The Island on the Edge of Forever (The Epic of Aravinda Book 2) (13 page)

“Yes, I suspect you will,” he said, nodding.

Asha turned around and bolted to where he had pointed, soon finding a path that headed toward the coast. The path straightened out a bit, and she began to jog as fast as she safely could in the shaded moonlight.

With Mira sick, time was a luxury she no longer had, and she followed the path deeper into the forest. The sound of the ocean waves grew louder and louder, but when she listened closely, she thought she could hear distant voices, as well.

CHAPTER
21

A WOMBLIKE ENVIRONMENT

To Asha’s surprise, she realized that she was hearing a song carried along on the breeze. Somehow, the voices were familiar to her ear, yet she couldn’t name them. At least, not at first. The song was lilting and seemed to hover just above the trees in relaxed tones; and as she followed the curving path, her excitement grew.

By now, the sky was overcast, making the night especially dim. Asha could barely see the path to the end, so she listened for the song, sung in words she couldn’t understand. To her surprise, not even her wristcomm could translate it.

The path opened up to reveal a wide pool which emptied out into the ocean through a short, narrow channel. In the dim light, she could scarcely make out the features of the pool, which was clearly a product of deliberate design. A retaining wall on the far end ran for dozens of meters, built out of small stones which fit together with a level of precision that was impressive, and ahead of her were a series of narrow stone steps that led into the water.

In the pool, she could just make out the faces of two women. At seeing her arrive, they stopped singing.

“My goodness, is it the visitor? Could it be?” one of the voices called out.

“Tiika?” Asha said in surprise.

“Hello, Asha,” another voice said. This voice was older and also familiar. “It’s Lakshmi! Good to see you again, my dear! Why don’t you come join us?”

Tiika floated over to the stone steps that led out of the pool. She looked up to Asha and shook her head in disbelief, chuckling to herself.

“What?” Asha said. From here, she could just make out the outline of Tiika’s shoulders rising above the water.

“It’s funny. I was just thinking about you, but I’d never have imagined you would find this place by yourself.” Tiika stroked her hair. “How fortuitous!” A grin spread across her face. “And the perfect opportunity for us to get to know you on an even deeper level. Tell me, moops,” she said in almost a patronizing tone, “have you been to a warm pond before?”

“No, and don’t call me that, either.” Asha said. “Someone told me it would be wise to come here…” Her voice trailed off, and she sighed.

“Honey, is everything okay?” Lakshmi floated toward the steps. “You sound full of sorrow. You should join us. The warm pond will help you release that sorrow.”

“I don’t know, Lakshmi.” Now that her eyes had adjusted more to the low light, Asha studied the warm pond wall and the dark mass of ocean beyond. She wasn’t anywhere near where the Kiss of Life could be.

“To be honest,” Asha said, “I’m starting to feel like I don’t even know why I’m here. I came to this island for a reason, and now my friend is sick, and, and—”

“Hey now. Asha, it’s going to be okay.” Tiika walked out of the pool, revealing that she was completely naked. Asha tried to ignore her nakedness, but had to admit it wasn’t an entirely horrible sight.

Tiika walked up to her, held her shoulders, and looked directly into her warm, brown eyes.

“Come join us.” Tiika gazed at her intensely, freezing Asha’s thinking. “We will help you.”

Asha blinked and looked away. “I don’t think so. There are other things I should do. I need to find out where the power source of this island is.”

“My dear,” Lakshmi called from the pond. “I’d love to help you again, but Tiika and I find that conversations flow much better when we all share the same water. And the water of this pond is indeed blessed.”

Asha furrowed her eyebrows.

“She’s right, you know.” Tiika smirked at her. “And why would an adorable woman like you need to know about the power of this island? That is special knowledge.”

Asha’s expression darkened at her words. “Because my friend is going to die unless I find it, Tiika!”

Tiika sighed. “I’m getting cold. I may be able to help you, but if you want to talk, you’ll need to join us in the warm pond.” She folded her arms. “Just remember,” she added, “it’s a disgrace to our ancestors to enter the pond with any clothing.”

“Anything?”

“Anything whatsoever, moops.”

Tiika turned around and walked back down into the water. For a few moments, they just stared at her.

Asha stared back, resisting the urge to yell at Tiika for calling her a pet name yet again.

“Sorry,” Asha replied. “Maybe I took a wrong turn back there. Have a good evening.”

