When he began riffling through a stack of soft parchment, pointedly ignoring me, I said, “I…I apologize if I am asking too much of you.”
His shoulders sagged and he slowly twisted to look at me contritely. “No, son. I apologize to you. It is difficult for me to navigate the pathways of time as I have been doing. I am yoked to foresight and hindsight. The hours fly too fast and the sting of knowing more than I should numbs my mind and my heart. Forgive me.”
“Of course.” I put a hand on his shoulder. His once strong body felt frail beneath my hand. “I will do as you see fit,” I said. “We’ll try to work this out on our own as best we can. If you would prefer that I not visit you again, though it would sadden me to do so, I will avoid it.”
He sighed deeply and the edges of his eyes crinkled. “Though I will not encourage you to do so, if you should choose to cross paths with me again, I would not count it ill.”
I smiled at him, attempting to show him I was confident, though I was about as far removed from confidence as I had ever been. “Then I shall see you again.”
Nodding, he swiped a thumb across one of his eyes. Kadam had never been one to overtly show emotion. Not even when my parents died.
He considered me for a moment and said, “I would emphasize three things. One, do not cross paths with yourself.”
“Yes, you told me the universe would implode.”
He winced. “That’s not exactly true.”
“Oh? What happens then?”
“You would be sucked into your past self. Separating you from your past is nearly impossible when that happens. Don’t risk it.”
“How do you know this?” I asked softly.
“Let’s just say I made the mistake of attending my own funeral. Even then, after my soul had fled my mortal form, I was drawn back into myself. It’s not something I’d wish upon anyone.”
“I see,” I said. “What are the other two things you wanted to tell me?”
“Yes. Second, do not let Anamika go off on her own. She needs you. There are times when she allows her strong head and her soft heart to guide her choices, and there are those who would take advantage of that. Watch over her. And lastly…” He turned and rolled up a scroll, tied it with a string, and handed it to me. “When you are panicked and you cannot find the one you seek, open this. You will know when the time is right.”
I took the scroll and nodded. Ren and Kelsey were the ones who enjoyed toiling over prophecies for hours, not me. I’d rather be hunting than reading. The vague instructions and the idea that I still had another quest to complete, this time without Kadam, Ren, and Kelsey, were disheartening. Still, I didn’t want him to know just how despondent I felt. Squeezing his shoulder, I said good-bye and made to leave, but then he stopped me.
“Just this one time, I’ll help. Seek out a man named Vanit Savir. He is an honest trader whom I worked with for many years. Do not mention my name as at that time period I had not yet met him, but he will help you place Ren in a good home. Also, do not forget to take away Ren’s ability to shift.”
I stammered, “I…I can do that?”
“Yes. You did. You will. Do not doubt it.”
Rubbing a hand across the back of my neck, I nodded. I’m sure the confusion I felt was evident on my face. Pushing aside the door, I stood at the threshold wondering what other surprises awaited me and Ana.
“Oh, and before you go…”
“Yes?” I turned back as I stood in the open doorway.
“Will you take him with you? I think he misses his mistress.”
“The bird?” I asked. “Who is his mistress?” He didn’t answer right away but shuffled over to the birdcage, shooed the bird inside, and secured the door. My comprehension dawned slowly. “Ah, Kelsey mentioned it once. He’s Durga’s.”
“Yes. She hatched him from an egg and hand-fed him.”
“When?”
“Does it matter?”
I shrugged, uncomfortable with the idea that Ana hadn’t even found this bird’s egg yet, and lifted the cage.
“He’s old now,” Kadam continued as he followed me to the door. “I thought I’d spare her his death, but it seems he wants to look upon her face when he leaves this world.”
Peering at the bird who twitched his head back and forth between us, I said, “I guess I can’t blame him for that.”
“Yes.” Kadam stared into my face with his too knowing eyes, then lowered his gaze, mumbling, “It’s appropriate to be near those you love when you depart from this world.”
I nodded, not knowing what to say, and he grasped my hand tightly. Kadam shook it slightly and I could feel the trembling in his fingers. He gave me a nod and said, “Best be heading back now.”
Then, with a little wave, I used the power of the Damon Amulet to take me back to Anamika in the past.
When I arrived at the place and time I’d left her, careful to give myself a few hours so as not to collapse the universe or risk crossing over into my own past by bumping into my former self, it was night. The sky above the trees was dark and speckled with stars. The heavy boughs of the trees shifted in the brisk wind. Their creaking signified a storm was coming.
I took the bird from his cage and gave him one last chance to leave, but he flew to the pocket of my shirt instead and tucked himself inside. Gently, I patted his warm little body and tossed his cage into the trees. “All right, then,” I said. “Let’s go find your mistress.”
It only took me a few seconds to locate Anamika’s scent. Her trail was barely noticeable. But since she was obviously following the hunters, I took the easier route and trailed the path they’d trod through the jungle. Two hours later, I was crouching at the edge of the tree line, deciding if I should head into the city and find her or if I should wait until the morning.
The storm decided me. It broke overhead, and the crisp breeze that had cooled the jungle chased me from it with a wet deluge that soaked me in moments. I headed into the city and followed Anamika’s scent until it ended in an alleyway between buildings. It was a particularly rotten-smelling alley too.
“Ana?” I hissed. When there was no answer, a prickle of worry bit at my nerves. “Ana!” I tried again.
“I am here,” an irritated voice answered.
I reached out into the darkness, groping wildly until my fingers caught hold of her silky hair, and I moved closer. A hand wrapped around my wrist, and a scowling goddess emerged from the shadows. The Rope of Fire was a golden belt bound around her waist, and the Divine Scarf was tied around her neck. I cursed the fact that we’d brought none of her weapons.
“Are you hurt?” I asked, running my hands over her shoulders and arms.
“Unhand me,” she groused and shoved my arms away. “I am not injured.”
“I should have left you the kamandal, just in case,” I said.
She scoffed. “Those hunters are no match for me, even with just my mortal abilities. I was never in any danger, Kishan. Unless you count the rats scrounging in the garbage dangerous.”
“You can never be too careful,” I said.
Tilting her head, her green eyes sparkling in the dark, she considered me. “What is wrong with you?” she asked shrewdly. “You are unnerved. Has something happened to our teacher?”
“No. Yes. Well, it will. And soon. He’s just…” I ran a hand through my hair. “He’s so tired. He’s close to the end, I think.”
She nodded soberly. “Has he agreed to help us then?”
“He did. But we’re on our own after this. He said he can’t assist us with the list going forward, but he was able to give me some suggestions for this particular situation.”
I told her all that had passed between Kadam and me. She listened carefully, pinching a lush lip between her teeth as her mind worked.