symbols Phet had once drawn on my hand reappeared and blazed crimson. A lightning bolt exploded from my hand to the body of my attacker. It lifted his body into the air and slammed him into a tree hard enough to make it shake. He fell in a crumpled mass at the base.
Not having time to question or figure out what had happened, I turned to face the next attacker and the next. I was overcome with rage; a furious wrath bubbled through me. My mind screamed that no one would hurt those that I loved. Euphoric in my power, I took them down one after another.
A pinprick struck my arm and another one hit my shoulder. They felt like bee stings, but, instead of burning, numbness spread. The fire in my hand sputtered and went out, and I stumbled to the ground in front of Ren. He shoved an attacker back, still fighting, though he had been shot with darts several times. My vision was getting dark, and my eyes were closing.
Ren picked me up, and I heard him yell, “Kishan! Take her!”
“No,” I mumbled incoherently.
The whisper of his lips brushed against my cheek, and then I felt iron arms lock around my body.
Ren shouted, “Go! Now!”
I was being carried swiftly through the trees, but Ren wasn’t following. He was still fighting, as the attackers closed in on him. He switched to a tiger again. I heard him roar with outrage and pain, and I knew in the soft fuzziness of my mind that it wasn’t the physical hurt that caused him to cry out. It couldn’t have been, because I felt it too. The horrible, ripping pain was because I had been taken from him. I couldn’t keep my eyes open. I reached out a hand and grasped feebly at the air.
I pleaded hazily, “Ren! No!” before falling into darkness.
11
Return to India
The deep thrum of an engine stirred me. My head throbbed, and there was a funny taste in my mouth. Something was very wrong; my mind was still fuzzy. I wanted to wake up, but I knew that on the other side of consciousness, a new kind of horror awaited me, so I allowed myself to sink back a little deeper into the murky blackness, and hovered there, like a coward. I needed something to hold onto, a crutch that I could lean on to give me enough strength to face what lay ahead.
I was lying on a bed. I felt the soft sheets and stretched out my hand hesitantly. A furry head butted against my fingers. Ren. He was here. He was the motivation I needed to rise above the darkness and step into the light.
I cracked open my eyes. “Ren? Where am I?” Every part of my body hurt.
A pretty face looked down at me. “Kelsey? How are you feeling?”
“Nilima? Oh, we’re on the plane.”
She pressed a cold wet cloth to my forehead, and I mumbled, “We got away. I’m so glad.”
I stroked the tiger’s head. Nilima looked at the tiger next to me briefly and then nodded. “Let me get you some water, Kelsey.”
She left, and I closed my eyes again, pressing my hand against my throbbing forehead.
I whispered, “I was so afraid you weren’t going to make it. I guess it doesn’t matter now. We were very lucky. Let’s not split up ever again. I’d rather be captured with you than be separated.”
I slid my fingers into his fur. Nilima returned with some water. She helped me sit up, and I took a long drink then mashed the wet towel over my eyes and my face.
“Here . . . I brought you some aspirin,” she said.
I swallowed the tablets gratefully and tried to open my eyes again. I looked into Nilima’s concerned face and smiled. “Thanks. I feel better already. At least we all made it. That’s the important thing. Right?”
I looked over at the tiger. No. No! I started gasping for air. My lungs locked. “Kishan?” I pleaded in a raspy voice, “Where is he? Tell me we didn’t leave him behind! Ren?” I yelled. “Ren? Are you here? Ren? Ren?”
The black tiger just watched me with sad, golden eyes. I grabbed at Nilima’s hand.
“Nilima, tell me! Is he here?”
She shook her head, tears filling her eyes. My vision became blurry, and I realized that I was crying too.
I desperately clutched her hand. “No! We have to go back! Tell them to turn the plane around. We can’t just leave him there!