Page 10 of Tiger's Destiny
Where is Kishan? I need to defrost Ren. Think, Kelsey. Think!
Seeing no other move, I draped my arm around Lokesh’s, hoped against hope, and asked, “Did you kill Ren?”
“No, my dear. He’s still alive.”
“Good,” I purred. Determined to act out my part well, I turned to Ren, gave him a pitying glance, and said, “It’s really too bad you had to find out this way. But since you’re here, you can be a guest at my wedding.”
Lokesh smiled and instructed the guards to find the real magistrate. Ren’s blue eyes burned into mine.
“Oh dear, how rude of me. Of course, a guest should kiss the bride,” I said mockingly before kissing the man who had come to save me, biting his lip until I drew blood.I’m so sorry!I thought, wishing Ren could read my mind . . . and then I slapped him square across his beautiful face.
His pupils widened with shock, and I imagined the sting in his heart was much greater than the sting on his cheek. Yanking the Scarf from my sleeve, I dabbed at his bruised lip and tucked it into his collar, clucking disdainfully as Lokesh laughed with glee.
I stayed long enough to see the light go out in Ren’s eyes. Turning back to Lokesh, I frowned. “But will he have a good view from all the way over here? I really think he should be moved, don’t you? I want him to have a clear picture of the man I chose over him.”
Lokesh pinched my cheek, twisting it harshly. “What a devious little vixen you are,” he said happily and watched with delight as I used the Scarf to bind Ren’s arms to his chest.
As soon as Ren was sufficiently tied up, Lokesh unfroze him. Ren’s muscles strained against the Scarf aggressively. I wiggled my fingers lightly against my skirt and shook my head, hoping he would understand my signals. Settling down, Ren relaxed and walked to the side of the make-shift altar.
Lokesh lifted his hands to freeze Ren again, but I cut him off by saying, “That will not be necessary, my love.”
I twisted my fingers, and the Scarf wrapped around Ren’s legs until he was mummy-wrapped from neck to feet
“You’ve done a magnificent job, my pet,” said Lokesh, “but I think I’ll keep his tongue frozen, at least for now. I wouldn’t want him spoiling our nuptials after all.”
“Wise decision. Shall we begin then? Did you find the magistrate?”
Lokesh clapped his hands, but not a single servant or the magistrate appeared. He shouted once, twice, and rang a bell in frustration. His only answer was an explosive blaze of fire burning from every candle in the room.
Lokesh raised his arms and tried to blow them out with a brisk wind, but the flames only rose higher. Grunting, he waved his hand and doused each candle with water as Ren looked on and smiled.
Sensing that things were afoul, the evil sorcerer took my arm, growled “Come with me!” and yanked me down the hallway to make a quick escape through the kitchen.
Silently, I instructed the Scarf to free Ren and weave him a message.
Try as he might, Lokesh couldn’t open the kitchen door. He used lightning but the blue crackle only left scorch marks on the wood. Finally, he ripped the door off its hinges.
I edged back a few feet while Lokesh stared incredulously at a room I’d filled to the top with chocolate cake. I smirked, pleased with myself, and explained, “A girl should be able to enjoy a little chocolate at her wedding, don’t you think?”
At my whispered word, the cake burst open and boiling chocolate fudge sauce spilled all over Lokesh. He screamed and turned toward me just as Kishan broke through the side door and ran into the hallway. A dead guard fell at his feet.
“Kishan!” I shouted, so happy I could have cried.
Kishan stopped only to throw me a wink before he raised his palm and sent off bubbles of light that exploded directly in front of Lokesh like a strobe firecracker. He screeched in pain and covered his eyes. Using both hands, Kishan shot several lightning bursts into Lokesh’s body.
Before I could give Kishan the biggest tiger hug he’d ever have, Ren joined us in the hall with my bow and arrows and the Golden Fruit. Without skipping a beat, he shot trident darts into Lokesh, who soon began to look like a spear pincushion, and then asked the Scarf to mummy-wrap him.
The Scarf sprang to life in Ren’s hands and spun long layers of linen. Tightly, it wove between the spear darts. Lokesh hollered in pain and spat out vehement words in Hindi and Chinese. His legs were bound together, and the Scarf’s wrappings twisted around his neck, looped around an awning, and raised his body off the floor. Lokesh twitched and bucked, and I momentarily turned away, not wanting to watch.
Somehow Lokesh managed to wrench his hands free, and his power slid over me immediately. It felt like he was scratching me, ripping my skin with his claws. Groaning, I wrapped my arms around my body, staggering and panting at the pain. Ren dashed to my side to catch me in his arms before I fell.
“I’ve got you,iadala,” Ren whispered softly.
Kishan blasted Lokesh again, and the pain began to fade.
Incredibly, Lokesh was still alive but in terrible agony. Kishan lit his mummy-wrap on fire, and then I heard an inhuman scream and smelled burning flesh. With a sudden whoosh of water, Lokesh put out the fire. It was going to take more than just flames to kill the sorcerer.
Ren lifted the Golden Fruit and a coating of oil slid over the water-soaked linens. Kishan lit it on fire again, and Lokesh’s body wrenched back and forth.
