The Silver Anklet (24 page)

Zara, what did you make me do
? said Tara weeping silently.

There was still no answer.

“Scared?” said Kali, a triumphant smile on her face.

Tara wiped her eyes and faced Kali defiantly. “No. You?”

“Liar,” said Kali. “Finally you get what you deserve. I will be cheering him on!”

Tara had no words in retaliation. Didn't have the energy, either. They had won; evil had won in the end … In the centre of the room, Zarku, all cleaned up and wearing fresh clothes, sat cross-legged on the muslin cloth spread out in the middle of the room. He struck a match.

The flare lit up the urn that was so familiar to Tara by now. Beside it lay a heap of silvery wood cut up into small pieces, and the gleaming dagger, its blade now spotless.

Chanting under his breath, Zarku lit the end of one of the sticks of wood and dropped it into the urn. The flame caught and an orange-red glow emanated from within. Zarku added another and yet another sliver of wood. The fire burned brighter, leaping toward the black ceiling.

Zarku picked up the dagger and held the blade over the flames. It glowed a blinding white, and then as she watched, it turned black. As black as the walls around her.

He looked up at Tara, the red of the fire reflected in his eyes. She held her breath. He crooked his little finger and beckoned to her.

“It is time.”

— twenty-two —
The Last Wish

T
he world spun crazily. Only when Tara's lungs were bursting for air did she realize she had been holding her breath.

“Come,” Zarku repeated. He licked his lips, and they gleamed, red and wet.

Tara found herself moving toward him, her eyes riveted to that black blade with its silver handle inlaid with red rubies. The dagger was too big for his hand and yet he held it with such ease.

“Please,” said Tara. “Don't do this.”

“Stop this stupidity, Tara. I have waited months for this moment and nothing can stop me. Come closer.”

Tara took a step toward him, every muscle, every nerve straining against it.

“Closer,” he whispered. “Don't make me come there.” His eyes glowed red and his forehead pulsed, as if some large insect just under his skin were trying to tear through it.

Tara walked right up to him, feeling the heat from the urn rise up between them. “What are you going to do?” asked Tara. There was a dagger in his hand and there she was. It was very clear, but still, she wanted to hear it from him. She was so scared, she was numb.

“Just a quick stab to your chest, I cut out your heart while it is still beating and …”

“And then?”

“I eat it.” Zarku held her gaze, his eyes alight with excitement.

“No!” Tara wrapped her arms around her. “Never!”

The thought of her beating heart in the hands of this evil soul made it race at triple speed. She took a step back, then another. Even the chasm would be a better fate than this.

“You didn't let me finish,” said Zarku sternly. “I'll only take a tiny bite. The rest goes into the urn as an offering to my Lord. Your heart in the urn that held me — for an eternity.”

She could think of nothing, see nothing but her heart carved up by that night-black blade. She had to delay this, keep him talking. She searched for something, anything, however stupid it might be, to stay Zarku's hand. She took a deep breath.

“How … how does that help you?” asked Tara. “You're making a huge mistake killing an innocent person.”

“You? Innocent?” Zarku laughed. He raised the dagger.

“Wait,” said Tara. “What happens to Suraj and Sadia after I am gone? Surely you'll let them live. I'm not sacrficing myself in vain.”

“Ahhh, I knew you'd ask that.”

“Promise me they'll both be safe,” Tara. “Promise me that you will take them back home.”

“I make no such promises.”

“Surely you're not scared that two children will ruin your evil plans?” said Tara, trying to inject scorn into her shaking voice. “You owe me this at the very least.” She bit down on the fear that ran rampant within, turning her insides to mush.

Zarku looked at her steadily. “You've been a good sport, Tara,” he said, “and a worthy opponent. I'm in a generous mood so I'll grant you one last wish. Ask for anything but your life — that's mine.”

It's better than nothing
, thought Tara. This was her chance to ask for the children's lives. He would keep his word and take them back home safely. She'd have kept her promise to Kabir and Suraj would live. Yes, that was it.

No, Tara don't ask for that. Ask that he allow you to
hug him. He needs to know, to feel, that I'm here.

“What?” screamed Tara, hating Zara at that moment, with her silences and crazy advice.

“Are you deaf?” said Zarku. He glared at her. “I said you have one last wish. Act funny and I'll cut your heart out without a moment's delay.”

Zara, I have this one chance to save my brother and
you're asking me to
hug
your son? No, I can't do that.

I listened to you once and that almost cost Suraj a limb.

Don't do this again. Please!

Hug him. Now!
Zara used the firmest voice she had ever used with Tara
. You've failed me once already and
you saw the consequence of that.

Hug this monster? You're mad, Zara, I couldn't even
bear to touch him.

“At last,” whispered Kali. “Justice.” Her lips curved into a smile.

Trust me, Tara. Do it, now.

Tara's clothes stuck to her. Sweat poured into her eyes, blinding her, and her head ached viciously. What if she was making a terrible mistake? This was Zarku's mother. Of course she would want to embrace her son through Tara. But how would that save her brother and Sadia? Could she trust her?

On this one decision rested three lives.

— twenty-three —
The Evil Doubles

“
I'm waiting,” said Zarku.

Tara was mesmerized by the bead of sweat trickling down his pulsing forehead. In a short while, Zarku would be in another, more powerful body. She had to act now.

“But of course if you'd rather just get this over with,” Zarku continued, “I don't mind at all. I want to finish this quickly, too. I've been in this miserable little body for far too long.”