Asha waved and walked back into the forest.

“As you wish,” Tiika called back. “But before you leave, I have one final question for you.”

Asha stopped and turned around, letting her curiosity get the better of her. “What?”

“Where else are you going to find two generations of cave hunters that are open to hearing your questions? We know this island inside and out.” Tiika nodded her head in a slow, almost hypnotizing rhythm.

Asha took a deep breath and stared out onto the pond. Lakshmi was floating on her back now, in what appeared to be a state of wonderful relaxation.

“Okay,” Asha finally said, “but please realize that if you so much as lay a finger on me, I will not hesitate to defend myself. I am armed, and not afraid to use it. I hope you can understand.”

“Of course, my dear.” Lakshmi floated back over to the edge of the pond. “But I want you to know that you are safe here, Asha, despite present company.” She glanced over to Tiika. “It’s important to us for you to feel at home on our island, especially at this pond.” Lakshmi tilted her head. “What ever happened to cause you to be so slow to trust?”

Asha walked to the edge of the pond, noticing for the first time two small piles of clothes, one orange and one in earth tones, on the edge.

“Perhaps someday I’ll tell you.” Asha removed her boots. “But I don’t know. It’s a long story.” Asha folded her jacket and slipped off her pants, placing both on the ground beside a nearby tree. She looked back up to Tiika and Lakshmi who were watching her, and stopped.

“Excuse me, do you either of you know what modesty is?”

“Whatever do you mean?” Tiika said.

I guess the wristcomm can’t translate everything. Then again, what if they don’t have a word for ‘modesty’, at all?

“Do you mind averting your eyes for a moment? Where I’m from, this is rather awkward.”

“Is that so? Yet why should it be?” Lakshmi said. “Do you have fear surrounding your appearance?”

“Seriously, Asha.” Tiika laughed. “Have you become blind? Don’t you see that you’re a paragon of majesty? You are powerful. You have no need to be afraid.”

Asha gasped as a feeling of déjà vu struck her.

“Blind?” Her expression fell. “Wait, what did you call me?”

“You heard me,” Tiika said, still floating near the edge.

“That’s… kind of you to say, Tiika, but that’s putting me on a pedestal. I’m just a healer. I didn’t ask to be admired.”

“Yet admired you are,” Tiika said. “Why do you have difficulty receiving such admiration?”

Asha glared back at her. “Keep talking, Tiika, and watch the thing you admire disappear.”

“Tiika!” Lakshmi said. “Please be patient with her.” Lakshmi looked up to Asha who was now wearing only a thin shirt and underwear. “My dear, we will turn our backs until you are ready. Is that better?”

“Yes,” Asha said. “Thank you.”

They both turned, and as they waited, Tiika hummed a playful tune.

Asha slipped off her thin shirt and took some time to admire the sky, which was growing clearer by the minute. Even though the constellations were foreign to her, they still comforted her somehow. And once she had removed the last of her clothes and placed her wristcomm safely under them, she noticed how comforting the warm breeze was. She had never been to a world where the air itself caressed her in a loving embrace, even in the middle of the night.

She dipped her toe into the water and found it to be remarkably warm. With each step, her body went deeper into the womb-like environment of the warm pond, and soon the water was up to her shoulders. She wiped some dirt off of her wrist and hugged herself.

She dove under and swam toward them, right up to Lakshmi.

“You were right.” Asha smiled. “I do feel better now.”

Lakshmi turned around and smiled back. “See, honey? I thought so.”

Asha looked around. The construction of the pool was more obvious to her now. There was an underwater ledge that ran along the edge that was perfect for sitting.

Tiika turned around and floated over to her. “So, how do you feel? Isn’t it lovely?”

“It’s really warm! I can see why you both like it here.”

“Yes,” Lakshmi said. “On especially lovely nights, we even have village meetings here.”

Asha ducked her head under the surface again, submerging her long hair completely before pushing it back.

“I’m sorry to say I can’t stay long,” Asha said. “I’m only here because I have questions. My friend is counting on me, and I don’t know how much time she has left.”

“Sounds like drama,” Tiika said. “What happened to her?”

“Well, do you know those big, bubbly sea creatures?”

“Ah.” Lakshmi nodded. “Yes, I know them.”

