Realm of the Goddess (6 page)

“Sorry, I just had to take a shower,” I said, smiling apologetically.

“I was wondering what was taking so long,” he said, his eyes lingering a little on me before he looked away. Before I could analyze why I felt warm inside all of a sudden, he was walking toward the front door. I followed him out, locked the door and got in his car.

“Do you think he’ll hurt them?” I said, looking down at the skull pendant in my hand.

He replied without taking his eyes off the road. “You can’t think like that, Callie. He won’t harm them. We just have to focus on finding them.” He took his right hand off the steering wheel and put it over mine. It was a gentle touch meant to reassure, but it filled me with a warmth that was familiar and new at the same time. Back at his house we showed the pendant to his parents. Dev didn’t seem surprised to see it. We were in the library, and he went to one of the bookshelves and pulled out an old volume wrapped in a dark blue velvet casing. He thumbed through the pages until he found what he was looking for.

“Here it is. It talks about the skull pendant. It says here that it was given to Kali as one of the gifts from the gods who created her. The skull symbolizes her ability to detect evil, to see right through to what a person really is.” He turned to me and his eyes looked almost feverish with eagerness. “May I hold it please, Callie?”

I was still holding it and put it on his open palm. Nothing happened.

“It was glowing before when we were in my parents’ bedroom,” I said, looking at Shiv for confirmation. He nodded.

“Yes, you said it felt warm.” He looked at his dad.

“Do you feel anything?”

“No,” Dev replied. “But it was a gift to Callie. She would be the only one to have a connection to it.” He turned to me.

“Callie, you said that a
sadhu
outside the Kali temple gave it to you. Hmm, I wonder...”

He didn’t complete his thought, because Nina interrupted him.

“Callie, I know this is all a lot to handle for anyone. You need to rest tonight. Tomorrow things will look better.” She touched my face gently. “I promise that we will not rest until your parents are back with you.” And with that they both left, leaving me behind with Shiv. I felt exhausted, as if all the energy had drained out of me and left behind an empty shell.

“I think I’ll take your parents’ advice and get some rest,” I said.

“Let’s get some food in you first,” Shiv said, cupping my elbow and guiding me gently out of the library. We turned right by the stairs, walked down another hallway and entered the kitchen. It was huge, with oak cabinets, marble countertops, a huge island and the obligatory spice kitchen of Indian households. Shiv deposited me on a stool by the island and went to the refrigerator. He pulled out butter, a jar of tamarind and coriander chutney and a packet of Amul cheese. He gave me a conspiratorial wink and went over to the breadbox on the counter to get a loaf of bread. I couldn’t help smiling. Chutney sandwiches were my favorite. A few slices of salty Amul cheese, a dab of tangy tamarind and coriander chutney and two slices of buttered bread. It was a party in your mouth.

“So...am I good or am I good?” Shiv said, grinning as he expertly cut the sandwiches into triangles and slid one of the plates over to me. He took a big bite out of his, looking very pleased with himself.

“Yes, Shiv,” I said, unable to suppress a smile. “You’re very good. How did you know that these are my favorite?”

“I didn’t,” he replied. “They’re mine.”

I was afraid I would start liking him a little too much for my own good. If good food was a way into a person’s heart, chutney sandwiches were definitely a way into mine. It was funny how comfortable I felt around Shiv, considering we’d just met recently. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but it was as if I’d known him for a long time. I wondered if he felt it too. He caught me looking at him and I felt myself blush. I got up abruptly and took my plate over to the sink. I rinsed it out, dried it and put it back in the cabinet.

“I think I’ll go to sleep now. Thanks for the sandwich.” I started walking out of the kitchen.

Shiv quickly got up, put his plate in the sink too and came after me. “Let me walk you back,” he said. We walked upstairs in silence. When we reached the door to the room I’d be staying in, I hesitated. “Shiv...thank you.”

He was leaning in to open the door for me and despite myself I felt my body respond to his closeness. I closed my eyes for a second. I saw my parents’ faces flash before me and that was enough to bring me back to reality. Nothing else mattered now...not until I found them and they were safe. He kept his gaze locked on mine and I could see in his eyes that he was struggling too. Or at least part of me hoped he was. It all lasted only a millisecond and then he turned around and went down the hallway to a room just a few doors away from mine. I sighed and went in. As soon as I saw the bed in the corner, exhaustion swept over me like a tidal wave. I barely made it across the room before I collapsed and fell into a deep sleep.

