by T. G. Ayer
But, despite his lack of movement, Maya could sense his emotions, of which there were a tumultuous tangle; frustration, a burning anger, and a sense of self-importance that seemed to color his every thought.
He was beginning to seem more of an asshole the longer Maya remained stuck within his body and privy to his feelings.
What she really wanted to do was to swivel around and get a better look at the man sitting on top of the elephant. She was still in shock at the sight of the white elephant and couldn't help wondering if it was an albino, an anomaly or mutation, or if it was an entirely different species.
And the man on the elephant's back stirred Maya's curiosity even more. A darkness seemed to emanate from him, a sense of deep simmering blackness that had nothing to do with his coal-dark skin, a darkness that made Maya want to shiver right down to her bones.
Was he the father of her host?
It certainly seemed he had some kind of hold on the man whose body Maya was possessing. He'd wanted his approval, that much was clear. But Maya had also sensed a dissatisfaction and a touch of resentment in his need for that approval.
But why? It would make sense if he was the father since respect for one's elders had long been a strong Indian trait. And, that brought Maya back to the most important question: where in God's name was she?
Indian yes, modern no.
She was stuck somewhere in the past, probably in the Indian sub-continent. It didn't take a genius to figure that out.
Now, if only this damned host would look up she'd be able to get a better sense of her environment. Something deep within the pit of her stomach told her that when she finally did find out where she was, that she wasn't going to like it one bit.
Stupid instinct was probably right.
The ride seemed interminable, the heat penetrating Maya's lungs like an insidious python, lazy and suffocating. Her host's head popped up at last and he lifted a hand, the movement a weak wave, but it must have meant something to someone because within seconds a large tray seemed to rise beside the rolling camel, laden with food and a fat golden goblet covered with glittering gems.
Maya made a face as her host reached for the drink. Why the heck would anyone want to drink from something covered in jewels? It seemed weird and a little bit wrong.
Her host didn't mind very much. He drank deeply and Maya began to feel a sense of satiation.
And then she blinked.
Every emotion and every physical reaction she experienced was courtesy of this anonymous individual within whose body she remained trapped.
Maya gritted her teeth and then forced herself to relax. She had to wait this out. Kali would have had a good reason to leave her here without telling her a single thing.
The camel moved far too slowly, and only when Maya's head threatened to explode from heat and boredom, did her host lift his head to gaze out at the countryside.
The sky was strikingly blue and bright with the midday sunshine. They traveled along a dusty road, but its neat edges and flat surface implied it was well taken care of. The road cut a path through a thick jungle where trees and bush leaned towards them, almost reaching out to grab hold of them.
Every now and then, bright patches of sky peered down at them from within the high canopy, and the calls of dozens of animals filled the air. Had this been some kind of safari or holiday adventure Maya might have appreciated it more, but as it stood she remained in limbo.
Soon, they left the thick jungle and the procession moved slowly toward a brilliant green valley, where a glassy lake took possession of the land. At the side of the expanse of water sat a magnificent white palace, surrounded by a silvery moat fed by the lake.
It rose like something out of a fantasy story, domed spires, carved filigree screens, columned towers and high walls guarded by a regiment of archers and armed guards, weapons drawn.
Not so serene after all, then.
Chapter 24
Peacocks called all around Maya, and she found her attention settling on the gardens within the palace wall where the proud feathered males strutted, fanning out their shimmering blue-green tails, preening to an enamored audience of dull brown hens.
The birds made up for the sobriety of the guards, but Maya paid only brief attention as she winced against the bright sunlight.
Up ahead, a wide stone bridge spanned a river of rushing water. The camel's feet hit the stone surface of the bridge with a series of dull thuds, followed closely by the elephant which lumbered along behind them in no apparent hurry. The impact of its gigantic feet sent ripples of thunder through the stone.
The procession slowed and Maya, or rather her host, looked down at the gathered servants lined up on either side of the door, in expectation of it opening. Then, Maya's host lifted his gaze in the direction of the giant golden gate that blocked the entrance to the palace grounds, and she sucked in a shocked breath. The door, rising thirty feet into the air and covered in a layer of gleaming gold, was a weapon in itself.
Gigantic metal spikes stuck out of the door from twenty feet high all the way to the bottom. The deadly tips glistened, each sharpened to such a fine point they were very nearly invisible.
The gates opened slowly, a deep grinding emanating from somewhere within the twenty-foot-thick walls. The doors shuddered as they opened and the grandeur of the gates made Maya feel small and insignificant. But the camel started its loping walk again and Maya immediately forgot about everything except how much she now wanted to throw up.
What would happen if she threw up? Would her body back in her dad's garage hurl her last meal all over the floor? Or would her host find himself upchucking his snack for no good reason?
Maya focused, although she did give in to a little smile. Option two would be by far the more amusing one.
Inside the gate, they headed sedately up a stone path that cut through brilliant green lawns edged with beds of beautiful and exotic flowers. The details were hard to pin down because her host had the annoying habit of not studying his surroundings long enough for Maya to see anything properly.
