Wrapping the filmy fabric around my shoulders, he pulled the shawl and gently tugged me closer. He reached out, captured a curl, and wrapped the hair around his finger.
‘This life is so different from what I know. So many things have changed.’ He let go of the shawl, but he kept hold of the curl. ‘But some things are much, much better.’ He let go of the curl, trailing a fin-ger down my cheek, and gave me a little nudge back toward my room.
‘Goodnight, Kelsey. We have a busy day tomorrow.’
11
The Cave of Kanheri
The next morning, I woke to find the Mujulaain Empire Seal on the dresser. The beautiful, creamy stone had golden orange striations and hung from a soft ribbon. I picked up the heavy object to examine it more closely and immediately noticed the carved words that Ren had said meant ‘wisdom, vigilance, bravery, and compassion.’ A lotus flower bloomed on the bottom of the Seal. The detailing in the intricate design demon-strated highly sophisticated workmanship. It was lovely.
If he was as true to these words as Ren says he was, Ren’s father must have been a good king.
For a minute, I let myself imagine an older version of Ren as king. I could easily envision him leading others. There was something about him that made me want to trust and follow him. I grinned wryly. Women would follow him over a cliff.
Mr. Kadam had served his prince for more than three hundred years. The idea that Ren could inspire a lifetime of loyalty was extraordi-nary. I set aside my speculations and looked at the centuries-old Seal again with awe.
I opened the bag Mr. Kadam had left and found it contained cameras, both digital and disposable, matches, a few handheld digging tools, flashlights, a pocketknife, glow sticks, paper with rubbing charcoal, food, water, maps, and a few other things. Several of the items were placed in waterproof plastic bags. I tested out the weight of the pack and found it surprisingly manageable.
I opened the closet, fingered my pretty dress again, and sighed. Slipping on some jeans and a T-shirt, I laced up my new hiking boots, and grabbed my sneakers.
Downstairs, I found Mr. Kadam slicing mango for breakfast.
‘Good morning, Miss Kelsey,’ he said and gestured to my neck. ‘I see you found the Seal.’
‘I did. It’s very pretty, but a little bit heavy.’ I scooped some mango slices onto my plate and poured some homemade hot cocoa into a mug. ‘You’ve taken care of it all these years?’
‘Yes. It’s very precious to me. The Seal was actually made in China, not India. It was a gift given to Ren’s grandfather. Seals that old are quite rare. It’s made of Shoushan stone, which contrary to popular belief, is not a type of jade. The Chinese believed that Shoushans were brightly colored Phoenix eggs, found high in mountain nests. Men who risked their lives to locate and capture them received honor, glory, and wealth.
‘Only the very richest of men had items carved from this type of stone. To receive one as a gift was a great honor for Ren’s grandfather. It’s a priceless heirloom. The good news for you, though, is that it’s also considered good luck to own or wear something made from this type of stone. Perhaps it will help you on your journey in more ways than one.’
‘It sounds like Ren’s family was very special.’
‘Indeed they were, Miss Kelsey.’
We’d just sat down to a breakfast of yogurt and mango when Ren stalked into the room and put his head down on my lap.
I scratched his ears. ‘Nice of you to join us. I guess you’re anxious to get moving today, huh? You must be excited that you’re this close to break-ing the curse.’
He kept watching me intently as if impatient to leave, but I didn’t want to rush. I pacified him by feeding him pieces of mango. Content for the moment, he sat down and enjoyed his treat, licking the juice from my fingers.
I laughed. ‘Stop it! That tickles!’ He ignored me, moved up my arm, and licked me almost all the way up to my sleeve. ‘Ew, gross, Ren! Alright. Alright. Let’s go.’
I washed my arm off, took one last look at the view, and made my way out to the garage. Mr. Kadam was already outside with Ren. He took my bag from me, put it on the passenger seat, and then held open my door as I hopped into the Jeep.
‘Be careful, Miss Kelsey,’ Mr. Kadam warned. ‘Ren will watch out for you, but there are many dangers ahead. Some we’ve planned for, but I’m sure you’ll face many that I am unaware of. Use caution.’
‘I will. Hopefully, we’ll be back very soon.’
I rolled up the window and backed out of the garage. My GPS began beeping at me, telling me where to go. Once again, I felt a deep appreciation for Mr. Kadam. Ren and I would be truly lost with-out him.
The drive was uneventful. The traffic was very light for the first hour. It gradually began to pick up the closer we got to Mumbai, but by then I had almost gotten used to driving on the other side of the road. We drove for about four hours before I pulled to a stop at the end of a dirt road that bordered the park.
‘This is where we’re supposed to go in. According to the map, it’ll take us two and a half hours to walk to the Cave of Kanheri.’ I checked my watch and continued, ‘That gives us about two hours to kill since we can’t go in until nightfall when the tourists have gone.’
Ren leapt out of the car and followed me into the park to a shady spot. Ren lay down on the grass, and I sat down next to him. At first, I used his body as a backrest and then gradually relaxed against him, using his back as a pillow.
Staring up into the trees, I started talking. I told Ren about visits with my grandma, grow-ing up with my parents, and the vacations we used to go on as a family.
‘Mom was a nurse in a geriatric facility at first, but then she decided to stay home and raise me,’ I explained, thinking back with fond memories. ‘She made the best chocolate-chocolate chip and peanut butter cookies. Mom believed that showing your love meant making homemade cookies, which is probably why I was chubby as a kid.
‘Dad was your average backyard-grilling-kind of dad. He was a math teacher, and I guess some of that rubbed off on me because I like math, too. We all loved reading, and we had a cozy home library. Dr. Seuss books were my favorite. Even now I can almost sense my parents near me when I pick up a book.
‘When we traveled, my parents liked to stay at bed-and-breakfasts, where I’d get a room all to myself. We toured practically the whole state and saw apple farms and old mines, Bavarian-themed towns that served German pancakes for breakfast, the ocean, and the mountains. I think you’d easily fall in love with Oregon. I haven’t traveled all over the world like you have, but I can’t imagine a place more beautiful than my home state.’
Later, I talked about school and my dreams to go to a university, though I couldn’t afford more than a community college. I even spoke of my parents’ car accident, about how alone I felt when it happened, and what it was like living with a foster family.
Ren’s tail flicked back and forth, so I knew he was awake and listen-ing, which surprised me because I figured he’d just go to sleep, bored with my chatter. Eventually, I trailed off, getting sleepy myself, and drowsed in the heat until I felt Ren stir and sit up.
I stretched. ‘Time to go already, huh? Okay, lead the way.’
We trekked through the park for a couple of hours. It had a much more open feel than the Yawal Wildlife Preserve. The trees were spaced farther apart. Beautiful purple flowers covered the hills. But, when we got closer, I noticed that they were diminishing in the heat. I guessed that they sprung up briefly during the monsoon rains and would soon be gone.