dreamed of Ren all night, captured, a prisoner. And, whatever situation we were in, he always pushed me away, either to protect me or to get rid of me.
Five weeks. Five short, blissful weeks was all we had together. Even if I counted the time he was there but avoided me except for dates, our time in Oregon was only about two months. It was not enough. Not when you’re in love with somebody. Somehow I always seemed to lose the people I loved. How would I live without him?
And yet . . . he was here. My parents were too. I could feel them so close I could almost touch them sometimes. It was the same with Ren only . . . stronger. So many weird things had happened to me. I had a pet snake that also functioned as a fashion accessory; I was almost eaten by a sea-horse vampire monkey; I had a boyfriend who was a tiger most of the time; and apparently I could shoot lightning from my hand.
I was so overcome by Ren’s capture that I couldn’t even begin to process my Thor-like power. What else could possibly happen to me? I didn’t want to think about it because whatever I imagined, the reality would be much worse.
I got dressed and went downstairs to help Mr. Kadam. He was busy working on the computer.
“Ah, Miss Kelsey. Good morning. If you’re ready, I have some maps I’d like you to check for me.”
“Sure.”
He set out a giant map of India and slid over a paper with the translation of Durga’s second prophecy. A sable-furred head bumped against my leg, and I leaned over to pet him. I was happy Kishan was here, but I couldn’t help wishing it was a white tiger sitting next to me.
“Good morning, Kishan. Already eat breakfast? I’ll make you some cookies later if Mr. Kadam has all the ingredients.”
He huffed and settled at our feet. I picked up the prophecy and read it through.
Seek her gifts before all else
For Durga’s blessing waits anew.
The place of gods begins your quest
’Neath Noe’s glacial mountain blue.
Let Ocean Teacher ’noint your eyes;
Unfold the hoary sacred scrolls.
Teach arrant wisdom and advise
Gates of Spirit he controls.
Paradise awaits; remain steadfast
And find the navel stone
Which leads you to the heart of all
Ancient history’s leafy throne.
Atop the world-tree is your airy prize.
Grasp bow and arrow, let fly true.
Discus routs and ‘chief’s disguise
Can stave off those who would pursue.
Four houses shall your spirit test
Of birds , bats , gourds , and siren’s nest.
And last of all look to the sky
As iron guardians round you fly.
India’s masses shall be robed
And rise in strength across the globe.
“Hmm,” I pondered aloud. “Well, the first two lines are obvious. We have to go to a temple of Durga again. We’d already guessed that much. This time, we’ll make sure to bring the proper offering.”
“Yes. I have compiled a list of Durga’s temples all over India, and some that are in nearby countries as well.”
“Kishan, please remind me to wear my bell anklet.”
Mr. Kadam nodded and bent over his notes. I bit my lip and thought about when Ren had given me the anklet. He’d begged me to stay with him, but I’d left.
What a waste. We could have shared all those months together if I just hadn’t been so stubborn. I would have given anything to turn back time. Now, he was gone, taken prisoner, and there was a good possibility that I’d never set eyes on him again.
Trying to snap out of my sad thoughts, I focused on Durga’s prophecy again.
“Noe’s mountain? That’s the Himalayan mountain range? How do you figure?”
“Noe is short for Noah.”
“As in Noah’s ark?”
“Yes.”
“Umm, wasn’t Noah’s ark supposed to have landed on Mount Ararat?”
“You have a good memory. That’s what I thought at first, but Mount Ararat is in modern Turkey, not India. The location of the ark has been hotly debated regardless.”
“Okay, but what led you to the Himalayas?”
“A couple of things led me to that assumption. First, I don’t believe the next item would be hidden in a location that far off the Indian continent. The prophecy mentions that the item would help the people of India, so it doesn’t make sense that it would be so distant.
“The second reason has to do with the tale of Noe, or Noah. The Bible story is not the only one that describes a great flood. In fact, many dozens of cultures have stories of a great flood that covered