Realm of the Goddess

by Sabina Khan

  “The time for what?” I was confused. Her grandmother couldn’t possibly have known about me.

  “I don’t know that either. I’m sorry I can’t be of more help. But I know that you should have it, that’s all.”

  I turned the dagger over in my hands and decided I needed to go and find Shiv, but there was something I had to do before that.

  “Aruna, I want to ask you something. I know you don’t want anyone to know about your secret. But in order to use this map and dagger, I need help from Shiv. He’ll want to know where I got it.” I felt like a really bad person asking this of her, but she was already nodding her approval. I enveloped her in a big hug. She was smiling when I let go.

  “I trust Shiv,” she said. “I’ve known him for many years and he will keep my secret.”

  I was relieved.

  I headed back to my room with the dagger and map tucked safely away in the waistband of my yoga pants, covered by the loose cotton tunic I had worn for today’s practice. Once there I put both on a desk by the window and went to shower and change before dinner. I got dressed and went to the dresser to pick up my skull pendant, which I had taken off that morning. Then I plucked the map off the table and was about to go back down, hoping to catch Shiv before his uncle joined us. Just as I opened the door to the bedroom, I felt a cool tingling in my throat. I put my fingers on the spot, looking down, only to realize that my pendant was glowing with a blue light.

  That’s weird.

  I undid the clasp and pulled off the pendant. It was still glowing. I put it down on the table next to the map. It began to glow even brighter, the blue light so blinding that I had to avert my eyes. I picked it up gingerly. My fingers tingled where the pendant touched them, but it wasn’t painful, just cold. The light seemed to dim. I put it back down and immediately the light brightened again. I did this a few times, feeling a little foolish. Each time I put the pendant down the light grew stronger, but it faded when I picked it up.

  I put it back down again for the fourth time. It began to emit a buzzing kind of noise and I realized that I had put it directly on top of the map. An excited thought occurred to me. What if the pendant was reacting to the map? It wasn’t that inconceivable. After all, Aruna had said that the map was handed down in her mother’s family for generations. What if there was some ancient connection between it and the pendant? I picked it up off the map then put it back on top. There was definitely something going on here. I left it there this time as the buzzing grew louder and the blue light seemed to get stronger. As I stared at it sitting on the map, I suddenly noticed that some lines on the map were brighter than others. I peered closer at it and gasped. The lines that were highlighted formed a route, and it was directly on the island. I shot up, adrenaline pumping as realization dawned. The pendant was marking a route on the map to what I could only assume was the location of Kali’s sword.

  I put the pendant away carefully in my overnight bag, picked up the map and went off to find Shiv. He was in the garden by the koi pond with Dobby. Clearly this was a popular spot. Dobby got up and came running over. Shiv turned his gaze to follow and smiled when he saw me. I realized I had barely seen him in the last few days, what with my training and then my Bollywood escapade with Aruna. I was brimming with impatience and the words stumbled over each other as I recounted what I had learned about Aruna, the map and the pendant. If he was as excited as I was, he did a much better job at containing his enthusiasm.

  “So...Aruna is a priestess,” he said after I stopped for a much-needed breath. A pang of annoyance briefly stabbed through my happy glow, but then it disappeared. Nothing could bring me down right now. This was the first time I felt that I was doing the right thing, that I wasn’t crazy for putting my trust in these people or this whole notion, for that matter. It had given me hope that I could find the sword.

  “Yes, Shiv, she is. But she made me swear that I wouldn’t tell anyone but you.” I glared at him. “You better not tell anyone...not even your uncle.”

  He smiled at my failed attempt to be stern. “I won’t. I would never betray Aruna’s trust.”

  “She told me you’ve known each other for years.” I hoped I sounded casual because the last thing I needed was for him to think that I was jealous.

  Shiv nodded. “She’s been coming here since she was a little kid. Her grandmother worked for my uncle before she died, and she would bring Aruna with her.”

