Tiger’s Destiny (19 page)

“Like I’m an antelope. Same as before.”

Ren smiled slightly, but then his expression became serious as he pulled me into his arms. “Maybe it’s because I’m starving.”

“Didn’t you eat this morning?” My attempt to diffuse the tension with humor failed.

“I don’t want food, Kelsey. I’m starving for you.”

I was about to protest when he pressed his finger against my lips. “Shh . . . Just let me enjoy this moment. I get precious few of them. I promise I won’t kiss you. I just want to hold you and not think of anything or anyone else.”

Sighing, I let my head drop against his chest.

A minute or two later, an annoyed Kishan asked, “Are you done hugging my fiancée?”

Ren stiffened and backed away, saying nothing.

“We were healing the . . .”

Kishan spun on his heels and stormed off.

“. . . trees,” I said to his back as he retreated.

Clearly it was time to get moving again, and after an hour’s hike made mostly in silence, we came upon a meadow full of glowing flowers bobbing on thin black stalks. The undergrowth was layered with golden hedges, vermillion bushes, crimson shrubs, and dead copper bracken, while the surrounding thicket burned with trees in lightning yellow, sunset orange, and scarlet.

We stopped to take in the beauty of the forest around us, and that’s when I heard the thump of wings on the air. Kishan unhooked his
chakram
and Ren drew the golden sword, separated it into two, and tossed one to Kishan. He also twisted the Sai knife hanging at his side until it lengthened into the familiar form of the trident. He raised his arm, ready to throw it like a javelin.

We heard the unmistakable sound of a bird screeching. I swallowed and searched the dark sky, hoping it wasn’t another set of iron birds. The creature shot toward us like a flaming comet, blackened around the edges but burning from within.

It circled in the sky, tilting its head to look at us with one white eye scanning the ground like a searchlight. The bird opened its curved eagle’s beak and screeched again, then it flapped its wings quickly as it descended straight for us.

The flight feathers lining the bird’s wings were soft—part angel hair and part flame. Broad wings ended in defined wingtips that were candlelight yellow nearer the body but ended in a red so dark, it was almost black.

Its beak was golden, and its feet were covered with dark orange feathers, ending with powerful, sharp talons. A fiery crest lifted from its head, and long crimson plumage protected its nape and reflected the flaming light. It had a long tail that fanned out behind it as it flew. The flickering colors matched the flora of the land, and as the wings, tail, and crest rippled in the wind, the bird truly looked as if it were on fire.

It landed on a fallen log and gripped the wood tightly with its talons. Dancing back and forth until it was balanced, the bird folded its wings and peered at the three of us. A masculine voice penetrated the meadow. Warm and musical, it seemed to shimmer like the world around us.

“Why have you come to my realm?” the bird asked.

Ren stepped forward. “We’re looking for the Rope of Fire.”

“What is your reason for seeking this?”

“We want to end our quest, bring Durga her prize, and regain our humanity,” Kishan answered.

“To enter my realm, you must make a sacrifice to prove you are worthy.”

“Tell us what to do, and we will see to it,” Ren pledged.

A peal of soft laughter echoed around us. “This sacrifice is not yours to offer, white tiger. No, the sacrifice I require is that of a Sati wife. There is only one person here who is able to fulfill my request.”

Ren and Kishan both leapt forward in front of me, lifted their weapons, and shouted, “No! You will not take her!”

Confused, I peered between their broad shoulders and was soon captivated by the bright eyes of the Phoenix.

sati wife

R
en and Kishan barred my way, keeping a safe distance between the Phoenix and me.

“Why are you two acting this way?” I asked, trying to get past. “We’re here to negotiate, aren’t we? We have plenty of things we can sacrifice. I can summon fruit or golden cloth or whatever it wants.”

Kishan lowered his
chakram
, but kept his eyes on the bird. “The Phoenix doesn’t want just any sacrifice, Kells. It wants a Sati wife.”