I dreamed about my father. He was trying to say something, his mouth moving, forming words, but I couldn’t make out what they were. I tried to get closer to him, but I couldn’t move. My body was frozen in place. I tried to concentrate, to focus on his lips. “Callie...” I could finally hear him, but his voice sounded far away, as if it was coming from a great distance. “We’re alright...cannot hurt us…” Then silence again. Still his lips continued to move. Once again I focused on his lips. “...the sword.” He began to fade away.

In my dream I cried out. “Dad...don’t go!” His image became clearer. I could see him again. He looked gaunt and I could see bruises on his face. But he was alive. “Dad...is Mom...is she…?” Even in my dream I couldn’t say the words. But I didn’t have to. Suddenly my dad’s voice came to me as clear as his face was in front of me.

“Callie, honey...there’s not a lot of time. Your mom and I will be safe. Don’t worry about us. You’ve got to be strong. You have to find the sword. It will destroy him.” His voice strained and I could see the effect on his face too. He was weakening right in front of me.

“But...Dad...” It was too late. He had faded away. There was nothing left but the darkness.

Chapter Five

My eyes flew
open. It was still dark, but a thin shaft of moonlight pierced through the gap between the curtains, illuminating the room with an eerie glow. I knew that it had been a dream, but it felt so real. It was as if my dad had been in the room with me. I also knew that wasn’t possible, no matter how much I wanted it to be. I sat up slowly, still aching from the venom in the demon’s stingers. There was no way I was going to be able to get back to sleep. I looked at the clock on the nightstand to my right. It was two o’clock. I looked around and noticed my cell phone on a white desk by the window. Normally it was an extension of me, but I had completely forgotten about it during the bizarre events of the last couple of days. Someone must have taken it out of my pocket when Shiv brought me here. I checked to see how many missed calls I had. Ben had called. Twenty times. And there were texts, so many of them. I felt a pang of guilt thinking about him. He must be frantic with worry. I texted a quick reply. I knew he’d probably be asleep, but at least he’d get them in the morning.

Sorry, Ben. I’m ok. Family emergency. I’ll text you again soon.

I didn’t know what else to say. I couldn’t exactly tell him what was really going on. He’d think I was insane. I would make it up to him later. A little ping told me there was a reply. Surprised that he was still up, I looked at the message.

I was so worried. Is there anything I can do? Where are you? I went by your house, but nobody was home.

I didn’t want him going to my house. I couldn’t be sure that there wasn’t still someone watching. What if they hurt Ben?

I’m staying with relatives. Things are a bit crazy right now. I’ll call you as soon as I can, I promise.

Hopefully that would be okay for now.

I put the phone back on the table and looked around. I was too wired to sleep so I decided to look around. I wondered whose room this was. As far as I could tell Shiv didn’t have a sister. But this was definitely a girl’s room. There was a bookshelf against the wall near the foot of the bed. I looked at the titles, thinking that maybe some light reading would help me go to sleep. I pulled out a couple of the books.
The Temperamental Sage
. What the hell?
Gods, Goddesses and their Familiars
. Whoever this girl was, she had some weird reading interests. I picked a different section of the shelf and pulled out another book.
The Kali Conspiracy: An Analysis of the Council of Rakshakari
by Rupa Banerjee. That looked promising. It wouldn’t help me go to sleep, but it could shed some light on my current predicament.

A loud crash came from somewhere outside and I ran to the window to see what it was. It was already dark outside, but by the light of the streetlamp I could make out the cherry trees that lined both sides of the walkway leading from Shiv’s house to the back of our school. There were cars parked along both sides of the road. I didn’t see anything unusual. It was probably a cat or a raccoon knocking over a garbage bin. I took the book and sat down on the bed. I opened the front cover. On the inside of the cover was an inscription.
To Priya, you make me proud every day. Love Ma.
I wondered who she was.

I turned the pages until I came to the first chapter. “A Background on the Origin of Kali.” I already knew how Kali had been created. A yawn escaped my mouth. I needed to get some sleep, but my throat was parched. Also, my arms were beginning to throb. I decided to go downstairs to get some water and something for the pain.

