Page 114 of Tiger's Destiny
As the tears spilled onto my cheeks, I dashed them away angrily and looked down at the ground. Fanindra turned her head toward me and tasted the air with her tongue.
“Fanindra?” I whispered and held out my hand toward her.
The golden snake considered me for a few seconds and then unwound her body and began moving. Mistakenly, I thought she was heading toward me, but instead she made her way to the goddess, who leaned down and lifted the snake into position on her arm. As Fanindra wound her body around the dainty limb, something inside me snapped.
I felt utterly betrayed. Not even Fanindra wanted anything to do with me anymore.
Messily, I dashed my hand over my eyes, yanked the precious Pearl Necklace from my throat, and threw it at the goddess’s feet. I could feel Ren’s gaze, but I refused to look at him.
As the new Durga picked up the Necklace, I spat, “You forgot something.”
Then I turned on my heels and fled back to camp.
war
Anamika called out to me, but I ignored her and ran back to my tent.Hertent. Scanning my sleeping area, I realized that there was nothing there that belonged to me. Ren had the backpack. All I owned in the world now were the clothes on my back. My pulse pounded as my vision turned red. I clutched the amulet hanging around my neck and realized that I wanted to burn something. I swallowed thickly, tamping down my inner fire. Destruction might ease the pain, but causing damage would undermine what we were doing and I knew it would only be a temporary fix.
Closing my eyes and pressing my fists against them, I whispered, “Mr. Kadam, if only you were here.”
Kishan found me an hour later after a passing soldier tipped him off that he had seen me near the supply tent. I had confiscated the tent and attempted to set it up myself. Failing that, I took the heavy canvas, climbed a tree, and made a makeshift shelter. Stubbornly, I sat inside with my back against the trunk, cross legged, my chin resting on my fists.
Kishan sat down and watched me for a full minute before saying anything.
“What are you trying to do, Kelsey?”
“Get some distance,” was my abrupt reply.
“From me?” he asked softly.
“From . . . everything,” I mumbled.
Kishan tugged gently on my tent wall. “The canvas is heavy. I’m surprised you got it up in the tree by yourself.”
I grunted, “Hell hath no fury . . .”
Kishan sat with me for a while, but I refused to talk, and he finally gave up. Confused and hurt by my silence, he prepared to leave and said quietly, “If you would like your own tent away from all of us, I will arrange it, but I won’t leave you unprotected. I will assign soldiers to set one up for you in the midst of those I trust. Will that be agreeable?”
Not being able to meet his eyes, I nodded and he disappeared. A short time later, a man escorted me to a tent of my own, complete with my own pitcher of water, blankets, and wash basin.
I was left to myself for the rest of the week even though it appeared that either Ren or Kishan or both were checking upon me through the bodyguards who had been assigned to watch over me. I still trained with the women every day, but Kishan had selected a replacement instructor as he was spending much of his time with the other military leaders.
Sometimes I passed the training grounds and heard the clash of swords or the cheering of soldiers, and I skirted the area without investigating. I just couldn’t bring myself to see Ren and Anamika together or to see her with all ofmygolden weapons. I longed for my bow and arrow, though I acknowledged that I mostly wanted to sink a golden arrow into Ren’s unfaithful heart.
After a week had gone by, the leaders of the other camps left and preparations were made to relocate Anamika’s camp. When it was time to move, my personal bodyguards packed my tent with a small bag of supplies and helped me onto my beautiful dapple-gray horse with its beautiful black mane and nose.
My mare stamped in anticipation, and the breath from her nostrils rose into the air in icy puffs. Specks of snow swirled in the early morning sky but didn’t stick to the ground. Someone wrapped a cloak lined with soft fur around my shoulders. The soldiers treated me like a queen, though I felt more like a cast-off woman. I lifted the fur-lined hood over my hair and nodded that I was ready.
We rode northeast for two days and struck camp at the edge of Lake Rakshastal. The weather was cold but not yet freezing. I figured that for the Himalayas this must be early fall. I used my fire power to warm the air around me and my group of bodyguards, and they figured out pretty quickly that the closer they stayed by my side the more comfortable they were.
It wasn’t long after we camped that we saw more soldiers on the horizon. I recognized the flag of General Xi-Wong’s army on our left and the colors of General Amphimachus’s on the right. Runners ran back and forth between the generals all day, and though I felt I was just an afterthought to Ren and Kishan and that it was probably best to stay out of the way and let the goddess do her thing, I couldn’t help but be worried for them.
A day later, when I awoke, the camp was unusually silent. I felt a tug at my heart, knowing they were gone. I’d developed a rudimentary sign language with the guard at my tent door, and he confirmed my suspicions and handed me two folded papers. I sank onto a thick rug and opened the first one. It was from Kishan.
We are heading into battle today, Kelsey. The three of us decided that it would be best if you stayed behind. Having you in the war would only be a distraction for us, and we want this fight to be over as soon as possible. Please understand that we only wish to keep you safe. Last week, I instructed your guards to bring you to me the instant you asked for me, but you never came. I love you, Kelsey. I wish I knew what we were fighting about.
—Kishan
I set the letter aside and opened the second. It was from Ren. Inside the folded paper was a ring. Sunlight hit the bright blue sapphire, and it twinkled with an even deeper blue than Ren’s eyes. The princess-cut sapphire was surrounded by round diamonds and sat atop what looked like two silver bands woven together with another diamond set at each loop. The ring was breathtaking.
