She sighed and asked what else she needed to know about this temple visit. I quickly ran through everything I could remember. We touched our hands to the temple wall again but this time it was too brief. The print appeared just as we heard footsteps on the stairs. Waving a hand, Ana phased us out of time so we wouldn’t be seen. As usual, our tracks on the dusty floor had melted away. My old self and Kelsey entered, holding hands. I heard the words, “I’ll follow your lead,” and then they knelt at the feet of the statue, placing various offerings.
Kelsey touched her finger to the anklet Ren had given her and I heard the tinkling of bells. They reminded me of Ana now. “Great goddess Durga,” Kelsey said. “We come seeking your help once again. I ask…”
The words faded away as I looked at Ana’s face. She took in Kelsey’s words like the plea they were. They touched her in a way I couldn’t feel. I realized then that she heard the prayers of others in a similar manner. She felt them. Ana responded in an emotional way entirely different than me. Will you hear my prayer, Goddess? I thought.
Almost as if I willed it, Ana turned to face me. A thousand words floated in the space between us but neither of us said anything. I took one step toward her, then another. Wanting, no, needing to bridge the distance.
When my old self began speaking, she stepped away from me and looked directly at him. Though she no longer looked at me, I felt the thick cords of connection between us tighten. “I…don’t deserve a blessing,” I’d said. “What happened is my fault, but I ask you to help my brother. Keep him safe...for her.
While I watched, Ana touched her ghostly hand to the chest of my old self. My own heart beat rapidly as a feeling of warmth and love stole through me. I remembered feeling it then as well, though, at the time, I’d attributed it to the love I was bearing for Kelsey. The old me transformed into the black tiger, and he chuffed softly and, when she stepped back, whined slightly as if he could feel her leaving him.
“This is the scary part,” I heard Kelsey say as she grabbed on to the black tiger. Ana lifted her hands and a cold maelstrom gusted through the open windows of the temple. The entire area transformed into something beautiful. The storm didn’t affect me at all, and I strode over to her, feeling the need to touch her, to place my hand over her heart as she had mine, but she disappeared, merging her form into that of the statue on the other side of the wall.
The temple glistened like Ana’s skin, and I saw the glow of her handprint where we’d touched the wall a moment before. Kelsey moved her hand to the same spot and I watched the wall rotate. Only then did my vision blur as I was sucked into the stone carving beside Anamika.
I heard Ana’s voice echo in the temple, “Greetings, young one. Your offerings have been accepted.” All the random things placed at her feet vanished.
When we’d fully turned, wind blew away the dust that covered us and I shook myself. I was the orange tiger once again. Glancing down at my paw, I wrinkled my nose and sneezed, then sat at Ana’s feet. The goddess was beautiful. As lovely as a pink blossom. I wanted to bury my face in her lustrous hair and inhale. The hand highest over her head fussed with her golden cap.
My mind returned to the passionate kiss we’d shared that morning. The idea of being with her in such a way no longer startled me as it did at first. Maybe the truth stone had not only shown me my future but had actually placed the woman herself in my arms. If a love such as that was what awaited me, I was a lucky man indeed.
As I pondered the possibilities, I wondered if Ana would stroke my back again or play with my ears and if that might lead to other things later. A man, or tiger, could hope. Then again, she hadn’t exactly responded the same way since then. Whatever was going on with her, with us, was confusing, and no matter what I did, I seemed to handle it all wrong.
Ana spoke to Kelsey about the fruit and then inquired where Ren was and also questioned her about the tiger at her side. I frowned, wondering why she’d ask such a question. Before I could form a thought, the black tiger facing me changed into my human form and approached the goddess. “Dear lady,” my old self said, “I am also a tiger.”
The goddess laughed as he smiled.
Why are you so amused? I asked with irritation.
His, I mean, your thoughts are open to me in a way I’ve never experienced with you. He’s…relaxed. I can see to the very depths of him. He hides nothing. It’s very different from how you are now. I find I enjoy it.
He doesn’t know any better, I groused.
Unlike you, he seems to be very happy to see me.
I’m happy to see you, I countered.
Yes, but he likes me.
What warm-blooded man wouldn’t?
She flinched. It was the wrong thing to say. Why did I always put my foot in my mouth around Ana? I thought about it further as she stroked Fanindra.
Ana said to Kelsey, “I sense you are sad and troubled, daughter. Tell me what causes you pain.”
I glanced at Kelsey. Her eyes were red. She hadn’t been sleeping, I remembered. That she worried over Ren constantly was obvious.
Kells explained about Ren, and I could feel Ana’s swell of sympathy as Kelsey said, “But without him, finding the objects would hold no meaning for me.”
Ana paused a long moment and I wondered what was going through her mind. Finally, she leaned forward and caught one of Kelsey’s tears. She used her power to transform it into a diamond and gave it to my old self. Then she spouted some of Kadam’s rhetoric about saving India, how vital the quest was, etc., etc. She promised to protect Ren and then she froze.
What’s wrong, Ana?
I don’t…I don’t know. Someone else is here.
Who?
I’m not certain, but I can’t move.
Time stopped and Kelsey and my old self became as still as statues. The air swirled near us and then Kadam appeared. “Hello,” he said. “Is everything going well?”
I would have answered but found I couldn’t.
“Ah, yes. Sorry about that. I came to help. Can’t have you in more than one place. You needed a third person for this one.” He had the scarf with him and he used it to transform himself into the Divine Weaver. “There,” he said. “I believe I am ready. If you will fashion me a loom and a stool?” he asked. When Ana did, he took a seat, picked up the shuttle, and said, “Please continue, my dear.”
Time sped up again and Ana said, “Oh…I see. Yes…the path you take now will help you save your tiger.” She stumbled through some more words, answering Kelsey’s questions vaguely until Kells asked about the airy prize mentioned in the prophecy. Ana answered by saying, “There is someone I want you to meet.”
She pointed in Kadam’s direction and he effectively captured their attention. He always seemed to know more than we did, so we listened to him just as attentively as Kelsey and my old self did. He didn’t disappoint.
Kadam played the part well and wove on the loom as if he’d been doing it all his life. I heard the truth in his words when he answered Kelsey’s question. “The world, my young one. I weave the world.” Kadam truly did have his fingers wrapped around the threads of fate. He was the one orchestrating everything. When Kelsey touched the fabric, I realized it was the Divine Scarf she touched. I saw it rippling beneath her fingers as it responded to her touch.
When he warned Kelsey to step back and visualize the whole piece, I knew he was no longer talking to her. He’d locked eyes with me when he said, “If you focus only on the thread given to you, you lose sight of what it can become.”
I had spent a long time bemoaning my fate. Thinking that the thing I wanted had been stolen unrightfully away from me and the universe had left me with nothing. Ana touched my back, her fingers trailing lightly over my fur. Standing next to her felt right and yet I knew we still had a long way to go.
“Durga has the ability to see the piece from beginning to end,” Kadam said. “You must trust her.” His next words sunk into me, carving a place for themselves in my heart. Patience. Devotion. Understanding. If I could give those things to Ana, then perhaps we could fashion something splendid, something wonderful, together. Maybe the fabric we wove would be truly magical. Is such a thing possible? And more importantly, do I deserve such a gift?