  I wondered if he felt bad that she’d never told him about being a priestess or about her mother.

  “We would play together whenever I visited my uncle. I had no idea that she was hiding such an awful secret.” His voice trailed off and he was lost in his thoughts. I knew I would be pretty shocked too if I found out that Ben had been hiding something like this from me. Ben. The thought of him made my heart ache. I could physically feel the pain as I allowed his face to swim into my mind. I had purposely shut out any memories of him, because to indulge in the guilt I felt over what had happened because of me would serve no purpose other than to make me weak. And that was one thing I could not permit. Shiv stood up, thankfully preventing any further melancholy from taking over.

  “So let’s go and take a look at the map,” he said. “Maybe I can figure out something about the route.”

  We decided it would be best to wait until after lunch, when Uncle Suresh was gone. For some reason I was reluctant to share this with him. I expected Shiv to argue, but to my surprise he agreed and we went in to eat.

  “Callie, Shiv...there you are.” Uncle Suresh was already seated and seemed very pleased to see us. “I have good news.” He paused for dramatic effect. The look on my face must have given me away as usual because he smiled affectionately before continuing.

  “We have all the tickets and necessary permits ready for both of you to go to North Sentinel Island.” He turned to me, put an arm on my shoulder and looked me straight in the eye.

  “I hope you’re ready, Callie. You have a great challenge ahead of you.”

  Great. No pressure at all.

  Chapter Fourteen

  The next morning I woke with a sense of anticipation I hadn’t felt for quite some time. We were all packed and ready to go to the airport after lunch. We would fly to the Andaman Islands, only two hours away. We would spend the night there before traveling by boat to the shores of North Sentinel Island. My excitement grew as the morning wore on. Finally, I was doing something that would bring me closer to my goal. A month ago I would never have believed this about myself, but I was ready for battle. It was strange, but all the training, practicing and everything I’d seen in the last few weeks had changed me in a way I had not imagined possible. Shiv looked the way I felt. His eyes were bright, his movements precise and I remembered the day he had saved me from the demon in my parents’ bedroom. I was so relieved that he was coming with me because even though I felt ready to go on this quest, I did not want to face any demons by myself. The last two times had not gone well for me, and this time I didn’t want any surprises.

  When we arrived at the airport Aruna enveloped me in a tight hug. “Take care,” she whispered. “Don’t be afraid. The Goddess is with you.”

  If she was, I wasn’t aware of it. I still thought of myself as just me. Regular old Callie, nothing more. But I was different. I had been chosen, for some reason that was beyond my understanding. I still didn’t feel any special powers, nothing that made me goddess-like. But I knew that I believed in it more now than I did before. I felt stronger and surer of myself than I ever had before in my life. The memories of the nightmares I’d had for so long were undeniable proof that I was meant for something bigger than the life I’d been leading up to now. And I was fine with that. I would do what I had to.

  After Shiv and I said our goodbyes, we went to get something to eat while we waited to board. We were sipping our coffee when I noticed Shiv watching me closely.

  “Is something wrong?” I asked, my hand flying to my hair, wondering if I’d forgotten to brush it
this morning in my rush to get going. It would be just like him to neglect telling me that it was sticking out in all directions.

  He smiled disarmingly. “No, don’t worry, your hair is fine.”

  “Then why are you staring at me?”

  “I was just remembering...when we first met...”

  “You mean like a month ago?” I said sarcastically.

  “I know...it’s only been a month. But I’m just saying...look at you now, all ready for war.”

  He was making fun of me. Of course.

  “Well...I know I’m ready to hurt you if you don’t shut up,” I said, only half joking.

  He put up his hands in mock defense. “Seriously though, Callie...look, I know I’m not good at talking about stuff like this...”

  “Stuff like what?” I asked impatiently.