“I'd like to give you a hug.”

Zarku's mouth fell open, all other expression wiped clean from his face. Without thinking about it or waiting for Zarku's permission, Tara embraced him.

She felt a powerful, agonizing surge within her, as if everything inside had been ripped from their moorings and was trying to burst out of her body. She closed her eyes and focused on Suraj, his innocent face, the games they'd played, his fun-loving spirit, and all the love she felt for him.

Zarku squirmed in her grasp, fighting her, trying to throw her off.

Don't let him go, Tara. Not yet.

Tara hugged him harder, tighter, holding that writhing body to her, hoping her brother would remember his sister's touch. The pain almost ripped her apart, but she held on.

“I feel something within you, something strong,” screamed Zarku. “You're possessed. What are you trying to do? LET ME GO!”

He wrenched himself from her grasp and pushed her away, breathing hard. “Don't you dare touch me again!”

“Your mother told me to do that,” said Tara. She watched his face shadowed with fear.

Zarku sucked in his breath. “LIAR! My mother died when she gave birth to me. She's gone, forever.”

“She's very much here, within me,” said Tara. She lifted the hem of her shalwar. “Do you remember this anklet?”

It sparkled in the firelight. Zarku gazed at it, tiny pinpoints of silver now reflected in his eyes. His hard expression melted. His lips trembled. He dropped the dagger and fell at Tara's feet. He reached out and caressed the anklet.

“That … that belongs to my mother.” He looked up at her, his eyes glistening. “I thought I had lost it forever. How did you get it?”

His fingers closed over the anklet. Tara jerked her foot away.

“That night at the temple when you caught me,” said Tara. “You threw me against the pole and it fell into the folds of my shawl. I've had it ever since.”

“This was the last of my mother's possessions. You stole it from me— thief!” Zarku beat his fist on the ground. “I looked all over for it, but never could find it. Give it to me right now or I'll cut your foot off and take it.”

“She's in me right now,” said Tara. “That was what you felt when you hugged me. She has a message for you.”

Zarku's expression softened and Tara allowed a wisp of hope to linger. The next moment he grabbed the dagger off the floor. “Enough! I should have cut your heart out already. You think I'll spare you because you hugged me and told me lies about my mother? All you've done is waste your last wish.”

Tara found herself speaking without really knowing what she was going to say. The moment she heard the words, she knew it was Zara speaking through her. And it hurt.

“My son, Tara is telling the truth. I am here. I have
been with Tara all this while, watching you.”

Zarku took a step back. “No, it can't be. You're playing games with me by changing your voice, Tara. Stop it, STOP IT!”

“
Only you can stop what you set in motion
,” said Zara.

Zara's voice was deeper than Tara's. It made her shudder to hear it come out of her own mouth, to say things that she was not even thinking about. Her insides were icy. It felt like someone was twisting them … the pain was unbearable, but she didn't want to stop Zara.

Not until she had gotten through to her son.

“I am so ashamed at what you've done, what you've
become.”

Zarku was listening intently. His hands hung limply by his sides.

Go closer to him, Tara
, Zara silently instructed.

Tara moved closer so that she was looking down at him. Zarku stared up at her, the anger and madness gone from his eyes.

“I'm sorry,” he said. “But if you knew how I'd been treated. How everyone made fun of me.”

“I know all that, but have you ever stopped to think
that God might have given you that third eye for wisdom?

Just like the one he gave Lord Shiva? Why did you think it
was a deformity?”

“Even Father hated me,” he said.

“You mustn't blame him too much,”
said Zara.
“He
was grieving for me.”

“Where did that leave me?” yelled Zarku. “How could you expect me to love when all I received was hate?”

“I loved you,”
said Zara.
“And I still do.”

Zarku stared into the fire that was burning low.

Absently, he added another sliver of wood from the pile.

Let this work
, prayed Tara.
Let him give up this mad plan.

Zarku walked away without a word. He went to the opposite wall and laid his cheek against it as if listening to something. Could Zara really have gotten through to him?

Kali had been silent all this while. “Is Zarku's mother really inside you or are you just trying to be clever?” she asked.

Tara gave her the ugliest look she could muster.

Tara, tell her that the only reason she had a husband
is because her father bought her one. She's a pathetic old
woman, doomed to unhappiness in life and in death.

Tara repeated what Zara had just said and watched Kali turn white. “You're lying! And what do you mean by ‘in death.' I'm not going to die. You are.”

“Zara told me,” said Tara. “And I think it's true.”

That shut Kali up for the moment.

Zarku came back to Tara. His cheeks were wet and his eyes glistened. Had Zara got through to him? Was he actually feeling sorry for what he had done? A minute ticked by, as Tara watched, waiting for him to speak first.

Zarku burst into laughter.

“That was good, Tara,” he said. “That was really, really good. For a moment there you almost had me fooled. But enough. Let's get on with the ritual.”

“It's the truth,” said Tara. “You've got to believe me.”

“Zarku!”
said Zara. Her voice was like a whiplash.
“Enough!”

Zarku stared at Tara. The dagger slipped from his hand and clattered to the floor.

“Listen to me. You will leave Suraj right now. You
still have a chance to save your spirit from roaming the
Underworld eternally. Let me help you.”

“What are you asking me to do, Mother?”

“That you give up all hope of power, a new body, life,
too. It's time to die my son, it's time to sleep.”