Chapter 16
Too Little Too Late
“Fanindra!” I cried.
As I scooped up the body of Durga’s prized pet, the companion who’d been with us for years, tears filled my eyes. The breath hitched in my lungs when her body slowly turned to dust in my palms and then the sparkling powder lifted in the air. It surrounded me in a golden cloud, little sparkles of light snapping and popping. Stretching out a hand in a hopeless attempt to capture her escaping essence, I marveled at the fading beauty of my longtime friend.
“Don’t go,” I pleaded, but the golden light dissipated until there was nothing left. My shoulders shook as I tried to hold back the sobs. I’d failed. I couldn’t protect Anamika and now I’d lost Fanindra. Kelsey and Ren never messed up their quests this badly. Slumping down on the bed, I swiped my hand down my cheeks to brush away the wet on my face and stared at the ceiling.
It was quiet. Everyone had retired for the evening. With Fanindra gone and Anamika taken, I felt utterly alone. The many years of solitude in the jungle were self-imposed. I’d told myself I liked it that way. That I wasn’t like Ren. That I didn’t need people. It was a lie. When Kelsey and Ren suddenly burst into my life, asking me to leave the jungle, I’d been sorely tempted to go with them. My relationship with my brother then was too fragile. I thought he’d blame me, hate me for what had happened with Yesubai. Even after centuries, I still wasn’t ready to face him.
Now I missed him. Missed all of them. Even though seeing Ren and Kelsey on their wedding day was difficult, the memory now was bittersweet. They were happy. He was jubilant when he danced with his new wife, and her expression when she looked at him was full of love. I couldn’t take that away from them. More than anything else, I wished they were here, with me. The three of us on one final quest.
Ren could logic his way out of anything. He’d probably have charmed his way into getting the info he needed from Ana’s mother just by giving her his trademark smile. Kelsey had always been so good at distracting me and keeping me focused on the positive. She would have a journal full of Kadam’s research and would already be working on a rescue plan. I loved that about them.
I loved them period. Not even distance or time could change that. They were my family.
But so was Ana. The girl had grown on me. For better or worse, we needed each other. She was brave and stubborn and loyal to a fault and I…I had to save her. I was responsible for her. It was my fault she’d been taken. My carelessness had put us all at risk. That she wasn’t dead already was a blessing.
Sucking in a breath, I rose from the bed and made my way to the door, bumping my head against the rough wood trim of the entry. I’d forgotten how low the door to my chamber was. Stealthily, I made my way to the next room and saw Sunil sleeping. The adjacent bedroom belonged to Sunil’s parents. His mother rested on top of her bed, fully clothed, as if expecting to hear the cry that Anamika had been returned at any time.
The next chamber was Ana’s. Crouching down to study the floor, I cursed the fact that I no longer had my sense of smell or my enhanced vision. The thought came that I could get Fanindra to use her eyeshine, but no, Fanindra was gone. I swallowed the wave of sadness and went to work.
Her chamber didn’t look much different from the one she kept as an adult. She liked collecting things. There was a pile of smooth white rocks, dried flowers in a clay pot, a pretty ribbon, a hairbrush. Anamika’s belongings were simple. Everything had a proper place.
Though she had just been taken the night before, there was no sign of a scuffle. There wasn’t even so much as a speck of dust. I frowned. If a boot print had been on the floor before, it had been swept away since. Ana’s mother had likely cleaned the room in anticipation of her daughter’s return.
I looked out the window, pushing back the fluttering curtain. It was easy to see how her kidnappers had gotten in and pulled her out without too much difficulty. The building had easily navigable steps that I imagined even Ana had used from time to time to wander about after everyone had gone to sleep. Bending halfway out the window, I saw the dried print of a boot. Picking up a fallen twig lying on the window ledge that must have snapped off from the nearby tree, I leaned out as far as I could and scraped the dried mud.