  “Just that...I’m really impressed. I mean, not many people could handle something like this. And you’re doing a pretty awesome job of it.” He played with the wrapper from his breakfast sandwich, not really looking at me. I was glad for that, because I could feel a blush slowly creeping into my cheeks, and the last thing I wanted was for him to know how much his praise affected me.

  “Hey...I know I’m awesome. I’m just glad you figured it out too,” I said flippantly. One of the skills I’d always been proud of was the ability to hide behind humor and sarcasm whenever I was nervous or shy. It had always worked before and I knew it did this time too, because Shiv grinned. He was saved from having to say more on the subject because boarding was announced.

  The next couple of hours passed uneventfully as our little plane made its way to the Andaman Islands airport. The islands had once been used by the government of nineteenth-century British India as a prison for political dissidents. Now it was a must-see tourist destination for honeymooners and just about anyone who wanted a few days in paradise. I gazed out the window as we descended and couldn’t believe that such a place existed. A lot of it was covered by dense forest surrounded by blue water. As we landed I got a view of the airport. We had landed in Port Blair, which had only one runway, a little tidbit the pilot shared as he informed us that there would be a wait until we could disembark.

  When it was finally time to get off, I could smell the ocean, even as the humidity in the air transformed me into a troll doll. I could feel my hair getting frizzy as we walked to the terminal, and Shiv’s look of amusement did nothing to improve my mood. I decided that after all this was over I would shave my head and start a new trend. I would be a bald goddess. It would save a lot of time in my daily grooming ritual.

  We went through customs, where, thanks to special permits obtained by Shiv’s uncle, I was not arrested for carrying a dagger. I had carefully wrapped it in a sheet of cotton and tucked it into my backpack. We didn’t have any suitcases with us, for obvious reasons, so everything we might need was stuffed into our backpacks. Apparently the permit had mentioned something about research being conducted by two university students from the U.S., and Uncle Suresh knew an important government official who had facilitated all this. I was sure that by “facilitated,” he had really meant bribed. It was a fact of life in this part of the world.

  Once out of the airport we were met by a driver who took us to the hotel where we would be spending the night before embarking on the rest of our journey. I was glad because I needed time to strengthen my resolve and also because Shiv and I had to pore over Aruna’s map to make sure we hadn’t missed anything vital. Once we reached the island we would hit the ground running, since everything we had learned indicated the islanders would not be thrilled to see us. We were going to be sitting ducks, but there was no other choice. At least we wanted to be prepared. My bravado from earlier that day had abated, leaving me with a sense of impending doom. I couldn’t shake the feeling, even after Shiv ordered us some dinner. No amount of seafood was going to make me feel more prepared for what was to come. However, the plate of spicy crab legs that showed up deserved to be appreciated, so I decided to drown my sorrows in it.

  After dinner, Shiv and I decided to take a walk. It was as if we both knew this might be the last time we could do something as normal as taking a stroll by the water. We walked along Marine Drive, the spectacular scenery doing away with the need for conversation. A thought struck me as we stopped for a moment to admire the twinkling lights of the city from our vantage point. The only other person I felt this comfortable with was Ben. With Shiv, I was content just being there without having to say anything.

  We stood in silence for a while before Shiv turned to me. In the lamplight, his eyes shone with something I couldn’t define, and despite myself a delicious shiver ran up my arms. My mouth felt dry and my palms were getting clammy. I looked up at him and opened my mouth to speak just as he lowered his to mine. As our lips met in a warm, gentle kiss, I could feel my racing heart beat even faster. Of their own volition, my hands traveled up his arms and my fingers locked behind his neck as I stood up on my toes to get even closer to him. His hand pressed against the small of my back as our kiss deepened, sending little shock waves of pleasure all through my body. I quieted the small voice in my head that tried to remind me of where I was and what I should be doing. This felt right...Shiv and I...together like this. I knew I might regret this moment as soon as it was over, but I was powerless against the emotions that coursed through me. I had assumed from the very beginning that the attraction I felt toward Shiv was mostly physical. After all, I didn’t know him well enough to feel the kind of inexplicable, everlasting love that I read about in books. Also, to my mother’s great disappointment I’d never really bought into that whole love-at-first-sight romantic nonsense. So logically, it made no sense that I should feel anything deeper for Shiv than just physical attraction born from the fact that we were venturing into the great unknown tomorrow.

