Time & Fate (The Hand of Kali #3) (The Hand of Kali Series) by T.G. Ayer

Author:T.G. Ayer [Ayer, T.G.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Infinite Ink Books
Published: 2015-09-15T23:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 25

He was flying down the stairs and through to the back of the palace, along corridors that blurred into themselves until he reached a garden at the back of the palace that was twice the size of the one out front.

The expanse of green lawn stopped only when it reached a thick stand of trees; her host's destination. He dove within the trees, slapping palm fronds aside as he searched for something.

He didn't stop until he found what he was looking for.

For a moment Maya was frustrated as her host lifted his face and stared up at the snippet of sky high above them. But when he blinked away hot tears, she sensed something terrible was about to happen.

Her host looked down and Maya's gaze fell upon the tiger. It lay dead on the grass that carpeted the little jungle.

And now Maya knew why the creature had stared at him, why it hadn't fled the sight of a man with an arrow.

Noises behind them urged the man to turn and glare angrily at Bana, whose face was a few shades darker from his exertions. He'd walked all the way there. Imagine that.

He stood watching, ice in his eyes, a strip of gold glinting in his hand. Her host's attention focused on Bana's hand and Maya recognized the strap. A golden animal collar.

"Why?" The shout was filled with grief and Maya knew then that the animal had meant more to the man than just being a part of his garden. He cared for the tiger. And the loss struck deeply.

Bana flung the collar and Maya followed it as it flew in the air and landed beside the tiger's lifeless paw.

"Why? Because you need to know what treachery feels like. You killed a pet, but it's just like killing someone that you care about. Like friends or family. It's exactly what those closest to you have done to you all these years. They've lulled you into believing they cared for you, that they had your best interest at heart, but in truth all they wanted was to control you. In the end, they always betrayed you." Bana snorted, then began to pace the grass, his leather shoes passing so close to the corpse of the tiger that Maya almost flinched.

"Malik did nothing to me. He was only ever my friend." Maya's host spoke, his tone harsh as he turned his gaze from Bana to his pet. Visions filled Maya's mind.

A little boy running wildly through waist high grass, a tiger cub close on his heels, bouncing around behind him like a live-wire.

Laughter rippled beneath Maya's skin and she sensed a happiness in those memories that her host seemed to yearn for.

Bana laughed harshly, the sound pulling Maya straight from her host's memories as he turned to face the older man. Maya could feel his fingers curl as rebellion filled his heart, fury and grief melding to push him to a dangerous edge.

"He was merely an animal. He would have given you up in the end.

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