able to take down several men until I was shot with the tranquilizers. Then, the power sort of fizzled out.”
“Did the lightning bolts kill them or just stun them?”
“I hope it just stunned them. To be honest, we didn’t stick around long enough to find out. My first target, the man who hit the tree, was pretty hurt I imagine. I was really desperate.”
“I’d be curious to see if you can reproduce the effect when you aren’t in danger. Perhaps we can practice. It would also be interesting to see if you can widen the band to encompass more than one person at a time and to see how long you can maintain the burst.”
“I’d also like to practice the intensity. I’d prefer not to kill people,” I added.
“Of course.”
“Where do you think it came from?”
“I have . . . a theory.”
“Really? Tell me.”
“One of the ancient stories of India says that when the gods, Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva, faced the demon king, Mahishasur, they could not defeat him. They combined their energies, which took the form of light, and the goddess Durga emerged from that light. She was born to fight him.”
“So, Durga’s made of light, and you think that’s why I have this power in me?”
“Yes. There are also several references that say she wears a necklace that flashes like lightning. Perhaps that stream of power resides in you.”
“That’s . . . I don’t even know how to feel about that.”
“I imagine it must feel disconcerting.”
“You can say that again.”
I paused for a moment and twisted my hands together.
“Mr. Kadam, I . . . I’m worried about Ren. I don’t think I can do this without him.”
He ventured, “The two of you have become closer then?”
“Yes. He’s . . . I’ve . . . We . . . Well, I guess I could just sum it up by saying I love him.”
He smiled. “You do know that he loves you, as well, don’t you? He didn’t think of anything but you for the months you were apart.”
I couldn’t help but grin. “So he was miserable, huh?”
Mr. Kadam smiled. “Desperately so. Kishan and I never found a moment’s peace until he left.”
“Mr. Kadam, can I ask you a question?”
“Of course.”
“There was a girl, an Indian girl, who was interested in Ren and wanted her parents to match them up. Ren told me that dating outside of his culture is considered inappropriate.”
“Ah. What he told you is accurate. Even in modern times, it’s a custom that’s still followed. Does this bother you?”
“Kind of. I don’t want Ren’s people to ostracize him.”
“Did he express concern about this?”
“No. He didn’t seem to care. He said he’d made his choice.”
Mr. Kadam stroked his short beard. “Miss Kelsey, Ren hardly needs anyone’s approval. If he chooses to be with you, no one will object.”
“Maybe not to his face, but there might be . . . cultural ramifications that haven’t occurred to him yet.”
“Ren is well aware of all the possible cultural ramifications. Remember, he was a prince who was highly trained in political protocol.”
“But, what if being with me makes his life more difficult?”
He chided softly, “Miss Kelsey, I can guarantee that being with you has been the only thing in his long life that gives him a modicum of peace. His life before you was fraught with difficulty, and I would venture to say that getting the approval of others has dropped very low on his priority list.”
“He told me that his parents were from different cultures. Why were they allowed to marry and be together?”
“Hmm, that’s an interesting story. To tell it properly, I’d have to tell you about Ren and Kishan’s grandfather.”
“I’d love to learn more about his family.”
He sat back in the leather recliner, and steepled his fingers under his chin. “Ren’s grandfather was named Tarak. He was a great warlord who wanted to live in peace in his later years. He’d grown tired of the infighting between kingdoms. Though his empire was the largest and his armies were the most renowned, he sent word to several other warlords governing over smaller territories, inviting them to a summit.
“He offered each one a portion of his land if they would sign a nonaggression pact and cut back their armies. They agreed, as the contract would bring each of them great wealth and properties. The country rejoiced as the king brought his armies home and prepared a grand feast in celebration. That day was considered a holiday throughout the land.”