The Silver Anklet (8 page)

The trees crowded in, trying to crush her. The heat pushed down with an invisible fist. She dropped down on all fours and crawled, trying not to scream for help. Sharp stones bit into her palms. Something soft squished under her knee, releasing a foul odour. She tried not to think about it as she scuttled on. This was a mistake, a huge mistake. She should have stayed with the others. She was never going to find her way home. “Help,” she sobbed softly, “Please God, help me …”

Only the mosquitoes answered her, buzzing hungrily around her head.

Bushes rustled up ahead. Leaves crackled. Tara jumped to her feet. Arms outstretched, she ran headlong into a tree and smacked her forehead hard against it.

“Stupid, stupid tree!” she said, rubbing her aching forehead.

“Tsk, tsk, Tara,” said a soft voice. “Such bad language from your mouth the first time we meet after so long?”

Tara stopped. Turned round. The heat had vanished once more, replaced by a chill. The shadows shivered as the hint of a breeze flitted past. She scanned the trees around her. Who was it? The darkness seemed lighter somehow.

But why … she could see no one, no source of light.

“What? No words of welcome for an old friend?” said the voice, a bit louder now. “We've been waiting so long to see you. Bring me closer, Kali.”

It was like she'd been struck by lightning. Kali and a voice she knew … a voice she'd heard before. One she'd been expecting, but hoped never to hear again in her lifetime.

Kali stepped out from behind a tree, her face tinted by a red glow. She carried something very carefully, but it was hard to make out what exactly it was.

The chill trickled down to her toes, reached her numb fingers, and climbed all the way to her scalp. Kali placed the mysterious item on the ground and stepped back. Tara finally got a good look. It was an urn and she knew where she had seen it before. She screamed silently, her body thrumming with the urge to flee, to run far, far away. Kali grinned at her and it was like old times. Something really bad was about to happen.

Tara forced herself to stand still. She opened her mouth. No words came out of her parched throat. She swallowed, tried again.

“Zarku?”

“Ahhh, she remembers,” said Zarku. “Bring her to me, Kali. I want her to take a good look at what she's done.”

Kali moved toward Tara and she involuntarily stepped back. Kali's hand shot out, imprisoned Tara's wrist in a tight grip and jerked her toward the urn. A smell of burned flesh hung in the air. Tara gagged.

“You're alive,” said Tara. Her heart fluttered in her chest. “How is that possible?”

“
Barely
, thanks to you and your interfering grandfather.” The red glow dimmed and brightened as Zarku spoke. Tara had a sudden urge to kick the urn high into the air, see it fall and smash to smithereens. But the thought of that evil presence floating in the air around her, having to inhale
him,
made her shudder. The urge passed.

“What do you want,” said Tara.

“Revenge,” said Zarku.

Tara's insides quivered. “Never!” she said. “As soon as I get Prabala, we'll finish you for good this time. You'll never ever come back to trouble us again.”

The urn rocked back and forth with Zarku's maniacal laughter. Tara clapped her hands over her ears.

“You don't scare me,” she said. “You're nothing but a pile of ashes with a voice. And I don't think this buffalo will be able to keep up with me if I decide to run.”

Kali sucked in her breath audibly, but said nothing.

“Oh, I won't try and stop you, Tara,” said Zarku.

“You're free to go. Know that if and when you come back with that fool of a healer, there won't be anyone left to rescue. I will kill them all.”

Her stomach twisted painfully. He was as mad and bloodthirsty as ever.

“You've already killed an innocent child,” yelled Tara. “And now you're going to kill more? Why? What harm have they done to you?”

“All in good time, Tara,” said Zarku. “If I tell you everything now, I'll ruin the surprise I have for you. It's
such
a nice one.”

Tara knew she'd hate it. “Where is Suraj?” she asked.

“Come with me and I'll show you.”

“Do I have a choice?” said Tara.

“Oh, you always have a choice,” said Zarku. “The question is will you be able to bear the consequences of the choice you make?”

Tara stared at him. What did he mean by that?

Why was he talking in riddles? Should she call his bluff and run? Tara glanced at Kali who glared back at her malevolently. The darkness looked so much more desirable right now; she'd gladly face that than Zarku. Tara stood still, thoughts blowing in her head like leaves in a storm, first one way then the other.

“Just so you know,” said Zarku. “I hate waiting. It makes me cranky.”

Tara closed her eyes, stilled the storm raging inside of her and made her decision.

“I'll go with you,” said Tara staring straight at the urn. “But you have to promise me that the children will be unharmed. Even my friends. Promise me now!”

Zarku cackled and Kali joined in. “This girl thinks she can make me promise things,” said Zarku. “Ahhh, Tara, you are so brave and so stupid. I'm
really
going to miss you.”

Another painful jolt. Black spots danced before her eyes. She refused to let herself think about what he meant by that. Not now. Right now she had to focus on rescuing her brother and her friends.

Kali scooped up the urn gingerly and started back toward the temple. Tara followed, dreading the look on everyone's face when they saw her.

The moment Tara stepped out of the forest, Ananth's face tightened. Kabir looked accusingly at her, Raani looked relieved, and Vayu refused to meet her eye. They had all suffered; teeth marks and rivulets of dried blood adorned their arms and legs.

Kali shoved her toward the others and disappeared into the temple with the urn. The hyenas, snapping at her ankles, herded her toward her friends.

“I
told
you to run,” said Ananth. His expression was livid. “You never listen to anyone, do you?”

“I tried,” said Tara. “But I had to come back.”

“Why? Because you couldn't outrun that buffalo?” said Kabir. “You were our only hope, Tara. And now you've let us all down.”

