Tiger's Voyage

by Colleen Houck

  The staff lengthened and became a trident. She pointed it away and pushed on the end. A long, thin spear shot out of the center tip and buried itself into the stone wall. A replacement spear materialized. She twisted the handle again, and it shrank back to its smaller form. Ren took it from her palm, marveling at the golden weapon.

  “This is called a trishula, or ‘trident.’”

  “Thank you, goddess.” Ren backed away, saying nothing else.

  She studied him thoughtfully for a moment, and then turned to me with a smile. “I would like to speak with my daughter alone now.”

  The men all nodded. “We’ll wait for you in the car, Miss Kelsey. We have plenty of time before we need to head back to the boat.”

  Ren was the last to leave. Briefly, he looked at the goddess and me, before disappearing down the hall with the others. When I turned back to Durga, she was petting Fanindra and cooing at the snake. I let them visit for a minute, wondering what I would say about the silk offering.

  She finally turned her attention back to me and reached out a finger to lift my chin. “Why are you still so sad, dear one? Did I not keep my promise to watch over your tiger?”

  “You did. He’s back and safe, but he doesn’t remember me. He’s blocked me out, and he says we aren’t meant to be together.”

  “What is meant to be is meant to be. All things in this universe are known, and yet mortals must still seek to discover their own purpose,

  their own destiny, and they must make choices that take them on a path of their own choosing. Yes. Your white tiger has made the decision to remove you from his memory.”

  “But why?”

  “Because he loves you.”

  “That doesn’t make any sense.”

  “Things often don’t when you have your nose pressed against them. Take a step back and try to see the whole picture.” She rubbed the silk cloth between her fingers. “Much sacrifice has been made on your behalf. Many maidens come to this shrine seeking my blessing. They wish for a virtuous husband, and they want to have a good life. Is that what you seek also, Kelsey? Do you wish for an honest, noble young man to be your life’s companion?”

  “I … I haven’t really been thinking of marriage, to be honest with you. But yes, I would like my life’s companion to be honest and noble and my friend. I want to love him without regrets.”

  She smiled at me. “To have regret is to be disappointed with yourself and your choices. Those who are wise see their lives like stepping stones across a great river. Everyone misses a stone from time to time. No one can cross the river without getting wet. Success is measured by your arrival on the other side, not on how muddy your shoes are. Regrets are felt by those who do not understand life’s purpose. They become so disillusioned that they stand still in the river and do not take the next leap.”

  I nodded.

  Durga leaned over to stroke my hair. “Do not fear. He will be your friend, your mate in every way. And you will love him more fiercely than you have loved before. You will love him as much as he loves you. You will be happy.”

  “But which brother is it?”

  She smiled and ignored my question. “I will also consider your sister Nilima. A woman of such devotion needs love too, I should think. Take this.” She handed me her lei of lotus flowers. “It has no special power except that the blooms will not fade, but it will serve a purpose on your voyage. I want you to learn the lesson of the lotus. This flower springs forth from muddy waters. It raises its delicate petals to the sun and perfumes the world while, at the same time, its roots cling to the elemental muck, the very essence of the mortal experience. Without that soil, the flower would wither and die.”

  She placed the lei over my neck. “Dig down and grow strong roots, my daughter, for you will stretch forth, break out of the waters, and find peace on the calm surface at last. You will discover that if you hadn’t stretched, you would have drowned in the deep, never to blossom or share your gifts with others.”

  I nodded and wiped a tear from my eye. Durga’s limbs started moving and tightening, taking on a golden hue once again. “It’s time to leave me, precious one. Take Fanindra.”

  The snake flicked her tongue out a few times and then, leaving Durga’s wrist, wound onto my arm. Liquid gold began rising up the sides of the throne, covering the coral and shells.

  “When you get to the City of the Seven Pagodas, seek out the Shore Temple. A woman waits there for you. She will give you guidance on your voyage.”

  “Thank you. For everything.”

