by Sabina Khan
“So what do I do next?” I asked.
Shiv sat down beside me and took my hand. He looked into my eyes and for a moment he was silent. “Look Callie,” he finally said. “You are not alone in this.” He looked up at his parents, who were nodding.
“Yes, Callie, we are all with you,” said Nina, sitting down on the other side of me. “This is what we have been waiting for...what we were born to do. We are sworn to protect the Goddess and we will defend you with our lives.” She was freaking me out with her fervor, that crazy glint in her eyes again. But I did feel slightly less panicked.
“Can we go back to my house?” I looked at them pleadingly. “I need to see if there’s anything...a clue...something that can help us find my parents.”
“Yes, I think you and Shiv should go. Callie, you should also pack some of your stuff while you’re there. You’ll be staying with us from now on,” said Dev. “Nina and I will go to the Council and catch up the rest of the members.”
He didn’t really ask me if I was fine with his decision, and I bristled slightly at that. But then again, I knew that keeping me safe was his first priority now that my parents were gone. He wasn’t just going to let a young girl stay on her own, goddess or not.
He turned to Shiv. “Be careful, son,” he said quietly. “Callie, are you sure you’re up for this?”
I stood up. I felt dizzy for a moment, but then it was gone. “Yes, I am. Let’s do this.”
Shiv led me from the library down the hall to the front door. A silver BMW was parked in the driveway. I raised my eyebrows slightly at him as he opened the door to the passenger side. I got in and he drove us down the street to my house. Even though it would have been just as easy to walk, I was relieved that at least we’d have a way to get away fast if things got hairy. We didn’t talk until we reached the front door. As we approached it I noticed a transformation in Shiv. Gone was the laid-back, smiling guy I had grown to like...a lot. He was replaced by an intense, focused bodyguard who moved with a stealth I had only seen in spy movies. He pulled out a dagger from the back of his waistband. It was short, with a curved blade, but it was the handle that caught my eye. It looked like it was made of bronze and there were etchings of some sort running all the way up and down and around the sides of it.
Shiv motioned for me to stay behind him and then went absolutely still, his head cocked slightly to one side, listening. He checked the door handle, jiggling it lightly. It was loose, probably from when the demons had broken in before. He ran his fingers along the doorframe, checking the wood. I hadn’t noticed before but there were marks on one side that looked like someone had dragged their fingernails across. An image flashed before me of my mom being forced out by the demons. She would have fought them with all the strength she possessed. I shook my head to get the picture out of my mind. Then I headed into the house, following close behind Shiv, who had just gone in. He did a sweep of the downstairs first, going methodically from part of the floor to another, always watching for anything that might be a threat. I stayed close by his side, quite fascinated by how thoroughly he checked everything.
When he was satisfied, we headed upstairs. Nothing seemed out of place — except for the fact that my parents weren’t here and I didn’t know when I would see them again. I pushed down the lump that had been stuck in my throat ever since I’d realized my parents were gone. There was no time to wallow in my emotions right now. We checked the rest of the lower floor in silence then went upstairs to my bedroom. I remembered too late that my room was a mess and that Shiv was going to see it. Hopefully he’d think that whoever took my parents made the mess. There was nothing there, so we made our way to my parents’ bedroom. As soon as we walked in, the stench hit me. It smelled like sweat and feet and rotting eggs all at once. I cringed and looked at Shiv.
“That would be dead demon smell,” he said with a crooked grin. “It can get really nasty, you know.” I didn’t know. It wasn’t as if hanging around demons was what I did for fun. This was all so surreal. I felt as if I was watching myself go through all this. The stench was making me gag and I could only hold my breath for so long. I opened the sliding door, stepped out onto the little balcony and took big gulps of the fresh, demon-free air. The balcony overlooked a green belt that led into a golf course. I had loved hanging out here with a glass of milk and a plate of cookies while my mom got dressed up for one of the many Indian social functions that took place throughout the year. I would watch her drape a sari around her, put on matching glass bangles and stick a little sparkly bindi on her forehead. Now I looked in and saw their room in disarray, the comforter on the floor, a large gash through it. There was a dark stain on the cream-colored rug at the foot of the bed. That was where the demon had been standing when Shiv killed it. I felt anger well up at the thought that someone had just walked in and taken my parents. All because they wanted to get at me. I walked back in, determined to find something to tell me where they might be. Shiv was standing over the stain on the rug.
