Tiger’s Destiny Read Free Page B

warlords to constantly try us in battle. I had no interest in ruling from my father’s seat of power, and when my armies fled in cowardice, I escaped. By then I was only interested in obtaining the other pieces of the amulet.”
    “So the amulet has kept you alive all this time?”
    “That coupled with some black magic I’ve learned over the years.”
    “I see. But how do you—”
    Lokesh interrupted, “Enough questions. It’s my turn. I wish to see you demonstrate the use of your weapon.”
    “My weapon?” I queried hesitantly.
    “Your golden bow and arrows.”
    Slowly, I scrunched my napkin between my suddenly sweaty palms. Durga’s bow and arrows were here somewhere too!
    “Alright,” I agreed.
    He rubbed his jaw and summoned a guard. I counted how long it took the guard to bring in the bow. Sixty seconds.
    When the weapon was back in my hands, I nocked an arrow—just as Lokesh warned, “Don’t even attempt to use them against me. I deflected your arrows before and I can easily do so again.”
    Figuring that he was probably right, I turned my aim to a statue on the other side of the room and watched the arrow sink into the marble.
    “These were a gift from the goddess Durga,” I explained. “The arrows magically refill and also disappear from the target so they can’t be tracked.”
    “Interesting.” Lokesh indicated the target and asked for a repeat performance.
    This time, I tried to imbue the second arrow with lightning power to make the effect more impressive. My hand began to glow but sparked out quickly. Still no fire power.
    Lokesh stared at my glowing hand, fascinated.
    I made up a lie as quickly as possible. “When I shoot an arrow, my hand glows. I believe it is to help me aim better.”
    “Most interesting. So tell me how you found this,” he said as he placed the Golden Fruit down on the table.
    I set the bow and arrows aside and told him about the lost city of Kishkindha. I explained that Durga asked us to locate four items, each with magical properties, and, in exchange, the tigers would be men again. I didn’t tell the whole truth or go into too much detail, figuring it was better that Lokesh not know everything.
    “Why do you care if the men are tigers or not?”
    “When I discovered the gifts Durga shared with me, I wanted more,” I lied smoothly, playing to Lokesh’s thirst for power.
    He nodded thoughtfully and rolled the Golden Fruit between his palms. “Perhaps we will finish your quest together and offer Durga her prizes. In exchange we will both gain the power you seek.”
    I smiled. This crazy plan just might be working. . . . “I would be . . . privileged to share her powers with you.”
    Lokesh summoned a servant to remove the Fruit and the bow and arrows. Impulsively, I instructed the Scarf to attach an invisible thread to the bow and told it to follow the bow to its hiding place. I had it attach the other end to the statue and asked the thread to bury itself in the carpet and blend in.
    Taking a risk, I heightened the challenge. “Now that I have shared some of my powers with you, perhaps you will return the fav—”
    Before I could finish the sentence, an icy chill swept over me, and I was frozen in place, not able to move, talk, or fight back.
    Lokesh touched my cheek, smiled evilly, and came closer.
    “You so generously shared some of your talents with me. I thought I should reciprocate.”
    He ripped the shoulder of my gown and then groaned and trailed bruising kisses from my bare shoulder to my frozen lips. He ran his hands roughly up and down my back and pulled at my hair. I wanted to vomit but couldn’t. His warm, spicy breath became all I breathed in.
    Panting, he straightened. His eyes gleamed with feral pleasure. Lokesh trailed his fingers lightly over my collarbone and played with the torn fabric by my shoulder. He murmured, “You please me greatly, Kelsey.” He pressed a final kiss on my bare shoulder and then backed away, smiling.
    “If I