Page 152 of Tiger's Voyage

The Golden Fruit sparkled in the sunshine throwing rainbows in every direction like a disco ball. I held it by its stem and spun it, thinking about what Mr. Kadam had once told me about diamonds. He’d said that cutting and polishing them is how they become brilliant. “Huh, with all the cuts in my heart, it should be about as sparkly as you are by now,” I said as I twirled the Fruit.

I saw a twinkle in the water below, a flash of gold that grew brighter. I stared transfixed and gasped as a large golden head emerged and rose up toward me. Flashing white teeth gleamed in the sun, and a voice with the sound of clinking coins said in my mind,What a fancy bauble youhave there, my dear. Would you be interested in a trade?

22

The Golden Dragon’s Hoard

Perhaps you would allow me to introduce myself? I am Jnsèlóng, the voice said.Now what brings you and that bright, shiny, dazzling, priceless trinket to my realm?

I sighed and appraised the dragon while I tossed the Fruit from palm to palm. Its sparkling ginger eye watched the Fruit carefully as I moved it. Water dripped off its horned head. This one looked more like a water dragon. Its triangular mouth was closed but sharp white teeth overlapped its bottom lip. Its scales were made of hard golden disks that glinted in the water. The scales were variegated in tint, ranging from bright bullion, to Buddha gold, to pirate doubloon, to copper penny. The lighter colors ran along its belly while darker tones were on its back.

Instead of the horns its brothers had, Jnsèlóng had four long spikes protruding from the back of its head and a trail of smaller spikes starting at its nose and traveling along its spine. When it opened its mouth, its long red tongue rolled out and flopped to the side. It was panting while it watched me play with the Fruit, and it reminded me of a dog waiting greedily for a treat.

“We’re not really interested in trading the Fruit,” I said.

Oh. Howverydisappointing.The tongue rolled into its mouth before the golden dragon snapped its jaws shut and started to slip back into the water.

“Wait!” I shouted desperately. “Maybe you’d be interested in another kind of trade?”

The dragon halted and angled its head to peer up at me.What didyou have in mind?

“We seek information. We’re searching for Durga’s Necklace.”

I see. And … what would you give me for this information? It would haveto be something priceless. Not even your Fruit would be as valuable.

“I’m sure we’ll come up with something,” I offered dryly.

Very well. We will barter. But onmyturf.

“Where exactly is yourturf?”

My palace is beneath the waves.

“How do we get there?”

Dive off your ship with a piece of gold in your hand.

“How deep is it? How are we supposed to breathe?”

The depth will not affect you as long as you remain in my realm. Breathingwill also not be a problem in my underwater palace. But you must hold the goldtightly in your hands until you get there. Shall we meet in say … an hour?

“Fine. See you there.”

The dragon slipped beneath the waves and disappeared. I mumbled, “Great. I’ve got a date with a dragon,” and went to hunt down everybody.

I headed back to the wheelhouse and slammed open the door. Kishan and Ren abruptly stopped arguing about something. I rolled my eyes and said, “Really? Now is not the time. We’ve got a date with Jnsèlóng in less than an hour. Mr. Kadam? Are you here?”

“Just a moment.” He emerged from the back dressed in a robe and drying his hair with a towel.

“Sorry to interrupt your shower. We need three pieces of gold and something really valuable to barter. I suspect it needs to be very shiny.”

“The golden dragon?”

“Yes. We had an interesting chat not twenty feet away from these two.” I crooked my thumb over my shoulder. “So much for tiger hearing,” I accused.

Kishan managed to look sheepish, but Ren was gearing up to fight. “And where wereyou? Were you below deck like you were supposed to be?”

“No. I was on top of the wheelhouse, if you must know. And before you get on your safety soapbox, Icanprotect myself.”