“I don’t think that’s coming out,” he said, shrugging apologetically.
“Hey, you saved my life, Shiv. I’m sure my parents will get over the rug,” I said, flashing him a smile. It was true. When they were back, they would not care about it. They would gush about how Shiv was such a hero and that he was so handsome, etc. And I would roll my eyes and tell them to stop trying to get me married off. And everything would be normal again.
I sighed, wishing I could turn back time. But that wasn’t going to happen and I had to find something. I started at one end of the room and looked at everything methodically. The picture frames were still in their places on the wall. My mom’s collection of sequined purses hung from their hooks under my baby pictures. I looked at the dresser. Everything was where it should be. I was standing in front of the armoire now, and something clicked in my memory. This was where the demon was standing when I walked in on him. He’d been looking for something in there. I stuck my head in and took a deep whiff. The scent of my mom’s favorite jasmine perfume still lingered, although the demon stench was mingled quite strongly with it. Her jewelry drawer was half open. I pulled it open all the way and scanned the contents. There were velvet boxes of gold jewelry that my mom had collected over the years. Nothing strange here.
Then something caught my eye. There was something stuck in the back of the drawer. Something shiny. I reached in and pulled it out. It was my skull pendant. My mom had bought me a gold chain to hang it on. I’d worn it for a few months and then taken it off one day and forgotten all about it. Until now. I was surprised that she had kept it all these years. But then again, that’s what mom did. She was a hoarder. She never threw anything out, especially if it was something I had worn or liked. I held it in my palm, turning it over, wondering if it meant anything. The sadhu who had given it to me all those years ago had said something about my destiny and how I shouldn’t turn away from it. At the time I’d just thought he was a crazy old man. But now, given the recent turn of events, I wondered if there was some deeper meaning to his words. I was pondering what that might be when I noticed my palm was getting warm. I looked down at the pendant. Was it my imagination or was the skull glowing?
“Shiv, come here,” I called out over my shoulder. He was by my side in an instant. “Look...the pendant.” I held out my hand.
“It’s glowing,” he said, taking my hand. “Is your hand okay?” I nodded. I switched the pendant to my other hand and moved away from the window. Yes, it was definitely glowing, and now this hand felt warmer too.
“What do you think it means?” I whispered.
“I don’t know,” he whispered back. “Why are we whispering?”
I shrugged.
“Where did you get the pendant?” he asked, speaking normally again.
“An old sadhu gave it to me outside the Kali temple in Kolkata when I was seven. Now that I think about it, he was quite weird.”
“Hmmm, well let’s take it back with us,” Shiv said. “My parents w
ill know if it has any special powers. It’s definitely associated with Kali because of the skull, but they’ll know for sure.”
We looked around some more, but after a while I knew there was nothing more I could find here. I went back to my room and packed an overnight bag with some of my clothes. Then I went to my bathroom to get my toiletries. When I was getting my toothbrush I stopped to look at myself in the mirror. I looked as if I’d been attacked by a raccoon. There were scratches on my face and the stingers from the demon had left nasty-looking puncture wounds all over my neck. I decided to jump in the shower and get cleaned up while I was here. The hot steam felt so good and I realized that every part of my body was sore. I stayed until I remembered that Shiv was just outside and dried off and got dressed in a hurry. It felt good to be clean again. I realized I might not be able to come back for some time, and as I went back down I looked at the pictures that lined the walls. I had to hold back tears when I thought of my parents. I could hear Shiv calling for me, probably beginning to panic. I found him in the kitchen about to go out the back door.