“And what does that mean?”

Ren tightened his jaw and glanced at me in a way I’d never seen before. His bright eyes filled with the deepest of sorrows. He shook his head, refusing to answer me, tightened his grip on his weapons, and took a step forward, angling his body so he stood between me and the bird.

I turned to Kishan and spoke softly, “Tell me.”

In a deadened tone, Kishan replied, “In ancient times, women were taught to devote themselves, body and soul, to their husbands. A Sati wife is a widow. She is stricken with such overwhelming grief at the death of her husband that she will not be separated from him. When his body is cremated, she throws herself onto his funeral pyre to show her dedication and love in this final, flatal act.”

Ren added with disgust, “It’s been outlawed in India for some time, and my parents had forbidden the ceremony in our kingdom.”

I whispered quietly, “I see.”

I turned to face the Phoenix and felt Ren’s lips brush my ear.

“
Iadala
, we will
not
give you up.”

I placed my hand on his rock-hard forearm and squeezed it lightly. Then I gripped Kishan’s wrist with my other hand and asked the Phoenix with as much bravery as I could muster, “What is it you want from me?”

The bird tilted its head to study me and replied, “You said you seek the Rope of Fire. Only those who are worthy may pass through my mountains to find it. To deem your worthiness, I ask a sacrifice.”

“If I offered myself up for this, would I die?”

“Perhaps. Perhaps not. The true test of a Sati wife lies in her heart, not in her flesh. If your heart is pure and your love is true then your flesh will not burn. If your heart deceives, then your body cannot pass through the flame.”

My gut clenched as my heart beat double time. I registered Kishan protesting softly beside me, saying we’d find another way, but a part of me already knew that there was no other way. My mind flashed back to conversations I’d had with Mr. Kadam. I could almost hear his voice whispering in my mind.

“Do not fear the flame, Miss Kelsey, for if you are prepared, it will not hurt you.”

But what if I die?

His voice came to me again.
“Reincarnation is an old spirit giving rise to a new one, like a dying flame igniting a new candle. The two candles are different but the flame comes from those who have gone before.”

But I don’t believe in reincarnation.
My eyes filled with tears that spilled over onto my cheeks despite the dryness of my surroundings, and memories of another conversation with Mr. Kadam flickered to mind.
“What if your child was trapped in a house of burning flame?”

“I would run in and save him.”

I knew then what my answer to the Phoenix must be. I lifted my head and said softly, “I will be the sacrifice.”

The Phoenix raised its wings and called out a mournful cry. Kishan pleaded with me not to do this and threw the
chakram
at the bird, but the weapon simply circled around the Phoenix and returned to him.

Ren trembled next to me and tried to barter with the immortal guardian. The anguish he felt was obvious in his voice. “Please, I beg you to reconsider. Take me instead. There is precedent.”

The Phoenix replied, “You are correct that the sacrifice was not always the Sati wife. Loved ones of all ages, both male and female, have given their lives in grief and suffering, but your heart has already been given.”

“What do you mean?” I asked.

The wise Phoenix explained, “The white tiger was given a choice to forget his love in order to save her. His heart is pure. His love, certain.”

“Then take me,” Kishan offered.

The fiery bird considered Kishan for a moment. “I cannot. Your time for sacrifice has not yet come, but rest assured, you will be tested as well, though not by me. Come forth, young woman.”

I took a hesitant step forward, which was pretty courageous, all things considered, but stopped to face Kishan.

He wrapped his arms around me and whispered, “The second it hurts you, its head comes off.”

“I’ll remember to duck,” I teased and kissed him quickly.

I heard a sob of protest behind me. Ren had fallen to his knees. He locked his arms around my waist and pressed his cheek against my belly.

“Please don’t go through with this, Kelsey. I’m begging you,” Ren pleaded.

“I have to do it.” I stroked his hair and kissed the top of his head.

