he was using his air or his water power or a combination of both, but I kept silent and nibbled at the dinner as best I could.
The minutes ticked by, and still there was no sign of Ren and Kishan. If they didn’t make an appearance soon, I’d be Mrs. Lokesh Shu or whatever his last name was. I was on my own. Helpless darkness swelled within me. It overwhelmed me until I felt as heavy as a stone sinking into a muddy river. This was not what I’d envisioned for my future.
Instead of walking down the aisle to a man who looked at me with love and tenderness, I’d be walking toward a villain—someone who’d rather twist my arm than place it on his. Instead of Mr. Kadam taking my arm proudly, soothing my nerves, and giving me to the care of a man he called a son, I had no one. Instead of promises and sweet vows of love, I’d hear bubbly lies roiling with black filth. When the bubbles burst, I’d be covered in layers of corruption.
The feast was finally cleared away, and I couldn’t stall the wedding any longer. Lokesh took my hand.
“Are you ready, my dear?” Lokesh asked and, without waiting for my response, called for the magistrate to enter.
Though I wanted to wring my hands and run away, I placed my palm confidently in his and smiled. “Of course.”
“Shall we proceed?” asked a smooth, silky voice.
I gasped and whipped around. The magistrate’s blue eyes flashed with anger, and his priestly robes whipped behind him as he strode into the center of the room.Ren!I thought he was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen.
Weapons flew through the air. Thechakramwhirled, and darts from the trident sped toward Lokesh, who easily deflected them.
Lokesh gripped my arm and laughed. “Greetings, Dhiren. You must have received your invitation.”
“You will wed her over my dead body,” Ren threatened.
Lokesh shrugged. “As you wish.”
With a twitch of Lokesh’s fingers, Ren stopped moving.
Lokesh shifted his eyes nervously around the candlelit ballroom, seeking the black tiger.