Lifting it to my nose, I inhaled. The scent was weak but unmistakable. Camel dung. Anamika had likely been taken by a caravan. Traders often went from place to place trying to ply their wares. Ana was beautiful enough, even at her young age, to catch the attention of the unscrupulous. She could easily be sold into slavery or traded to a rich man as a play thing. The idea of it chilled my blood.
Quickly, I returned to my room and gathered up my things. If I’d had paper and a pen, I would have left Sunil a note, but then I thought better of it. Knowing him, he’d try to follow. I crept out of the house and started down the path, following the tracks Anamika’s father had taken, the moon lighting my path.
I didn’t split off from the trail of the rescuers until the second day. The group of riders who tracked Ana followed the imprints left by the camels well enough, but then the marks of the beasts mysteriously disappeared. The trail that Ana’s father and his hunters rode showed that they’d stopped and circled about but then ended up continuing along the same path.
Moving quickly, I followed it myself for an hour and found it led to a well-traversed road. Many prints—horses, wagon wheels, even elephants—were there, but no camels. That fact didn’t appear to deter the hunters, and they pressed on down the road, their trail disappearing into the fading sun. For a moment, I considered continuing after them, but something about the missing tracks nagged me.
I circled back to the area where the tracks stopped and then studied the ground carefully. It took me the better part of the afternoon to figure out what had happened. The ground in that area was particularly stony and it led to a deep ravine. From the top, it appeared too dangerous for a large pack of animals to traverse, but after spending several more hours carefully studying the underbrush, I found a way in.
It had been well hidden and the trail had been swept clean, easier to do on stony ground, but now that I knew what I was looking for, the path was unmistakable. That night I climbed up the side of the cliff and slept in a shallow depression overlooking a wide expanse of river far below. If I rolled too far, I’d likely plummet to my death. Still, I hadn’t slept in two days, and I was slowly draining the firefruit juice just to keep my body going.
When I uncorked the flask that night, I thought to press on, despite my exhaustion, but then I paused and wondered if I’d need the juice to save Ana. As much as I hated to take the time to sleep, I needed to. That night I dreamed she was calling out to me. She was trapped in an enclosure too small for her to stretch her limbs, and she was in terrible pain. I woke with a start. It was still dark but little lights peppered the stone ceiling of my narrow alcove.
Blinking, I stretched up a hand to touch one and found my skin was glowing with the lights. I looked down and saw my bag was open, the phoenix egg exposed. It sparkled from deep within, and I saw a tiny flash inside and then another, giving the appearance of a heart beating within. Shifting, I picked up the orb and stared into its depths.
How was it possible? The phoenix had said it would never hatch. As I cupped it between my palms, I murmured, “Are you alive?”
Warmth flooded my hands and the little heart pulsed, the thrum vibrating robustly against my skin.
“Can you help me find Anamika?” I asked it. This time the egg turned cold in my hands. The lights dimmed as my hope waned. “You can’t,” I answered for it. “What good are you then?”
A tiny pulse jittered across my fingertip. I smiled sadly. “I don’t blame you,” I said, apologizing though I didn’t know why. “I’m the one who lost her.”
I lay back down, one hand touching the egg. There was something comforting in knowing I wasn’t completely alone anymore. The remaining hours of the night passed quickly as I slept.
The next day I exited the ravine and scowled, seeing that the camels I’d been following had been joined by several more. By afternoon, dozens of new riders had joined the company. Some split off and others stayed. I couldn’t be sure which group had Anamika.
That night I finally came upon a caravan camp and sought out the leader. The men were hard, but there were a few women and children who seemed warily kind, which assuaged my worry somewhat. I asked if they’d been in the area long and if they had anything to trade. They showed me many things but there was no mention of a slave. I hinted that the man I worked for might be interested in acquiring a new wife as his current wife had grown ugly and cantankerous.
Though the men laughed at this, they said they couldn’t help me. “Too bad,” I said. “He’s a rich one and would pay handsomely if the right girl could be found.” I hefted my bag and took a seat at the fire, graciously accepting the food and drink the women offered me. As I spread out the blanket they gave me for the night, a man approached. He was filthy and scratched at his ratty beard.