But she was at his mercy, and he'd probably seen the view a million times. No reason for him to gape around like a tourist if he lived here. But, Maya wanted to see the beauty of the gardens which reminded her the Taj Mahal, with its expansive pools and beautifully manicured lawns.
Even if her host owned all of this, she wouldn't be impressed because she already sensed he'd not be the kind of person she'd like or want to get to know.
Talk about being judgmental.
She gritted her teeth as the procession headed up the hillside, curving to stop abruptly before another set of golden doors. The entrance to the palace was guarded by a pair of red-coated red-turbaned men, whose mustaches were generous black caterpillars weighing down their top lips.
Their deadly-serious expressions made Maya want to giggle, and to her surprise, a similar amusement surged within her host. So he had a sense of humor.
Score one: host.
The camel halted in front of a set of wide marble steps that led up to a columned verandah. She couldn't see how far the verandah went. A servant came running, holding a set of stairs aloft. But her host waved him off and jumped off the camel, landing expertly on the ground, much to the displeasure of the servant.
Maya's host strode inside the palace, traversing a front room that was larger than the entire bottom floor of her house. Divided by a path up the centre of the marble-floored room, numerous seating areas were scattered around the space, tapestry-covered seats and cushions repeating the golden theme, sitting side-by-side with elegant white fabric and the darker more luxurious black.
The furniture was either heavy carved dark teak or spindly-legged gold-painted things that looked too fragile to use. At the back of the room, two staircases rose on the left and the right, curving to enter the upper level at opposite ends of the room.
This place was beginning to make even Lord Shiva's palace look like a barn.
Maya's host spr
inted up the stairs and headed right, only coming to a stop in front of the dark man who'd watched so coldly from the top of the elephant. Now she could see his face more clearly, glassy black eyes, hooded by thick brows, a blunt nose, wide nostrils that seemed to flare constantly with latent anger. His high cheekbones and thick mustache gave him a dangerous air.
Clearly not the friendliest of people.
The elephant had deposited the man directly onto the second floor of the palace. Behind him, at a set of stairs that led to the creature, a group of servants busied themselves removing the howdah, and another man fed the poor animal some unidentifiable branch of leaves.
Her host lifted his chin, a hint to his well-hidden defiance. As he reached his side, the man turned toward Maya. When he began to speak, she blinked, surprised.
She couldn't understand a word he said and yet she understood everything. The sound of the words made little sense to Maya, but she found herself knowing the meaning. As if she had some kind of magic translation device in her head. She'd been able to pick up on her host's emotions, so maybe her link to him allowed her to also understand his thoughts.
"You did well. But emotions will get you nowhere. What must I do to teach you the benefit of hardening your heart?"
Her host cleared his throat. "Sorry. I'll do better next time." Despite his apology, Maya sensed that he still rebelled against the older man's instruction. She wondered again if they were father and son, a relationship that totally lacked affection.
A name popped into her head, one related to this odious man. Bana.
It was a thought she'd picked up from her host's mind. Seemed she was getting better at understanding him.
Bana laughed and the sound echoed coldly around the room. Behind him the elephant stepped away from the balcony as a guard locked a carved screen in place.
"For too long you have allowed people to prey on your emotions, and the time for that to end is now."
His voice cut deep into Maya and she knew if he'd been speaking to her, she would have probably wanted to cry. The ice in his tone, the cruelty in his gaze; the man seemed to be evil. And she didn't miss how his words made her host feel.
"You came to me remember?" Bana's voice was so close to Maya's ear that she jumped. But, unsurprisingly, she found her body didn't obey. She just stood there in her host's body, seeing something other than what the man had hissed into her ear.
A vision of Bana, smiling and chatty, playing master at a table filled with men whose faces blurred, irrelevant to her host. Bana's voice echoed in her head, saying "You are more than what these people think. If you want to be more, call me. I want to help you. If you will let me."
Her host's discomfort was clear and she sensed he didn't entirely agree with Bana on how things had gone down. But he didn't contradict the dark man.
He just said, "I remember. I also remember you said you'd help me be more. How does killing a tiger help me become more?"
The man smiled, his expression sly as he walked over to a table set with a bronze pitcher and half a dozen goblets, all carved with dancing maidens, fruit and waterfalls. "Did you get a good look at the tiger?"
Maya's host seemed perplexed. "Yes. I killed him and you insisted I watch him take his last breath." Maya could sense he was repeating the words more for himself, as if he couldn't believe he'd agreed.
"And what did you see?"
"A tiger dying, that's what I saw," snapped her host, now impatient and growing angry.
"And that is all you saw? Just a tiger dying?" When her host didn't answer, Bana chuckled and asked, "So there was nothing familiar about the creature at all?"
"Familiar? Why would the tiger be-"
And then he was running.
Chapter 25
He was flying down the stairs and through to the back of the palace, along corridors that blurred into themselves until he reached a garden at the back of the palace that was twice the size of the one out front.
The expanse of green lawn stopped only when it reached a thick stand of trees; her host's destination. He dove within the trees, slapping palm fronds aside as he searched for something.