“My friend has spoken to everyone, but no one can cure her. We came here for a specific mission that concerns the safety of this entire world, not to mention many others. And now that she is sick, it’s up to me,” Asha said, her eyes darting back and forth between the two women, “which is why I need your help. If you both really are cave explorers, then I need your help getting closer to the energy source under the island. If I can’t find it, my friend Mira is going to die.”

As she said this, Tiika studied the curves of Asha’s body that rose above the water. She found her every movement alluring and felt even more drawn to her, swimming within her eyes as she spoke. “Everyone dies, shmoops.”

“Stop calling me that!” Asha burst out. “I’ve told you to stop calling me that for what feels like days now. Stop it!”

Tiika’s mouth twisted. “My goodness, such a temper! I’m sorry,” Tiika paused. “Asha. I choose a name for everyone I like. You
should
take it as an honor.”

“Well, I don’t like it. So stop.”

Tiika squinted. “Of course, Asha. I suppose I was so taken aback by your beauty that my old habit resurfaced. Please, accept my deepest apology.” Tiika bowed her head. “I am sorry.”

“Stop saying sorry,” Asha said. “Can you help me or not?”

Lakshmi’s eyes narrowed on Asha as Tiika continued. “I wish I could, but even if I did know the way to the energy source of the island, it would be forbidden for me to take you. Think about it, Asha. Even if I could reach it, do you really expect me to take you, a foreigner, to such a sacred place? Such a journey would have deep spiritual significance. If I were to do something like that for a foreigner, I would be disgracing our traditions.” Tiika flashed a saccharine smile. “I hope you can understand.”

Asha glanced over to Lakshmi for support, but found her expression unusually stoic.

“But don’t you see? I
am
on a spiritual journey!” Asha’s eyes widened. “This island has already opened me up so much and revealed evidence for theories I’d only suspected before.” Asha’s voice became hushed as she peered into both of their eyes. “Like when Oonak told me his world was related to Avani. I wasn’t sure if I could believe it. How could planets be related? Planets! But this world has changed that. The more I experience your world and the people here, the more I see that what Oonak said was true. There is no separation. We really
are
galactic brothers and sisters. Don’t you see that?”

Both women were stunned to silence.

“My dear, your heart is opening!” Lakshmi said. “For only through the heart do we learn truth, and you have grasped upon an
eternal
truth that many on other worlds may never accept. If you apply that knowledge, it will make you wise.”

“Thank you,” Asha said. “Hey, wait! How do you know about other worlds? I haven’t seen any advanced technology on this island at all.”

“We dream of them,” Lakshmi said. “Such vivid dreams, every day. And those from other worlds, such as yourself, have come before. As long as they are civilized, we show them the same hospitality that we have shown you.”

“I see. Then you must have met some pretty interesting people over the years.” Asha was about to mention the ship she saw under the water, but stopped herself. “Thanks for considering me civilized. I do what I can.”

“But,” Tiika added, “that doesn’t change our traditions. I still cannot take you, Asha, and if you try to convince me, I suspect I shall become quite unpleasant.”

Tiika’s gaze drifted over to her clothes lying in a silly pile beside a tree.

“All right,” Asha said. “I understand.”

To her surprise, Tiika swam away and walked up the steps, picking up her tunic and sash from the ground.

Still nude, she turned to Asha with a smirk on her face. “I’ve just remembered there is something I need to do.” She bowed briefly. “I’m sure our paths will cross again.”

Asha watched as she walked down the path, still clutching her clothes in one hand.

“I wasn’t interested in walking anywhere with you, anyway,” Asha whispered, and her gaze drifted back over to Lakshmi, who was floating on her back in the middle of the pond.

“So,” Asha said. “You’re still here.”

“Shh,” she said. “I am meditating over the waters to open myself up to a possibility. Do not leave. I’d like to speak with you in a few minutes.”

“Oh,” Asha said. “Okay, I’ll just swim a bit, then.”

She rolled over onto her back and kicked her feet, drifting over to the narrow channel that let ocean water in. The chill of the ocean water shocked her at first.

Stretched across the channel was a tightly woven rope, and she grabbed onto it and let the current push her back. It was so strong that she stretched out onto her stomach, and felt as if she were flying through the water, even though she wasn’t moving at all. The feeling of the current over her bare skin felt wonderful.

Just as Asha was about to hook her feet under the rope and lie on her back, she heard Lakshmi’s voice.

“Having fun?” she said. “Come over here when you’re ready.”