“I might know a man who could get you what you’re looking for,” he said in a low voice.
“Oh?” I asked, bending over my bag as if to check my belongings.
“Yes. You’d be sure to mention my name, of course,” he hurried to add.
“Of course. I’d be sure my benefactor knew who to thank for the information.”
As he told me of a caravan they’d passed earlier and described where they were headed, I kept my hand on the phoenix egg. The stone warmed quickly, and the thump against my skin told me the man was telling the truth.
“Appreciate your help,” I said, tossing the man a small coin from the purse Kadam had included in the bag. “If I find them, there’ll be more for you later.”
The greedy man licked his lips as he purposely avoided looking at my pack. Then he stole away, eyes flashing.
Though I bedded down, I didn’t sleep. I knew the man would try to take my belongings. When he crept up on me, I snaked out an arm and slammed him to the ground. My hands were around his neck crushing his windpipe before he could scream.
“Hello again, friend,” I said as he twisted beneath my knee. “You’re not thinking to rob me when your caravan offered their hospitality, are you?”
His eyes bulged as he shook his head. Instead of him robbing me, I reached into his pocket and took what little money he had as well as a sharp knife that he’d dropped to the ground instead. I pressed the knife against his throat. “Let’s just keep this between us, shall we?” I asked. “Otherwise, I’ll have to spill your blood, and it’s much too nice a night for that. Don’t you agree?”
He nodded vigorously and I released him. After he scampered off in the darkness, I scooped up my bag and took the blanket for good measure. Soon, I left the caravan behind. It took another day for me to reach the convoy my attacker had described. It was much larger than the other one. In fact, there were several large wagons being pulled by horses in addition to the loaded camels. I heard the screech of a bird of prey overhead and glanced up to see it flying down to the outstretched arm of a rider on horseback.
The caravan moved slowly enough that I easily caught up with them, but when I neared, I was immediately surrounded by mercenaries. I raised my hands in the air and told them I’d met with another convoy who had sent me in their direction and that I was looking to trade for something valuable and hinted that I’d make it worth their while to negotiate with me.
One of the men gave a sharp whistle and another rider approached. This one I recognized as a leader. The leather gauntlet told me he’d been the one with the bird. He had a wicked scar down the center of one eye and the iris was milky white, but as he took me in, I could tell his infirmity didn’t make him any less formidable or dangerous.
His frame was big. Larger than many warriors I had seen. His arms and chest were thick with muscle. A long tattoo of interlocking swords began at the top of his cheekbone and disappeared beneath his shirt. Even his horse was remarkable. It had been a long time since I’d ridden, but I could see the definition of the animal’s chest and the alertness of his eyes. Clearly, it was battle trained.
Inclining my head in what I hoped was a respectful way, I introduced myself, using my own name. Anamika lived in a time long before I was born. Not even my great-great-grandfather existed yet, so using my own name was safe enough, I thought.
“Why have you followed us?” the man asked with a smoky voice.
“My master has sent me on an errand,” I answered smoothly. “I am tasked with finding him a new wife.”
The leader pulled out a knife from his leather jerkin and ran his thumb along the hilt. “And what makes you think we trade in women?” he asked. “It’s such a nasty practice. Isn’t it, men?” he asked.
The mercenaries surrounding me laughed savagely. I knew then that these men had Anamika. The fact that they used wagons had been the first clue. If they had women or children, they wouldn’t want anyone to notice. The bird was probably used to pass messages to various contacts so they could negotiate slave sales secretly. I frowned. The wagons couldn’t have passed through the ravine, though, as I considered it, I realized it would have been easy enough to meet up with them later.
Then my mind caught on another thought. Why camels? Clearly these men were much more than simple traders. Yes, they had camels, but they were being used as beasts of burden, not transportation. Why had camels been used to kidnap Anamika?
One of them lifted his sword, pointing it at me. “Shall I teach him not to insult you?” he asked the scarred man as he nudged his horse closer, his demeanor obsequious with an underlying layer of cruelty.
