Page 149 of Tiger's Voyage

“So is it a comedy or a tragedy?”

“I have no idea.”

“I’m hoping for comedy.” He took my hands in his. “I love you, Kells, and Iknowthat you love me. I feel sorry for Kishan butnotsorry enough to let him have you. I’m not going to walk away.”

I glanced up at his handsome face. “I need time.”

He sighed unhappily. “Every minute we’re apart feels like a lifetime. I can’t watch you be with him, Kelsey. It tears me apart inside.”

I let out a deep breath. “Okay, here’s the deal. Give me some space, and I’ll ask the same of Kishan. That will have to be good enough for both of you. We have two more dragons and the Seventh Pagoda to go through, and we really can’t afford any more distractions right now.”

Ren sat back and studied my face for a moment. “Alright. I’ll tolerate him. As long as he’shands off.”

“That means you keepyourhands off too.”

He gave me a hot look. “Fine.” He smiled. “But you’ll miss me.”

“Did I ever tell you that you have an arrogant streak a mile wide?”

He got up and walked around to my side of the table, pulled me to my feet, and kissed me softly, a drowning, luxurious, knee-buckling kiss, and then took a step back. “That’s just a little something to remember me by.”

He left, and I pressed my hand against the wall to steady myself.Holy Hannah, that man is dangerous.I tried to shake off my reaction to him before I headed upstairs, but my rebellious thoughts kept dwelling on Ren.

When I regained the use of my legs, I sought out Kishan. I finally found him on the sundeck, standing at the bow.

“There you are.”

He didn’t respond.

“Kishan?” I touched his shoulder. “Kishan? How did you get out here all by yourself? Did Ren bring you?” He stared straight ahead out over the ocean.

I shook his arm. “Kishan? Talk to me. Are you okay? What’s going on?”

He turned his head slowly, eerily, like a zombie from a horror film. His face was devoid of expression. Orange flames burned in his black eyes. “A storm is coming,” he said in a low voice not his own. “I will prepare the way. Go. Warn the others.”

We both looked ahead at the sea, and I saw the sky had turned gray. Dark clouds were rolling in, and waves were cresting against the boat. A stiff wind blew over my skin. It was cold and smelled like rain.

“I’ll be right back,” I assured him. “Don’t go anywhere.”

He didn’t react to my comment. I turned around and ran up the stairs.

“Ren! Mr. Kadam!” I barreled into the wheelhouse and met Ren’s chest with my face.

He grabbed my shoulders. “What is it? What happened?”

Between breaths, I panted, “It’s Kishan. He’s in oracle mode. He’s standing at the bow and saying a storm is coming. I think he’s going to guide us through it.”

“Alright, you help Nilima. I’ll go check on him.”

Ren left as Mr. Kadam emerged from the back room. “A storm, is it?”

I was explaining what had happened to Kishan when Ren returned. “Kishan’s not there. He’s missing. I’m going to sniff him out. Stay here. I mean it.”

“I get the message. Go find him already.”

Mr. Kadam moved to the controls and began pushing buttons. I walked to the window. If the sea looked foreboding before, it was worse now. The gray clouds had turned black and were violently pushing and shoving each other back and forth like giant sumo wrestlers smacking and thundering together. Rain fell in fat drops and hit the window with the noise of a thousand drums. The waves pushed the ship back and forth angrily.

Ren stuck his head into the wheelhouse. Soaked through, rivulets ran from his hair down his neck and into his sopping shirt. “He’s on top of the wheelhouse,” he shouted over the storm. “We need to tie him down! He’s not responding to me, and he won’t hold onto anything!”