Colleen Houck - Tigers Curse

Summary: Kelsey is whisked away from a summer job to the continent of India, where she encounters mythological creatures, supernatural beings, booby-trapped caves, and ancient ruins, and falls in love with a handsome prince cursed to take the form of a white tiger.

The characters, places, and events portrayed in this book are the product of the authors imagination or are used fictitiously. This work is not endorsed, sanctioned, sponsored, reviewed, or approved by any of the companies that may be referenced. Any similarity to real persons, either living or dead, is coincidental

and not intended by the author.

For more information on theTiger series or the author, see the authors website atcolleenhouck.com.

Copyright 2009 Colleen Houck

All rights reserved.

ISBN: 1-4392-5043-X

ISBN-13: 9781439250433

Kindle ISBN: 978-1-61550-412-1

Library of Congress Control Number: 2009908700

Visitwww.booksurge.com to order additional copies.

DEDICATION

For the Lindas in my life

One gave me the motivation to write

And the other gave me the time

Both I call sister

Title Page

Copyright Page

Prologue The Curse

Chapter 1 Kelsey

Chapter 2 The Circus

Chapter 3 The Tiger

Chapter 4 The Stranger

Chapter 5 The Plane

Chapter 6 Mumbai

Chapter 7 The Jungle

Chapter 8 An Explanation

Chapter 9 A Friend

Chapter 10 A Safe Haven

Chapter 11 The Cave of kanheri

Chapter 12 Durgas Prophecy

Chapter 13 Waterfall

Chapter 14 Tiger-Tiger

Chapter 15 The Hunt

Chapter 16 Kelseys Dream

Chapter 17 A Beginning

Chapter 18 Durgas Temple

Chapter 19 Hampi

Chapter 20 Trials

Chapter 21 Kishkindha

Chapter 22 Escape

Chapter 23 Six Hours

Chapter 24 Endings

Epilogue Shadow

THE TIGER

by William Blake

Tiger! Tiger! burning bright

In the forests of the night,

What immortal hand or eye

Could frame thy fearful symmetry?

In what distant deeps or skies

Burnt the fire of thine eyes?

On what wings dare he aspire?

What the hand dare seize the fire?

And what shoulder and what art,

Could twist the sinews of thy heart?

And when thy heart began to beat,

What dread hand and what dread feet?

What the hammer? what the chain?

In what furnace was thy brain?

What the anvil? what dread grasp

Dare its deadly terrors clasp?

When the stars threw down their spears,

And watered heaven with their tears,

Did he smile his work to see?

Did he who made the Lamb make thee?

Tiger! Tiger! burning bright

In the forests of the night,

What immortal hand or eye

Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?

PROLOGUE

The prisoner stood with his hands tied in front of him, tired, beaten, and filthy, but with a proud back befitting his royal heritage. The man seated before him on a lavishly carved, gilded throne was Lokesh, his future father-in-law. Lokesh wore a golden diadem on his head and had a gaudy jeweled ring adorning each of his broad, stubby fingers. Though his hair was still black, his beard showed signs of graying and fine wrinkles showed when he narrowed his eyes.

The magnificent throne was draped with a rich purple brocade, and thick, comfortable pillows were scattered nearby should there be a need to soften the hard planes of its golden surface. The throne sat on a dais that was nestled adjacent to the rooms only wall.

Tall white pillars surrounded the room and stood like mighty sentinels, providing support for the ornately

carved ceiling painted gold and textured with symmetrical scrolls and whorls. Sheer cream-colored draperies were the only barriers separating this part of the palace from the jungle, and even they were pulled back, in hopes that an errant breeze would slip through to cool the air on this sweltering day.

Lokeshs palace was built on the outskirts of a tropical jungle full of evergreens and deciduous trees. It was rampant with wildlife. The calls of birds could be heard clearly as they flew nearby.

The prisoner, Alagan Dhiren, was the prince of a mighty Indian kingdom called Mujulaain. Technically, his current title wasPrince and High Protector of the Mujulaain Empire , but he still thought of himself as

just Ren. His father had plans to step down soon and leave him, the eldest son, the responsibilities of the kingdom and of its people.

The fact that Lokesh, the raja of the small neighboring kingdom of Bhreenam, was his captor was not as shocking as seeing who was sitting next to him. Occupying a smaller but still ornate chair was Kishan, Rens younger brother, and in another chair sat Yesubai, Rens fiance. Ren looked calmly at all three of them. Only Lokesh returned his gaze. He raised one eyebrow, curious to know what was going to happen next.

Lokesh turned to his soldiers and abruptly barked, Remove yourselves!

His piercing words echoed around the great hall, a startling contrast to the silence a moment ago. The soldiers instantly obeyed and quickly filed out, leaving the four of them alone. Their dirty boots left a filthy

trail on the sparkling white tile. Ren looked at the trail and thought dryly,Mother would never have allowed our soldiers to behave with such blatant disregard for her home.

Lokesh grunted then shifted slightly in his seat to face the man meant to marry his daughter.

Ren spoke first, saying softly, My soon-to-be father, why have you treated me with suchinhospitality

?

With a disdainful smile, Lokesh tilted his head to the side and replied, My dear Dhiren, you have something that I desire.

Allowing just a portion of his incredulity to show, Ren said, Nothingyou could want can justify the murder of my guards! Are our kingdoms not to be joined? Everything I have has been at your disposal.

You needed only to ask.Why have you done this?

Planschange. It seems that Kishan here has a his eyes glittered as he chuckled in delight, desire to take my daughter forhis bride, and he has promised me certainremunerations if I help him achieve this goal.

Ren glanced at Kishan, amazed that this could be true. Kishans eyes were fixed to the floor, indicating that what Lokesh was sayingwas true. He turned his attention to Yesubai, who, with cheeks aflame, assumed a demure, submissive pose with her head bowed.

Quickly surmising what must have happened, Ren determined that this had partly been his own fault.

His

arranged marriage to Yesubai was supposed to have ushered in an era of peace between the two kingdoms. He had, however, been away for the last four months overseeing military operations on the far

side of the empire and had left his brother to watch over the kingdom. His mouth turned up at the corner in sardonic humor.I guess Kishan was watching a little bit more than just the kingdom.

The next words Lokesh spoke pulled Ren out of his reflections as he said, Of course, if you were to agree to surrender the Mujulaain fortsand if you were willing to turn overall of your treasure to me, including your piece of the Damon Amulet, I might be persuaded to allow you to live.

Ren said simply, My fathers armies would destroy you if you killed me.

Lokesh laughed deviously. He certainly would not destroy his other son or his sonsfamily . We will simply tell him that you were the victim of an unfortunate accident.