Cocking his head, the man considered me, then looked up at the sun. He sighed. “I wanted to be farther along by now. If we’re going to meet up with our buyers, we’re going to have to speed this up. Bring him,” he said and jerked the reins of his horse, turning the animal back to the caravan that had kept moving along as we spoke.
As the men came closer, I protested. “I’m unarmed. I came in good faith to trade.”
The burly men laughed as they circled me on their horses. One said, “Only a fool or a zealot would venture away from home unarmed. I don’t take you for a fool so you must be a zealot.” He leaned down. “I hate to tell you this, but it appears as if your faith is too weak, zealot. I don’t think your god or goddess is going to save you.”
No, I thought. Not when I’m here to save her. I opened my mouth to say something else and turned around just in time to see a boot coming for my face. My head snapped back and I spat blood. The bag slipped from my shoulder and I’d just raised my hands to fight when I felt a sharp pain on the back of my skull. There was a roaring in my ears and then the sky went dark.
***
The first thing I became aware of was a steady rocking motion. It made my stomach turn, and it was all I could do to shift my head enough so the contents of my heaving stomach wouldn’t end up all over my chest.
I groaned and lifted a finger to gingerly touch my swollen cheek and feel the lump on the back of my neck. A wet cloth landed with a splat next to my leg, followed by a querulous voice. “I’ll thank you to clean up your own sick,” it said.
Squinting in the dark, I could just make out a large shape in the corner. “Who are you?” I asked.
“Humph,” the voice said and the person shuffled closer. “Don’t matter much, does it?”
With a sharp hiss, I sat up, my back against the wall of the cart, and heard the jangle of iron. My ankles and wrists were chained to the floor. “I’m Kishan,” I offered. “I’ve come to rescue a girl.”
I heard a scornful cackle. “Found a girl then, haven’t ya? Though seeing the state you’re in, fat lot of good you’ll do me.”
Picking up the damp cloth, I touched it to my check and then pressed it against the back of my head. Pain was a fleeting thing for me. Even the worst pain faded quickly since I became a tiger. It was the only thing that gave me comfort when I knew Ren had been kidnapped by Lokesh. His torture had been terrible. We’d talked of it once and both of us vowed never to tell Kelsey all that had happened to him. It gave me nightmares to think about it.
The pain I felt now was nothing in comparison to what he had suffered, and yet it was something I had to consider. I could be killed here. These men could maim me enough to prevent me from achieving my purpose. I’d have to be more careful. It was indeed foolish for me to wander through the countryside unarmed. I’d never been unarmed before. I’d always had tooth or claw. Durga’s weapons were now gone. In hindsight, I should have looked for a weapon at Anamika’s home or asked Kadam to bring me one.
Of course, knowing him, he’d come up with some reason it would ruin the timeline for me to bring a weapon from the future into the past. He’d personally packed my bag…wait…my bag! I felt around in the dark, patting the floor of the wagon.
“They took whatever you had, foolish boy,” the woman said with a mocking tone. “You’ll not find your things here.”
“Do…do you know where they’re taking us?” I asked.
“The slave auction,” she answered. “I imagine a strapping lad like you will fetch a nice price.”
“Where is it?” I said. “What city?”
“It moves. Sometimes, it’s in the middle of an oasis. Sometimes a city. Other times it’s by the beach. I like it there best.”
“So, you’ve been with them for a while?”
“I keep the captives alive,” she said.
“Then you must know the girl I’m looking for.” I could feel her eyes on me, even though it was darker than pitch in the wagon. “Please,” I begged. “I’m the girl’s protector. Just tell me, is she alive?”
There was silence for two long breaths and then the woman said softly, “Yes, boy. She’s alive.”
I didn’t know I was holding my breath until I let it out. “Thank you,” I said.
“Seems you’re not much of a protector, seeing as how you’ve been captured yourself.”
“My incarceration is just temporary,” I said.
There was a rasping response and I thought the old woman was choking for a moment. Then I realized she was laughing.
“You doubt my ability to free us?” I asked.