“Sorry, I just had to take a shower,” I said, smiling apologetically.
“I was wondering what was taking so long,” he said, his eyes lingering a little on me before he looked away. Before I could analyze why I felt warm inside all of a sudden, he was walking toward the front door. I followed him out, locked the door and got in his car.
“Do you think he’ll hurt them?” I said, looking down at the skull pendant in my hand.
He replied without taking his eyes off the road. “You can’t think like that, Callie. He won’t harm them. We just have to focus on finding them.” He took his right hand off the steering wheel and put it over mine. It was a gentle touch meant to reassure, but it filled me with a warmth that was familiar and new at the same time. Back at his house we showed the pendant to his parents. Dev didn’t seem surprised to see it. We were in the library, and he went to one of the bookshelves and pulled out an old volume wrapped in a dark blue velvet casing. He thumbed through the pages until he found what he was looking for.
“Here it is. It talks about the skull pendant. It says here that it was given to Kali as one of the gifts from the gods who created her. The skull symbolizes her ability to detect evil, to see right through to what a person really is.” He turned to me and his eyes looked almost feverish with eagerness. “May I hold it please, Callie?”
I was still holding it and put it on his open palm. Nothing happened.
“It was glowing before when we were in my parents’ bedroom,” I said, looking at Shiv for confirmation. He nodded.
“Yes, you said it felt warm.” He looked at his dad.
“Do you feel anything?”
“No,” Dev replied. “But it was a gift to Callie. She would be the only one to have a connection to it.” He turned to me.
“Callie, you said that a sadhu outside the Kali temple gave it to you. Hmm, I wonder...”
He didn’t complete his thought, because Nina interrupted him.
“Callie, I know this is all a lot to handle for anyone. You need to rest tonight. Tomorrow things will look better.” She touched my face gently. “I promise that we will not rest until your parents are back with you.” And with that they both left, leaving me behind with Shiv. I felt exhausted, as if all the energy had drained out of me and left behind an empty shell.
“I think I’ll take your parents’ advice and get some rest,” I said.
“Let’s get some food in you first,” Shiv said, cupping my elbow and guiding me gently out of the library. We turned right by the stairs, walked down another hallway and entered the kitchen. It was huge, with oak cabinets, marble countertops, a huge island and the obligatory spice kitchen of Indian households. Shiv deposited me on a stool by the island and went to the refrigerator. He pulled out butter, a jar of tamarind and coriander chutney and a packet of Amul cheese. He gave me a conspiratorial wink and went over to the breadbox on the counter to get a loaf of bread. I couldn’t help smiling. Chutney sandwiches were my favorite. A few slices of salty Amul cheese, a dab of tangy tamarind and coriander chutney and two slices of buttered bread. It was a party in your mouth.
“So...am I good or am I good?” Shiv said, grinning as he expertly cut the sandwiches into triangles and slid one of the plates over to me. He took a big bite out of his, looking very pleased with himself.
“Yes, Shiv,” I said, unable to suppress a smile. “You’re very good. How did you know that these are my favorite?”
“I didn’t,” he replied. “They’re mine.”
I was afraid I would start liking him a little too much for my own good. If good food was a way into a person’s heart, chutney sandwiches were definitely a way into mine. It was funny how comfortable I felt around Shiv, considering we’d just met recently. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but it was as if I’d known him for a long time. I wondered if he felt it too. He caught me looking at him and I felt myself blush. I got up abruptly and took my plate over to the sink. I rinsed it out, dried it and put it back in the cabinet.
“I think I’ll go to sleep now. Thanks for the sandwich.” I started walking out of the kitchen.
Shiv quickly got up, put his plate in the sink too and came after me. “Let me walk you back,” he said. We walked upstairs in silence. When we reached the door to the room I’d be staying in, I hesitated. “Shiv...thank you.”
