Page 20 of Tiger's Voyage

He nodded.

“If that drink was a gift for Kishan, what was it?” Ren asked.

Phet leaned back in his chair and, with an odd expression on his face, said, “Soma.”

Kishan began coughing violently and Ren froze.

“What’ssoma?” I asked.

Ren turned to me. “Somais the Hindu version of ambrosia. It’s the drink of the gods. In the modern worldsomais also a hallucinogenic.”

“Oh.”

Phet grunted. “Mysomano dream.”

“Does that mean he becomes a god?” I asked Phet.

The brothers were staring at Phet too.

He just shrugged his shoulders. “Phet not know everything, only some thing. Now gift other one.”

He picked a jar from his shelf that had a sticky, clear, pink substance in it.

“You, white tiger, sit here.”

He directed Ren to sit in the middle of the room and lean his head back. Then he scooped up a palm full of the pink goo and smeared it into Ren’s hair. Ren stood up immediately.

“No! No! Phet no done. Sit, tiger!”

Ren sat and Phet hummed as he scooped another palmful and slicked Ren’s hair back with it. Soon his entire head was covered with the sticky stuff, and Phet began massaging it into Ren’s scalp like a bizarre hairdresser. Kishan leaned his chair back to watch with a mocking grin on his face. Ren seemed irritable. I couldn’t help but laugh at him, which made him scowl even harder.

“What is this supposed to do?” he asked Phet warily.

Phet completely ignored him and was now clawing through Ren’s hair like a monkey looking for nits. Blobs of pink stuff coated every inch of his scalp. Finally, Phet announced he was finished.

“Now time sleep.”

“You expect me to sleep like this?”

“Yes. All night time sleep. Witness what take place mornings.”

“Great.”

Kishan laughed outright. Phet went to the sink to wash his hands. Ren stared at me with sullen unhappiness, like a wet dog with soap on his hair sitting in a tub staring moodily at the master who put him there. I stifled a giggle and had the Scarf make a towel. He sat there with his arms folded and a scowl on his handsome face. I approached him with the towel as a giant blob of the stuff dropped onto his nose and slid off onto his cheek.

“Here, let me help. I’ll try not to touch you.”

He nodded, which caused another blob to start making its way down his neck. I grabbed my comb and drew it through his black hair, slicking it all back from his face and collecting the excess goo in the towel. When that was done, I summoned another towel, wet it, and cleaned the back of his neck, his ears, and then his face, starting at his hairline, moving down his nose, and across his cheeks.

I was gentle but thorough. As I slowly swiped the towel across Ren’s cheek, I absently stroked his skin with my thumb. Something inside me switched on. A tender emotion slowly rose to the surface of my mind. My hand trembled, and I froze. The room had become silent. All I could hear was the hitch in my breathing as my heart began to beat faster.

I felt him cup my wrist, and slowly, I shifted my gaze to his eyes. He stared into mine with a tender smile. I lost myself in his eyes until he softly said, “Thank you.”

Abruptly, I pulled the towel away, and he let go of my wrist. I saw him rubbing his fingers with his thumb.How long was I staring at him likean idiot?It must have burned him terribly. Quickly, I lowered my gaze and stepped away. Everyone was watching me now. I turned my back on them and arranged the bed. By the time I turned back around, I’d composed myself.

I smiled brightly. “Phet’s right. It’s time for bed.”

Phet clapped his hands. “Kahl-see in house. Tiger outside. Phet,” he grinned, “with Scarf.”