“I'll explain later,” said Tara as soon as she saw Kali return with a lantern.

“Where are the children?” asked Tara. “I want to see them. He promised.”

Kali's laughter echoed around them and a bird from a nearby tree flew up in alarm. “I don't remember any such promise,” she said. “But maybe if you were to ask me politely ...”

“Who is
he
?” asked Ananth, looking from Kali to Tara. “What is she talking about?”

Tara ignored him. “
Please
can I see Suraj and Sadia?” she repeated.

“No,” said Kali. “Maybe tomorrow. I'm tired and I need to sleep. Thanks to you lot, tonight is completely ruined. Now follow me.”

Tara wanted to lash out at that swaying backside in front of her. She remembered the time when Suraj had placed a lizard on Kali's back and made her dance in the middle of the road. They had laughed till their sides ached, but right now the thought of it made her want to cry.

The hyenas hustled them along, growling at their heels. It was a bit cooler in the temple and the chance to get out of the heat and the mosquitoes was a huge relief.

Kali led the way deeper into the abandoned temple, expertly navigating sharp turns through a labyrinth of damp corridors. Her lantern illuminated the ivy and creepers climbing the walls in lush abandon. Slimy green sections of moss-covered stone slid past, and the air had a closed, musty smell.

“Pay attention,” whispered Ananth.

He and Kabir looked around, trying to memorize the route. Vayu looked straight ahead and Raani could not take her eyes off the floor that had many a slippery patch and was littered with debris from the forest.

Kali stopped in front of a set of heavy wooden doors that gaped open. “Get inside,” she said. “Hurry! I don't have all night.”

They filed into the room silently. It was like walking into a deep, dark cave that had no end. What if something horrible awaited them? But there was nothing there and Tara breathed a sigh of relief.

Kali followed them inside. The insipid light of the lantern revealed an empty room with drifts of dead leaves in the corners. A rotting smell lingered in the room as if something had died in here recently. Thick creepers climbed the walls toward the ceiling, covering every inch of surface. Other than that the room was completely bare.

“I'll be back in the morning,” said Kali. “Do make yourselves comfortable.”

“Can't you let us see the children just once?” said Kabir. “Have you no pity at all?”

“No,” said Kali. “Anything else?”

“You're not human,” said Tara. “Don't forget, we've looked after Layla like she was our sister. Thank God she didn't have you around or she'd have been just as bad.”

Kali smiled. “If you only knew what Layla is capable of. She's
my
daughter and always will be. I'm proud of her!”

“What do you mean by that?” said Tara. Her nerves tingled and a thought nagged at her. “Layla was following your orders when she lured Suraj and Rohan toward the hyenas, right?”

“Right,” said Kali. “My daughter follows instructions very well.”

“But how did you manage to get the message to her? Did you come to Morni …?” Tara was burning with curiousity. How had Kali managed to slip unseen past all the villagers?

“Never mind,” said Kali. She had been watching Tara closely, her smile broader. “I'm sure you'll figure it out eventually. You were always such a
smart
girl.”

Tara looked at Kali in disgust. Layla was turning out to be a replica of her mother and if they were somehow still in touch, who knew what they'd be capable of. She cursed herself silently. If only she had trusted her instincts, none of this would have happened. She had always known Layla was bad; that they should have turned her out of the village with Kali. When she got back home, it was the first thing she would take care of.

“I'd rather the hyenas finished you off right now,” said Kali. “Save us all a lot of trouble. But what can I say? I'm just following orders.” She yawned in their faces and walked out, taking the lantern with her. As the doors closed, the last thing they saw was her pale face with its cruel smile.

Raani immediately rounded on Vayu as soon as the doors banged shut.

“Vayu, you fool!” she said. “If it hadn't been for you, we would have rescued Suraj and Sadia and would have been on our way home by now. You've ruined it for all of us! God knows why any one would name you after the wind … you should have been named after something big and dumb!”

“I thought you said you knew this part of the forest well,” said Kabir. “And a
plant
scared you?”

Ananth maintained a disapproving silence as he prowled around the room, examining it.

“I'm so sorry,” said Vayu, softly. “With all that talk about Zarku returning, I was a little … um … spooked. I'm really sorry.” His shoulders slumped. Tara's heart went out to him.

“That's enough,” said Tara. “Vayu did not give us away deliberately. I think we should all just let it go.

There's nothing wrong with being a little scared.”

“You should know,” said Kabir, his voice like a whiplash. “You couldn't outrun a middle-aged woman and were too scared to brave the dark and go back to Morni for help. You both make a great pair.”

Tara wanted to retort with something equally hurtful, but held her tongue. They hadn't a clue about how much trouble they were in. Till she explained it to them, they would continue to believe that she was a coward. And she wasn't. She wasn't!

“I came back for all of you,” said Tara quietly. “If I hadn't, he would have killed you all.”

“Who?” asked Ananth. “Don't tell me you're still clinging on to that silly idea —”

“Zarku,” Tara cut in. “I saw him and spoke to him.”

Raani clasped her hands. Kabir and Vayu exchanged glances.

“You're lying,” said Ananth.

“Have I ever lied to you?” said Tara.

“What did he look like?” asked Ananth. “Does he still have that … third eye?”

“He's in the urn. The one Lord Yama sealed his ashes in,” said Tara. “Somehow Kali got her hands on it. That was what she was carrying when we came back from the forest.”

“He can't do much from an urn,” said Kabir. “We can still escape and run.”

“Have you forgotten the children?” asked Tara. “He probably captured them to get us here, especially
me
!”

“So what's he going to do?”asked Kabir. “Did he tell you?”