Page 147 of Tiger's Voyage

“We are. I mean, I’m not mad. If I was in Ren’s shoes, I would have tried to kiss you too. It’s not your fault.”

“Oh. Well … that’s not exactly—”

“Shh. It doesn’t matter. You don’t have to tell me. The important thing is … you’re with me now.”

“I really think we need to talk about what happened at some point.”

“We will, but let’s just focus on Durga’s Necklace for now. Everything’s going to work out okay. I feel it.” He smiled. “Hey, maybe that oracle thing’s starting to work for me.”

“Oh, yeah?” I laughed quietly. “Well, it looks good on you.”

“Thank you.” He ran a hand up my back and kneaded my shoulder.

I let out a pent-up breath and let him rub my shoulders for a while. “Have I told you lately that you’re just too good for me?”

He laughed and said nothing but pressed a kiss on my forehead and stared at the wall with his black eyes. I rested against him and wrapped an arm around his waist.

I spent the rest of the day with Kishan, taking care of him. We walked the deck, I read to him, and even fed him grapes as he teased me about being his harem girl, but we didn’t speak about the green dragon’s island. I also avoided looking into his black eyes because I feared that if he looked closer he would see into my soul and find out that my heart had betrayed him.

I felt immensely guilty over my relationship with both brothers. Ren knew how to push my buttons well enough that I could shove the feelings to the back of my mind, but Kishan was so patient and sweet, the guilt rose up until my heart was swallowed in billows as black as his sightless orbs. That evening I told him the stories of the blind oracles and began to cry quietly, but he just held me and wiped away the tears until I fell asleep.

When I awoke, Ren was carrying me to my own room.

At first, I snuggled against him, felt him press his lips against my cheek, and all was right with the world. Then I became semiconscious. “What are you doing?” I hissed.

“There isnoneed for you to be sleeping in his room. I’ll watch over him tonight, andyoucan sleep in your own bed.”

“Put me down,” I whispered angrily. “You’re not in charge of my life. Kishan happens to be my boyfriend, and he’s sick. If I want to stay in his room, I will.”

“You … will … not.”

He kissed me briefly and hard and dropped me on the bed. I started to get up but he turned around, crossed his arms, and gave me a look that made me freeze.

“Kelsey … if you get out of that bed I will have to do something drastic, and you won’t like it. Sodon’ttempt me.”

He shut the door softly behind him, and I threw a pillow at it just to make a point. I stewed for an hour until I was finally able to drift off again, this time with a smile on my face as I imagined using the Scarf to dangle Ren in front of the kraken, but then in my dreamIbecame the kraken and wrapped my tentacles around him, pulled him into my eternal purple embrace, and stole away with him to a murky cavern in the depths of the ocean.

After I shook off the effects of my dream the next morning, I checked on Kishan. Quietly, I peeked in and saw Ren ordering his breakfast. He handed the plate to Kishan with a fork, told him where everything was, and then sat back and picked up a book of poetry. I opened the door wider, and they both looked up—Kishan moving his face toward the sound of the door.

Kishan sat up and patted the spot on the bed next to him. “Kelsey? Want to help me out with breakfast?”

“You were eating just fine before she came in. She’s not a nurse, and you’re not an invalid,” Ren spat out.

I glared. “Stop being a jerk. If he wants me to help him, I will.”

“No. If heneedshelp,I’lldo it!”

Ren yanked the plate of food away from Kishan and started shoving forkfuls of eggs into his brother’s mouth.

“Hey! She’s a lot more gentle,” he choked out between bites. “And she doesn’t spill cold, wet stuff into my lap!” Kishan picked up something and mashed it between his fingers. “What is it?”

I laughed despite my anger with Ren. “It’s fruit. Looks like pineapple.”

“Oh.” Kishan scooped up the pieces and flicked them toward Ren, who smacked his brother upside the head in retaliation. “Did you sleep well?”

I smirked at Ren before answering. “Yes. I dreamed I fed Ren to the kraken.”

A grinning Kishan said, “Good.”