“Son, I’ve been here a long time,” she said. “Longer than you’ve been alive, I’d wager.”
She’d lose that bet.
“No one’s ever escaped. At least no one who’s survived.”
“Then I’ll be the first.”
“We’ll see, boy, we’ll see.”
I twisted and dug my fingers between my ankle and the manacles, trying to find a weakness in the chain, but after several moments, I gave up.
“Best rest for now,” the woman warned me. “They’ll want you fresh for tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow?”
“The auction is tomorrow.”
One day? I only had a few hours to try to figure out a way to save not only Anamika but myself. It wasn’t enough time.
The next day I was dragged out of the wagon and doused with a bucketful of water before being unceremoniously dumped into a building. I was forced to sit in the dirt with a dozen other captives, and I scanned the group, disappointed to find only men. The old woman I’d met in the carriage shuffled with a basket of flatbread and handed one to each of us, then came back with a ladle and a jug of water. We each were allowed only one cupful before she moved on.
When she came to me, she leaned down and murmured, “Try to catch the eye of the man in the purple turban. He’s the one who’s going to buy your girl.”
Before she left, I caught her hand. Our chains clanked together. “Thank you,” I said. “When I get her out, I promise to come back for you.”
Her wrinkled face lifted in a weary smile, but she said nothing and shuffled on to the next captive. The afternoon passed slowly as the men were taken out one by one. I heard cheers and boos as the auction went on and then it was my turn. I was dragged out of the building by a burly man with a wicked-looking blade at his hip. When I struggled, he cuffed the side of my head, and the ringing in my ears replaced the sounds of the crowd.
The area was packed with people. Slaves stood holding parasols over their owners and fanned them as they sat on rugs or chairs beneath the garish sun. I was led up to the dais and was turned one way and another so everyone could get a good look at me. My shirt was torn from my body so they could see my arms and chest, and the auction began.
It only took a moment to spot the man with the purple turban. He appeared bored with the auction and perused a tray of food instead of watching the proceedings. I didn’t know at first what I could do to catch his attention, but then I noticed the trembling girls who sat around him. Their faces were covered and they were young. Anamika was about the same age.
The serving boy accidentally spilled something and he froze. Terror turned his skin white. The man just smiled and patted the boy’s cheek. He traced a scar on the young man’s face, and the trembling boy left, visibly shaken. So, I thought, he likes to hurt kids.
Immediately, I knew how best to get him to buy me. Quickly, I shoved aside the man holding my chain and leapt down from the dais, landing right in front of the man in the purple turban. The girls didn’t even move though I could have easily fallen on them. I shouted at the slave buyers, kicked sand at the man in the turban, and spat in his face before telling him I knew what he liked to do to children.
Slowly the man stood up, smiled, and offered quite a sizable sum for me just as my handlers were drawing me back. The offer was immediately accepted and I was taken away. Just before they pulled me back inside the building, I heard cheers and turned to look at the dais. Anamika stood there in the middle—alone, dirty, and innocently beautiful. The man who bought me stood up, hunger obvious on his face.
I wished I could have felt happy that I’d accomplished my goal after I heard the auctioneer shout that the man in the turban had bought Ana, but a sick dread filled me instead. My stomach wrenched when she was brought into the same building. She was chained to the spot across from me.
Within the space of a moment, I scanned her from head to foot and felt relief to see she was relatively unharmed. She hung her head, her dark hair covering her face.
“Hello?” I said softly when we were alone.
She looked up at me with those green eyes of hers, unshed tears making them glisten in the dim prison. It disturbed me more than I thought it would to see no recognition in her eyes.
“I’m going to get us out of here, Ana,” I said. “I promise.”
I heard her gasp and then a man came in and demanded, “Were you talking to her?”
“No,” I said.
“Teach him a lesson,” a voice behind the guard said. It was the man in the purple turban. “Teach him a lesson and then let’s get underway. The sun is sweltering.”
“Yes, master,” the guard said. He drew back his arm and then his powerful fist met my face.