I left the room as quietly as possible. The last thing I wanted was for Shiv or his parents to panic, thinking there was an intruder in their house. I tiptoed down the stairs, went into the kitchen and turned on the light. I opened cabinet doors until I found one that held glasses. I picked a tall one and filled it with some ice water from the dispenser on the fridge. I drank the whole glass and refilled it before I started looking for some painkillers. It felt a bit weird opening drawers in someone else’s house, but the pain was getting worse and I didn’t want to wake anyone up. I finally found a drawer that held an assortment of over-the-counter medications. I rooted around until I found a bottle of ibuprofen. I took two and finished my second glass of water. I debated whether to go back up and try to sleep or to look around. Maybe I could find a computer somewhere and check up on what was happening.

Feeling a little bit like a cat burglar, I walked as quietly as I could to the library. The sliding doors were open. I stepped inside, found the light switch and flipped it. Then I closed the doors behind me. I looked around. It was bigger than I remembered, the shelves extending all the way along the walls. Scattered throughout were small sitting areas with armchairs, recliners and the occasional ottoman, all surrounding antique-looking tables. I guessed they must spend a lot of time in here. There had to be a computer somewhere. I couldn’t see one, though. I would just have to wait until morning and ask Shiv. I walked over to one of the bookcases and looked at the thick volumes that sat fitted tightly together. They were well-worn texts, the
Upanishads
, books about the Trinity, and a lot of books on demonology. My eyes were beginning to feel heavy and I turned around to leave. I walked to the door, slid it open and walked right into someone. I had already turned off the light so it took me a moment to realize that it was just Shiv. He nudged me back into the library but didn’t turn the light back on.

“What are you doing here?” he whispered, sliding the door closed.

“I couldn’t sleep. I’m sorry, did I wake you?” I hoped his parents wouldn’t come down as well.

“No, I thought I heard something so I came down to check.”

I nodded and then there was an awkward pause. He stood between me and the door and I noticed that he wasn’t wearing a shirt, just some sweatpants. His skin glistened in the moonlight that sifted through the blinds. I could see the rest of his tattoos now, and they were just as I had imagined. Two serpents were coiled around his neck and wound their way down the front of his chest. There they ended just where dark curls of hair tapered down over his belly and into the waistband of his sweatpants. I caught myself just as my eyes continued to wander down. I felt blood rush to my cheeks and I couldn’t bring myself to look at him. He cleared his throat, and when I did look at him, I could see the amusement glinting in his eyes and in the twitch of his mouth.

“I, umm, was just going back to bed,” I mumbled, squeezing past him, careful not to touch him. I was a little embarrassed at my physical reaction and I certainly did not want him to get even an inkling of what I was feeling. He barely suppressed a chuckle, following close behind.

“Since we’re both up, do you want me to show you something?” he asked, grabbing my elbow so that I had to stop.

“Sure...what is it?” I was going to play it cool. I didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of knowing that he had any sort of effect on me.

“It’s this way,” he said, turning down the hallway in the opposite direction of the kitchen. I followed him until he stopped in front of a door. When he opened it I saw a set of stairs that seemed to lead down to the basement. We went down quietly until we reached the bottom. I gasped. In front of us was an immense room, more like the inside of a gym. On the walls hung various types of weapons, swords, shields and helmets. I had never seen so many different kinds of swords. I felt like I was forgetting something, but I didn’t know what.

“This is where we train,” Shiv said, his eyes gleaming. “We have one of the best collections of ancient weapons here. Some of them are thousands of years old and have been used by the greatest warriors.”

I believed him. I didn’t know much about weapons, but even I could tell that this was an impressive collection.

“So what do you mean exactly by training?” Looking at Shiv in his current shirtless state, I could tell he was in great shape. That much was obvious from his bulging biceps and the way his shoulders looked like they could knock someone sideways. And the way the muscles on his chest rippled...I forced myself to look at something else, anything else. My eyes were drawn to a strange-looking weapon that looked like a sword, but the blade looked like it would be flexible, like a whip. I walked over to where it hung, a little out of my reach. I stood up on the tips of my toes to grab the handle, but I was just too short. Shiv had walked up beside me and reached across me. He grabbed the weapon off the wall effortlessly. When he brought it down his arm brushed my side and the effect was electric. I couldn’t be sure if it was the sword he was holding or his body that had this effect on me, but it was all I could do not to touch him. I had to fight the urge to run my hands over his chest and trace his tattoos wherever they went. I looked at him, but he had the same knowing smile. He clearly was not having the same reaction to me. I exerted an impressive amount of self-control and took a step back. I reached out and took the sword from him. The hilt felt cool in my hands. It wasn’t too heavy, and I swung it around a little. The top part of the blade was solid, but it parted a little further down into two flexible whip-like ribbons.