  Durga’s coral-red lips smiled again and hardened. Liquid gold swept over her body and face, and she was soon a statue. The piece of silk was still clutched in her hand as if someone had tucked it into her fist.

  “Good-bye.” I turned away from the statue and patted Fanindra’s head. The lights flickered on, and the hall looked as if it had never been disturbed. I inhaled the sweet scent of the lotus flowers as I made my

  way back to the Jeep. The flowers smelled like citrus, grapefruit, maybe. The scent was light and floral and feminine, a little bit like jasmine and gardenia. I was thinking so hard about what Durga had said that when a warm hand took my elbow, it startled me.

  “Are you alright?”

  “I’m fine. You didn’t have to wait for me, Kishan.”

  He kissed my forehead. “Sure, I did. Come on. The others are in the car. Let’s get back to the boat.”

  When we got back to the ship, Ren gave the trident to Kishan before disappearing again.

  11

  Beach Party

  By the time I woke up the next morning, the Deschen was under way again. I met Wes, Kishan, and a reluctant Ren in the media room that afternoon for some shark training. We watched DVDs of sharks in their native environment. Wes didn’t believe in watching shark-attack videos. He felt they only created panic.

  “The less panicked you are, the better chance you have of surviving,” Wes said. “The first thing you should learn about sharks is how to avoid drawing their attention. Sharks like to hang out between sandbars, near steep drop-offs, and anywhere the fishing is good. If you see a lot of birds in an area, that means lunch, and lunch means sharks. Don’t dive during feeding hours—that would be dawn, dusk, and night. But if the grub is good, sharks will eat any time of the day. Don’t wear shiny, flashy clothes. Muted shades are better, like your wet suit. A flash looks like fish scales in the water.”

  Ren raised his head to look at me. “We’ll get you a black swimsuit at the next port.”

  “I believe you were the one who insisted I buy a colorful suit.”

  “I’m glad you won’t be wearing that one anymore anyway. It’s too … enticing.”

  I glared at him across the room. “You don’t get to choose what I do with my life anymore, remember? And if I want to entice someone, I will.”

  Ren replied in a dangerous tone. “Fine. Entice every shark in the ocean then. Is that what you’re trying to accomplish?”

  “You’d probably like that. It sure would be a lot easier on you if some giant shark made off with me. That would solve all your problems now, wouldn’t it?”

  Kishan interrupted after shoving Ren on the arm. “Nobody wants you to get eaten by a giant shark, Kells. Not even Ren.”

  Ren and I were staring angrily at each other across the room when Wes howled with laughter. “Whew! You two are blowin’ hotter air than a tornado circlin’ a volcano in Hades. It’s likely ta melt all the bolts holdin’ this boat together.”

  “Sorry, Wes, but he started it,” I said huffily.

  “And I’ll be more than happy to finish it.”

  “I’d like to see you try, you hardheaded—”

  Ren smiled coldly and countered, “Unbending.”

  “Mulish!”

  “Unreasonable!”

  “Bullheaded, pigheaded, tigerheaded—”

  “Tigerheaded?” Wes asked in puzzlement.

  Kishan just shrugged his shoulders.

  I went
on, now that I was on a roll. “Cold-blooded, insensitive, inflexible … heartless man!”

  Ren yelled, “Fine! Wear what you want. Swim naked for all I care! Any shark that eats you will probably get a stomachache anyway and spit you right back out.”

  “Ha! You’d have a lot in common then, wouldn’t you?”

  Wes threw his hands in the air. “Alrighty, then. Let’s take a break and simmer down. Nilima left us some fruity drinks at the bar so why don’t you two go get one, work this thing out, and be back in five?”

  I stormed off to the juice bar with Ren trailing silently behind me. When I reached the tray, I seriously thought about throwing the tall glass of juice into Ren’s face. I took a few deep breaths, all the while feeling him staring at my back. The warmth of him seeped into my skin, prickling my nerves. He reached around me, deliberately brushing my arm when he picked up his drink.

  “Why do you have to make everything so hard, Kelsey?”

  “Why do you?”