  But my mind was feeling anything but logical at the moment as Shiv broke off the kiss and brushed hair away from my face. Then he just looked into my eyes and I felt myself melting, for lack of a less nauseating word. Warmth flowed through me, making my fingertips tingle. I had to do something.

  “Shiv...” I began, with no clue what I was going to say. But luckily he beat me to it.

  “Callie, I’m sorry...I don’t know what came over me. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”

  Clearly he had no clue what I was feeling. “Uncomfortable” was not the word I would choose.

  “I...you don’t have to be sorry...” I really didn’t know how to finish that sentence.

  “I don’t mean I’m sorry that I kissed you,” he said hurriedly.

  I swallowed the big lump that was suddenly in my throat.

  “Me neither,” I said softly. He reached down for my hand and pulled me closer. Then he turned me so we were both facing the water and said nothing more. We just stood there, our bodies close, watching the boats go by. It felt right. After some time, we pulled away in a mutual unspoken agreement and headed back toward the hotel. The entire time Shiv never let go of my hand.

  Chapter Fifteen

  That night my father came to me in my dream once again. What I saw shook me to my very core. His face was gaunt with scars in different stages of healing.

  “Callie...” he whispered hoarsely. “You must hurry...he’s getting impatient.”

  “Daddy,” I cried in my sleep. “Where are you? Where is he keeping you?”

  “I don’t know...Callie...Mom is...” And with that he was gone, leaving me gasping for breath as I broke out of my dream and sat up in a panic. Something had happened to my mom...something bad. I was sure of that. I looked at the clock on the nightstand. It was 4:45, almost morning. There was no way I could go back to sleep. I fought the urge to go to Shiv’s room and wake him up, busying myself instead with repacking my backpack.

  I went out to the adjoining balcony to get some fresh air. The sun was just rising, casting an orange glow over everything. From here I could see the ocean and it brought back vivid memories of another time...a h
appier one when my parents and I had come to the Andaman Islands for a vacation. I must have been five or six, but I still remembered the thrill of standing under an icy waterfall as the water hit me and the drops fractured into a thousand little beams of light in the bright sun. Now I looked at the ocean and all I felt was dread. It filled the pit of my stomach, leaving a bitter taste in my mouth.

  I went downstairs in search of some food. The lobby was already abuzz with employees and tourists as I walked toward the restaurant. I sat down, ordering some coffee and toast with jam. I had no appetite, but I also didn’t want to feel sick all day, especially since we were going to be on a boat for a few hours. My breakfast came fairly quickly, by which time it was getting brighter outside and the restaurant was beginning to fill up. I was sipping my coffee while debating whether I should check on Shiv. I got up, grabbing the cloth napkin that lay folded like a pretty fan beside my plate. As I brought it to my mouth, something white fluttered to the ground. I bent down to pick it up. It was a note. On it in small neat, handwriting were the words: Do not trust them. They are not who they seem.

  I stared at the note for a second then quickly looked up and around to see if anyone was watching me. There were people just walking in and others in the middle of their breakfast. No one had come near my table except the waitress who had brought my food. I scanned the room trying to locate her, but she wasn’t there. I sat back down, thinking that she would probably reappear in a moment with somebody’s order. For a second I thought that this could be Shiv’s idea of a joke. I contemplated that possibility for a bit longer as I waited for the waitress to show up again. I decided to go find the restaurant manager. I asked a passing staff member and was told that he would be there shortly. A few minutes later he approached my table.

  “How can I help you, madam?” he said.