Tiger’s Destiny Read Free

bruised lip with a thumb and glared at him.
    Lokesh laughed happily. “And still you are defiant. You will give me much pleasure, Kelsey.”
    “Glad you think so,” I spat, now more angry than afraid.
    “You see, my dear, I care nothing for the tigers except to get their amulets. If you give me a son and help me gain the power I seek, I will leave the tigers alone. Now that the terms have been settled, I will show you back to your room so you might reflect on your decision. I look forward to getting to know you better,” he declared with a leer that made me shiver.
    Taking a deep breath, I snatched up the Scarf, gingerly placed one hand on my pocket, and let Lokesh escort me back to my prison.
    “We shall talk more of alliances tomorrow, my pet,” he whispered breathily in my ear. “And do return the knife you took from the table.”
    The comment took me by surprise, but I tried to maintain an even expression. Smiling, I took the butter knife from my pocket and pressed the tip lightly against his chest. “You can’t blame a girl for trying.”
    Delighted, he wrapped his fingers around mine and tugged the knife out of my hand, harshly scraping the blade against my palm. Seeing that he drew blood, Lokesh brought my stinging palm to his mouth. I watched vile ecstasy overtake him as he kissed my palm and licked the red droplets from his lips.
    At last he let me go with a final threat. “I’ll be watching your every move, my dear. I look forward to our . . . exchanges in the future.”
    The door closed behind me, and I heard the click of a heavy lock, happy for a change to be separated from him by dozens of thick, metal bars.
    Curtain falls , I thought and collapsed onto my bed, completely drained, and wondering how on earth I was going to get myself out of this latest mess.

2
    ascension
    T he next day, Lokesh became even bolder, and I was mentally exhausted from the constant high-stakes verbal dance. I suffered no delusions. Even if he let me live long enough to bear a child, I knew I wouldn’t be around to raise it.
    I was released from my room throughout the day but never without a guard or Lokesh himself by my side. The place was a fortress, its decorations sparse. There were no pictures, and the minimal furniture was heavy and expensive looking. Most importantly, there didn’t seem to be any doors leading outside.
    As we walked, he limited himself to bruising squeezes and pinches. Every time Lokesh grabbed my arm or pulled me too close, I closed my eyes, thought of how Lokesh tortured Ren and broke his fingers in the Baiga camp, and told myself I was lucky.
    To distract him, I showed off more of my “powers.” I made a replica of the amulet with the Scarf, refilled a glass with water with the Pearl Necklace, and produced a magnificent, gold-trimmed coat. Lokesh was gleeful at first, but soon tired of the display. It was clear he was growing impatient.
    As we dined that evening, I thought longingly of the Golden Fruit and wished Lokesh hadn’t taken it from me. Mr. Kadam’s delicious crêpes sprung to mind . . . and to my surprise, a plateful of berried crepes with whipped cream appeared before us.
    I scanned the sitting room quickly, looking for possible hiding places. The Golden Fruit must be close by!
    Lokesh jumped from his seat. “This is another one of your powers?”
    “Yes,” I replied, looking up to meet his gaze. “I can create any food or drink you wish.”
    It happened so fast; I was completely unprepared for it. Lokesh slapped me hard across the face and jerked my chin toward him, wrenching my neck painfully in the process.
    “You should have told me of this before. Never lie to me again,” he threatened.
    A tear dropped onto my cheek. I grit my teeth and shook with rage. I thought of all the things I could do to him, but none of them would be lethal. They would only anger him further.
    My cheek burned and itched where he’d slapped it, but I refused to rub it or acknowledge the pain. I