Page 164 of Tiger's Voyage

“We dragons don’t need such accessories.”

I sighed and sat down.

“I have one,” Ren said quietly from across the table. I’d been avoiding eye contact with him. Trying to ignore his presence hadn’t really worked, as I was ultra aware of him, but I’d made a good effort. Resigned, I looked up, but he’d already turned aside.

He reached into his treasure bag and pulled out a golden comb. Rising from his seat, he came around to my side of the table to set it gently near my plate, and then he abruptly left the room. I picked up the delicate treasure and wondered how I could use something this priceless to tame my unruly nest of hair. It was narrow, about the size of my hand, with long tongs. The top was carved mother-of-pearl and showed a knight on horseback slaying some kind of beast.

Kishan speared a slice of melon and said with a grin, “I kind of like it the way it is now.”

After breakfast, I followed Kishan and the dragon to the sitting room. Ren was already waiting for us. Picking up the comb, I began working on my hair as Yínbáilóng told us about the ice caves and the hidden key that we would need in order to access the Seventh Pagoda. He said the key could only be accessed by one with the blood of the gods running through his veins.

I listened with half an ear. My mind was distracted, which wasn’t good considering it would probably take all three of us to retrieve Durga’s Pearl Necklace and make it out alive. Thankfully, Kishan seemed to be paying attention. I smiled and daydreamed a little as I methodically combed my puffed up hair.

My mind drifted to another time, a balmy Indian night when Ren had combed gently through my hair. My scalp suddenly felt tingly, and I shivered slightly remembering his sweet, hesitant touch. I glanced up and found Ren intensely watching me. I blushed, wondering if he was thinking about the same thing. He quickly tore his eyes away and went back to listening to the dragon. When I’d finally tamed my hair and braided it, the three of them had come up with a plan. It was time to go.

Grabbing my bag and sliding Fanindra up my arm, I trailed Kishan, Ren, and the white dragon through an icy door. We stepped into a huge room with no furnishings. Clear ice surrounded us on every side, and the dark ocean was lit outside the cube. Strange creatures of all kinds swam lazily all around us.

“I call this room the fishbowl,” announced the white dragon.

I snorted. “Only we’re the fish.”

I wandered closer to one wall, with Kishan following. A sausageshaped diaphanous sea cucumber moved along the glass, leaving a trail. Snails and starfish also clung to the translucent wall. I looked beyond the starfish and jumped back, seeing a hatchet fish, the size of a beanbag chair, with giant glowing eye lenses and a gaping mouth.

Other types of fish made me squirm. Gulper eels with huge heads and wide jaws big enough to swallow fish larger than themselves; angler fish with big teeth and a bobbing headlight; and lantern fish with a row of tiny strobe lights running along the bottom of their bodies swam by, ready to snap at our fingers. Viper fish with curved fangs so long the fish couldn’t close its mouth, albino lobsters and crabs, colorful jellyfish, and what Yínbáilóng called vampire squid also came in for a closer look.

A huge dark shape slid past the icy box and bellowed.

“What was that?” I asked, shaken. “Please tell me that wasn’t a giant shark.”

Yínbáilóng laughed. “It was a sperm whale. They’re the only large creatures that can make it to this depth. They like to stop by for a visit once in a while.”

“Oh,” I said somewhat relieved. “Uh, exactly how deep are we?”

“Well, let’s just say, normally, you wouldn’t be able to survive here. The pressure would kill you. Fortunately, you are protected as long as you remain in my realm. Dragons can withstand any pressure. I could even survive in the Mariana Trench, the deepest trench of the ocean, though it’s not a very pleasant place to be. I much prefer the bottom half of the bathypelagic zone.”

“What’s that?” Kishan asked.

“The oceans are divided into four zones according to depth. Jnsèlóng lives in the euphotic zone, which comprises the top five hundred feet of the ocean. Plants grow there, and it’s full of a variety of marine life. He does leave, though, to seek treasure in all the zones. The mesopelagic zone is next. It doesn’t have plant life, but numerous animals still seek sustenance in its depths. That is where you find most species of shark.” The white dragon smiled at me briefly and went on.

“We are between three thousand and ten thousand feet, the bathypelagic zone, where the only large animal, like I mentioned, is the sperm whale. Food is scarce, but I provide for those who choose to share my realm. It’s feeding time soon, and that’s quite a sight to behold. Below this level is the abyssal zone, which continues on to the bottom of the ocean. There isn’t really all that much going on down there. But the Seventh Pagodaislocated in the upper part of the abyssal zone. It’s not really that much deeper than you are now, and once you reach the Ocean of Milk, you should have smooth sailing—if you’ll forgive the pun.”

I elbowed Kishan. “The Ocean of Milk? Did we talk about that already?”

Kishan leaned over and whispered, “I’ll fill you in.”

“Thanks.”

The dragon asked, “Would you like to see me feed the fish before you go?”

“If you don’t mind, dragon, we’d like to get under way,” Ren said, looking restless.

“Very well. Make sure you keep warm, my dear.”

“Umm, okay.”Note to self: next time I’m hanging out with a whitedragon at the bottom of the ocean, pay attention!

Kishan used the Scarf to make me a down parka and snow gear. He slipped the jacket over my arms and shoulders and handed me a pair of gloves so thick that they rendered my hands useless. He wrapped a scarf around my neck, and topped the whole outfit with not one, but two hats.

“Don’t you think you’ve gone a bit overboard? I feel like a snowwoman.” “It’s cold where we’re going,” Kishan explained. “And—“ “Stand back,” the dragon interrupted. “I need to take my natural form to open the doors.”