He didn't stop until he found what he was looking for.
For a moment Maya was frustrated as her host lifted his face and stared up at the snippet of sky high above them. But when he blinked away hot tears, she sensed something terrible was about to happen.
Her host looked down and Maya's gaze fell upon the tiger. It lay dead on the grass that carpeted the little jungle.
And now Maya knew why the creature had stared at him, why it hadn't fled the sight of a man with an arrow.
Noises behind them urged the man to turn and glare angrily at Bana, whose face was a few shades darker from his exertions. He'd walked all the way there. Imagine that.
He stood watching, ice in his eyes, a strip of gold glinting in his hand. Her host's attention focused on Bana's hand and Maya recognized the strap. A golden animal collar.
"Why?" The shout was filled with grief and Maya knew then that the animal had meant more to the man than just being a part of his garden. He cared for the tiger. And the loss struck deeply.
Bana flung the collar and Maya followed it as it flew in the air and landed beside the tiger's lifeless paw.
"Why? Because you need to know what treachery feels like. You killed a pet, but it's just like killing someone that you care about. Like friends or family. It's exactly what those closest to you have done to you all these years. They've lulled you into believing they cared for you, that they had your best interest at heart, but in truth all they wanted was to control you. In the end, they always betrayed you." Bana snorted, then began to pace the grass, his leather shoes passing so close to the corpse of the tiger that Maya almost flinched.
"Malik did nothing to me. He was only ever my friend." Maya's host spoke, his tone harsh as he turned his gaze from Bana to his pet. Visions filled Maya's mind.
A little boy running wildly through waist high grass, a tiger cub close on his heels, bouncing around behind him like a live-wire.
Laughter rippled beneath Maya's skin and she sensed a happiness in those memories that her host seemed to yearn for.
Bana laughed harshly, the sound pulling Maya straight from her host's memories as he turned to face the older man. Maya could feel his fingers curl as rebellion filled his heart, fury and grief melding to push him to a dangerous edge.
"He was merely an animal. He would have given you up in the end. There is always someone else more important." Bana paused as he drew closer and came to stand right in front of Maya's host, where he was unable to avoid the penetrating ice of the man's gaze. "Always someone else more important, isn't there?"
The tight fist he'd made tightened even more as something seemed to break inside of the man whose mind Maya possessed. "You are right," he said exhaling hard.
He gave the dead tiger one last glance and swallowed down the bubble of grief that seemed to rise from within.
He'd convinced himself that Bana had been right, and yet his heart still rebelled against his mind. Good for him.
When he spun on his heel and strode past Bana and out of the little forest of green, Maya wanted to wail in anger. She couldn't believe that he'd fallen for the dark man's manipulations. Maya wanted to jump out of her confinement and blast the old creep to smithereens. He deserved to be a pile of ash after what he'd done to her host. She'd known people like him existed but hadn't been face to face with such a man before.
"He is right," her host whispered angrily. There is always someone more important, always a better best friend, always a closer loved one. Mother has Father, friends have better friends. I am always a third wheel, the outsider, the newcomer. I have had enough of it. I am more powerful than all of them, and I will show them what it means to cross me.
Maya stiffened, her mind filled with a wave of his emotions. But she was more angry than sympathetic.
What the hell are you thinking? she yelled. He wouldn't hear he
r, but she was too frustrated to care.
Maya had barely gotten the words out when her host flinched, giving her such a fright she gasped loudly. He misstepped and stopped in his tracks, tilting his head as if he strained to listen to something on the wind.
She could feel his tension again. Had he heard her? But that wasn't possible. She was just an observer here. Someone stuck here to watch the devolution of this man's mind. The success of Bana's manipulation.
The brilliant lawns and dazzling peacocks barely penetrated Maya's limited scope of vision as her host strode briskly back to the palace, his jaw clenched almost as hard as his fingers. She paid little attention, seething in the morass of her own anger as the hot sun beating down on her head faded away.
Only when a voice called out did Maya bring herself out of her fury long enough to pay attention. She found they'd left the garden and were now inside the cool lower hall. Her host stopped and turned to address the summoner.
As he did so, Maya caught sight of his reflection in gigantic gold-framed mirror that leaned against the wall beside them. He was taller than Maya, much younger than she'd expected, his features and his bearing regal.
This man was a king, that much was true.
Her heart stuttered as she recognized him.
Kas.
Chapter 26
It might have been the utter shock of seeing Kas's familiar face in the gilded mirror that sent Maya flying back into her own body in her father's garage. If not, Kali may have had something to do with her sudden return.
Either way, Maya had had no control of her ejection, or of her travels home at all. Thank goodness her journey back to her own body hadn't ended with her stuck in a stone wall somewhere half way across the world. Perhaps she ought to be thanking the enigmatic goddess for her accuracy.
Back within the home of familiar muscle and bone, Maya blinked a few times and swallowed hard against the urge to throw up. The jump from Kas's body back into her own had been too fast for her to handle. She found, from the sudden turbulence in her gut, it was taking a negative toll on her poor stomach.