“It’s called an
urumi
,” Shiv said, watching me. He put his hand on top of mine and guided my movements, smoothly, until I felt the rhythm. The blades undulated gently as I moved my wrist beneath Shiv’s hand. He stood very close and I could feel his breath in my ear as he spoke.

“It’s used mostly by the people of Kerala. Thousands of years ago it was used in battle, but now it’s used in
kalaripayattu
, a type of martial art.”

I had visited Kerala in the south of India when I was younger. I remembered the lush green tea estates and the beautiful mountain resorts we had visited. Each region in India had its own culture, cuisine and language. So it didn’t surprise me to find out that they must have their own art of warfare as well. I handed the
urumi
back to Shiv and moved away, trying not to let on the effect his proximity had on me.

Suddenly I remembered something from the dream. My dad had said something about a sword. One that would destroy Mahisha. But that had just been a dream, a result of my desperate desire to find my parents. I vaguely remembered my grandmother telling me about a sword that only Kali could wield, which could destroy evil. I tried to remember the rest of the dream. My dad had said something about the two of them being safe, that Mahisha couldn’t hurt them. That didn’t make any sense. It was all in my head, but on some level I felt as though it had been real, as if my dad had been trying to communicate with me. I noticed that Shiv had stopped talking and was watching me with some amusement.

“I’m sorry, Shiv. It’s just that...I had this strange dream. My dad was trying to tell me something and I don’t know what to think.” My shoulders fell and I felt exhausted once again.

“What did he tell you?”

“Just that they were safe and that I shouldn’t worry about them. He also said that I have to find a sword that will destroy Mahisha.” I looked up at him, my eyes willing him to say that it wasn’t just a dream.

“Maybe your dad is trying to communicate with you,” Shiv said. “It’s not unheard of you know, at least not in our world.”

“But how is that even possible? My dad’s a professor, how would he even know how to do that?” A part of me couldn’t help wondering, though.

“Look, Callie...I’m not sure how your dad fits into all of this, but I don’t think we should dismiss anything, no matter how far-fetched it might seem.” I nodded slowly. I really needed to find a computer. A bit of research might answer a lot of questions.

“Shiv, is there a computer I could use? I really need to let my friends know that I haven’t been kidnapped and murdered. Ben already left like twenty messages.” Shiv raised an eyebrow.

“Sure, you can use my laptop. It’s in my room. I would ask you to come there and use it, but if my mom finds us in there together, she’ll freak. Trust me, guardian or not, she’s still very old-fashioned.” I smiled as if I totally agreed that it was ridiculous, but secretly I was relieved. I didn’t really trust myself right now. If the last few hours were any indication, my brain and my body were not exactly on the same page at the moment.

We walked up the stairs together and then Shiv went into his room while I waited outside mine. He was back in a flash and handed me his laptop. I thanked him and went in, relieved to be on my own at last. I wanted to find some information before I talked to Shiv’s parents about my dream. I didn’t like being the only one in the room who had no clue about what was going on. I sat down on the bed and put the laptop in front of me. Opening the browser, I typed in “Kali’s sword” and hit search. A whole lot of results came up. I clicked on one that seemed to be informative and began to read. Most of what the article said was already familiar to me from my grandmother’s stories. I went back to the results page and clicked on another link. Still nothing new. I went through several links and had almost given up when something caught my eye. Priestesses of Kali. I’d never heard of that before. I continued to read.

The Priestesses of Kali are part of a clandestine group of female devotees of the Goddess Kali. There is evidence to support that they have been around for thousands of years. Rumors of their powers have circulated for millennia. It is believed that the original priestesses were entrusted by Kali herself to safeguard her sword in the event of her failure to destroy Mahisha. Archeologists have tried for centuries, without success, to find where the Sword of Kali may have been hidden
.