“I love you,” he whispered.

“I know,” I answered simply.

Reluctantly, he let me go. He stood, angrily wiped away the tears that had turned his blue eyes even brighter and picked up his weapons with renewed determination. I stepped away from him and faced the Phoenix.

“I’m ready.”

The great bird unfurled and flapped its wings, which sent billows of warm air swirling around my body. My hands shook so I pressed them to my sides and waited for the pain.

Dancing on taloned feet, the Phoenix opened its beak and sang. The notes were beautiful and sweet. When the song was finished, it said, “Now they cannot stop you.”

“What?” I asked, spinning around.

Ren and Kishan were encased in a box of sparkling glass. They pounded and threw themselves at the clear walls in a futile effort to shatter the glass. I could see but not hear them.

“Can they breathe in there?” I asked.

“The diamond cage allows them to breathe. They will not be hurt but, more importantly, they will not disturb the sacrifice. Now, I must ask you to remove your amulet.”

My hand darted to my throat. “Why?”

“The fire amulet protects you in this realm. If you keep it on, all the creatures of the forest, including the trees, will share your pain.”

Immediately I reached behind my neck to unhook the clasp. “Will you promise to leave it here for Ren and Kishan? They’ll need it.”

“I have no interest in your amulet. It will not be disturbed if you set it aside.”

I removed the amulet and Fanindra to protect both of them. The heat of the fire world immediately enveloped me. Sweat trickled down my face, and I licked my suddenly dry lips.

I attempted to ignore Ren and Kishan, who clearly thought that this was a bad idea, but as I turned to face the Phoenix, I knew I’d made the right choice.

Then the Phoenix sang again, and the ground peeled back, separating me from the fiery bird. Between us lay a burning bridge of rock and gravel.

“If you can walk the path of flame, you may cross my mountain.”

“And if I can’t?”

“Then your blackened bones will find a resting place here in this grove.”

I swallowed dryly and placed my booted foot onto the white-hot coals. The heat overwhelmed me. My boot started smoking. Sweat dripped from my temples, ran down my neck, and beaded on my upper lip. I took another searing step and another. Although the path was rocky, I slid along as if it were an icy pond. Horrified, I realized that the rubber soles of my boots had melted into slick puddles.

When my socked heel touched the hot rocks, I screamed. I lifted my foot and was about to leap away when the Phoenix warned, “If you leave the path, your life is forfeit.”

I set my foot down, careful to stand only on my tiptoes, and took another few steps. A tear rolled down my cheek as I hobbled forward.

The bird watched my progress and asked, “Why is your heart closed?”

I gasped in pain. “What do you mean?”

He didn’t answer. I set my left foot down, which was now bare, and hopped to my right foot. The tiny piece of shoe that was left melted away. I screamed in agony but refused to step away. What was left of the top of my sock was burning. With inhuman strength, I ripped it away and stared at my blackened feet. The skin above the ankles was bright red and terribly blistered.

Soon the only pain I felt was up and down my calves, and I knew the fire had burned away the nerve endings in my feet. Determinedly, I took a few more steps.

The Phoenix posed another question, “Why aren’t you with the man you love?”

I gritted my teeth. “I am. I love Kishan.”

Flames burst around my feet, and my shorts caught fire. I patted it out and saw the skin on my shin bone was now blackened and cracking.

Calmly, the bird asked again, “Why aren’t you with the man you love?”

Breathing quickly, I panted, “You’re talking about Ren, aren’t you?”

The Phoenix remained silent.

I took another step and cried out in pain. “Ren and I don’t . . . don’t match,” I gasped. “He is a chocolate ganache layer cake, and I am a radish. He’ll break my heart and leave me for another.”

“You are lying. You know in your heart that he will not leave you.”

Flames leapt around me. I screamed with a sound louder than I thought was physically possible.

The unruffled bird said, “Your heart is hidden. Speak the truth, and the pain will lessen.”