  “Believe it or not, I’m trying to make things easier.”

  “Why are you here anyway? I thought you were avoiding me.”

  “I am. But I need to learn about sharks.”

  I sipped my juice and then said, “Doesn’t a predator already know all about other predators and how they think? Maybe if I pay extra special attention, I’ll finally figure you out.”

  “I’m easy to figure out. A tiger only needs three things to be comfortable. Lots of food, sleep, and … actually, no, it’s just those two things.”

  I snorted. “Somehow I don’t think Kishan would limit himself to only those two.”

  “I’m sure he wouldn’t,” Ren responded tightly. “He’d probably add you to his list.”

  “Now why would he need me? An unreasonable, unattractive female?”

  “I never said you were unattractive. I said I’d look for someone prettier. I didn’t say I’d find someone prettier, just that I’d look.”

  “Well, what’s keeping you, then? Go look already and leave me alone.”

  “That’s my plan. Now stop goading me in class so I can learn something.”

  I fumed as he walked off. When I entered the room, Ren was sipping his juice as calmly as if we’d never fought. Kishan waved me over to sit next to him. I was still extremely angry and had a hard time paying attention. I handed Kishan a glass of juice while I stared at Wes, who had already begun teaching, but all my thoughts were focused on Ren, picking apart every little thing he said. Finally, something Wes said brought me back to him.

  “Sharks can smell blood a mile away, so don’t enter the water if you have a cut. Don’t splash around a lot. If you’re diving and a shark approaches, descend to the ocean floor and hide. It limits the angles it can get at you. And don’t play dead; it doesn’t work on sharks. Really, it doesn’t work on any major predator. They’ll eat you anyway—bears, wolves, tigers. They don’t really discriminate.”

  “Exactly,” I mumbled. “They’ll chew up and spit out any helpless girl who comes along.”

  Puzzled, Wes looked at me. “Right.”

  Ren ignored me, and Kishan sighed.

  Wes continued. “Okay, now suppose you are attacked by a shark. Poke him in his gills or his eyes. Hit him. Aggressively. Use whatever weapon you have at your disposal and beat him like a granny beats her rug. Try to remain vertical because it’s harder for him to get a bite. If you are bitten, stop the bleeding even if you’re underwater. Don’t wait until you get ashore.”

  He handed us a small gadget and said, “This is called a shark shield. It’s a device that’s starting to become commonplace among divers and surfers.”

  “What does it do?” I asked.

  “Sharks have gel-filled sacs on their snouts that they use as sensors when they’re looking for a snack. The shield sends out an electric wave that tickles their noses. They don’t like it too much and leave. Attach one part to your ankle and the other part to the front of your BCD. There’s some debate on its effectiveness, but I’ve worn them, and I’ve never been attacked.”

  “Okay. What else?”

  “That’s about all you can do. If the shark is smaller you might get away, but you have about as much chance of escaping a big shark as you would a T. rex. They’re fast and powerful. Most of the time, the reason divers and surfers get away is because they don’t taste good. Humans are too bony. Sharks much prefer fat, blubbery seals.

  “You see, the way sharks hunt is to come at you fast and hard and hit before you even know they’re there. They circle under you, gather speed, and shoot up like a torpedo, disabling you in one hit, mostly by slamming into you with such force it breaks bones. The great whites can swim around thirty miles per hour in short bursts, but they generally don’t attack humans like that. That’s a real attack—the way they hunt seals.

  “Most of the time when a shark attacks humans, they’re just looking for a taste. If you taste good, they make more of an effort. Sometimes they leave you alone. They’re curious. Their teeth are like a cat’s whiskers. It’s how they experience their world.

  “One surfer told me he was sitting on his board resting when a seventeen-foot great white popped up out of the water and started nibbling on his board as gently as a mouse. It didn’t like the taste and dropped under the water again like a submarine.”

  When our lesson was over, Wes invited me to go spear fishing with him and the guys that afternoon, but I declined. He promised to catch some fresh seafood for me. I nodded weakly because I didn’t have the heart to tell him that I couldn’t eat meat if I was thinking about how it was killed.