He was leaning in to open the door for me and despite myself I felt my body respond to his closeness. I closed my eyes for a second. I saw my parents’ faces flash before me and that was enough to bring me back to reality. Nothing else mattered now...not until I found them and they were safe. He kept his gaze locked on mine and I could see in his eyes that he was struggling too. Or at least part of me hoped he was. It all lasted only a millisecond and then he turned around and went down the hallway to a room just a few doors away from mine. I sighed and went in. As soon as I saw the bed in the corner, exhaustion swept over me like a tidal wave. I barely made it across the room before I collapsed and fell into a deep sleep.
I dreamed about my father. He was trying to say something, his mouth moving, forming words, but I couldn’t make out what they were. I tried to get closer to him, but I couldn’t move. My body was frozen in place. I tried to concentrate, to focus on his lips. “Callie...” I could finally hear him, but his voice sounded far away, as if it was coming from a great distance. “We’re alright...cannot hurt us…” Then silence again. Still his lips continued to move. Once again I focused on his lips. “...the sword.” He began to fade away.
In my dream I cried out. “Dad...don’t go!” His image became clearer. I could see him again. He looked gaunt and I could see bruises on his face. But he was alive. “Dad...is Mom...is she…?” Even in my dream I couldn’t say the words. But I didn’t have to. Suddenly my dad’s voice came to me as clear as his face was in front of me.
“Callie, honey...there’s not a lot of time. Your mom and I will be safe. Don’t worry about us. You’ve got to be strong. You have to find the sword. It will destroy him.” His voice strained and I could see the effect on his face too. He was weakening right in front of me.
“But...Dad...” It was too late. He had faded away. There was nothing left but the darkness.
Chapter Five
My eyes flew open. It was still dark, but a thin shaft of moonlight pierced through the gap between the curtains, illuminating the room with an eerie glow. I knew that it had been a dream, but it felt so real. It was as if my dad had been in the room with me. I also knew that wasn’t possible, no matter how much I wanted it to be. I sat up slowly, still aching from the venom in the demon’s stingers. There was no way I was going to be able to get back to sleep. I looked at the clock on the nightstand to my right. It was two o’clock. I looked around and noticed my cell phone on a white desk by the window. Normally it was an extension of me, but I had completely forgotten about it during the bizarre events of the last couple of days. Someone must have taken
it out of my pocket when Shiv brought me here. I checked to see how many missed calls I had. Ben had called. Twenty times. And there were texts, so many of them. I felt a pang of guilt thinking about him. He must be frantic with worry. I texted a quick reply. I knew he’d probably be asleep, but at least he’d get them in the morning.
Sorry, Ben. I’m ok. Family emergency. I’ll text you again soon.
I didn’t know what else to say. I couldn’t exactly tell him what was really going on. He’d think I was insane. I would make it up to him later. A little ping told me there was a reply. Surprised that he was still up, I looked at the message.
I was so worried. Is there anything I can do? Where are you? I went by your house, but nobody was home.
I didn’t want him going to my house. I couldn’t be sure that there wasn’t still someone watching. What if they hurt Ben?
I’m staying with relatives. Things are a bit crazy right now. I’ll call you as soon as I can, I promise.
Hopefully that would be okay for now.
I put the phone back on the table and looked around. I was too wired to sleep so I decided to look around. I wondered whose room this was. As far as I could tell Shiv didn’t have a sister. But this was definitely a girl’s room. There was a bookshelf against the wall near the foot of the bed. I looked at the titles, thinking that maybe some light reading would help me go to sleep. I pulled out a couple of the books. The Temperamental Sage. What the hell? Gods, Goddesses and their Familiars. Whoever this girl was, she had some weird reading interests. I picked a different section of the shelf and pulled out another book. The Kali Conspiracy: An Analysis of the Council of Rakshakari by Rupa Banerjee. That looked promising. It wouldn’t help me go to sleep, but it could shed some light on my current predicament.