  Instead, I met Mr. Kadam that afternoon, and we did a little underwater shooting of our own. He wanted me to try out my lightning power in water. We started in the wet garage at the open ramp where Ren and Kishan had set up a group of floating buoys. The buoys were weighted enough to rest just below the surface of the water. I aimed at the closest one and missed. When I tried again, it exploded like an underwater mine.

  “Good, Miss Kelsey,” Mr. Kadam said. “You should practice your aim above water as well as below. With the refraction of the water, your aim will be different than it is on land.”

  After I’d finished blowing up the buoys, Mr. Kadam took me to the pool where there were several more underwater targets. Just as I was about to slip into the water, he stopped me.

  “We’re going to try this with a dummy first. If we’re successful here, we’ll move to salt water later. Now don’t fire full blast. We’re going to try this in increments. Let the power build gradually.”

  “Isn’t this going to electrocute me or blow up the pool?” I questioned dubiously. “Like dropping a hair dryer into the bathtub?”

  “I don’t believe so. First of all, I don’t think your power is electric. I have a theory that it’s heat—a fire that burns so hot it turns white. Even if I’m wrong and it is electric, water in its perfect form is not really a conductor. The impurities in water such as dust, salt, and other trace elements are what conduct the electricity.

  “I had all the water removed from this pool while we were dockside. The tiles have been scrubbed and cleaned, and I’ve had it filled with low-conductivity water. It was expensive, but I think it will be worth it. Now let’s get started. Would you like to name our test dummy?”

  I grinned evilly. “Sure. Let’s call him Al, shall we?”

  Mr. Kadam nodded, took “Al” by the waist, and put him into the water. We both stood to the side of the pool as I aimed at the first target with the lowest level of power. Nothing much happened. I increased the power level until I burned a hole through the piece of weighted wood. Al floated on the surface undamaged and oblivious.

  “Good. Now turn up your power until the stream turns white, but try not to burn a hole through the pool. Our rooms are directly under it.”

  I focused very carefully and started out low, letting the power flow through me until it turned white. The water started boiling where the stream of light entered, and the wood t
urned black. I stopped just before it formed a hole. Our dummy was still floating happily on the boiling water.

  Mr. Kadam and I moved to another target for further practice. After he was satisfied with the inanimate tests, he picked up a cage and took out a small white duck. Letting it go on the pool’s surface, he asked me to try to hit the target wood again. I apologized briefly to the duck and used my power on the next target. The duck kept away from the area but swam around the pool without discomfort. After a few more trials, Mr. Kadam decided that it was time to test it with a human. He jumped into the pool.

  “No. I don’t want to risk you. I’ll do it myself.”

  “I’m already in the pool, Miss Kelsey. I will not get out either, and it’s not smart to risk both of us. You’re much more crucial to this quest than I am.”

  “That’s highly debatable.”

  “Even so. Here I am. If Daffy’s alright, I’ll be fine too.”

  “Daffy?”

  “Yes. Daffy Duck. I’m rather fond of Looney Tunes.”

  “I absolutely did not know that about you, Mr. Kadam! I would have never guessed. My father loved Coyote and Roadrunner. Okay, well, here’s to hoping it’s wabbit season and not duck season.”

  I used my lowest level and built the power burst up again. Mr. Kadam reported that he was fine and even moved closer to the target.

  “Interesting. The water is warmer here. I believe it’s time for you to join me, Miss Kelsey. Let’s practice some underwater aiming.”

  I hopped in with a mask and snorkel and tried again, this time with my hand underwater. I watched Daffy’s feet paddle as I tucked my head underwater and focused on the task. Mr. Kadam gave me the thumbs-up sign every time I blasted each target. We spent the rest of the afternoon practicing under the pool water and then moved to the ocean to test it out in salt water. We went through the same careful process on the ocean as we did in the pool, first testing with Al, then with Daffy, then Mr. Kadam, and me last.