Free Realm of the Goddess by Sabina Khan

just too short. Shiv had walked up beside me and reached across me. He grabbed the weapon off the wall effortlessly. When he brought it down his arm brushed my side and the effect was electric. I couldn’t be sure if it was the sword he was holding or his body that had this effect on me, but it was all I could do not to touch him. I had to fight the urge to run my hands over his chest and trace his tattoos wherever they went. I looked at him, but he had the same knowing smile. He clearly was not having the same reaction to me. I exerted an impressive amount of self-control and took a step back. I reached out and took the sword from him. The hilt felt cool in my hands. It wasn’t too heavy, and I swung it around a little. The top part of the blade was solid, but it parted a little further down into two flexible whip-like ribbons.
    “It’s called an urumi ,” Shiv said, watching me. He put his hand on top of mine and guided my movements, smoothly, until I felt the rhythm. The blades undulated gently as I moved my wrist beneath Shiv’s hand. He stood very close and I could feel his breath in my ear as he spoke.
    “It’s used mostly by the people of Kerala. Thousands of years ago it was used in battle, but now it’s used in kalaripayattu , a type of martial art.”
    I had visited Kerala in the south of India when I was younger. I remembered the lush green tea estates and the beautiful mountain resorts we had visited. Each region in India had its own culture, cuisine and language. So it didn’t surprise me to find out that they must have their own art of warfare as well. I handed the urumi back to Shiv and moved away, trying not to let on the effect his proximity had on me.
    Suddenly I remembered something from the dream. My dad had said something about a sword. One that would destroy Mahisha. But that had just been a dream, a result of my desperate desire to find my parents. I vaguely remembered my grandmother telling me about a sword that only Kali could wield, which could destroy evil. I tried to remember the rest of the dream. My dad had said something about the two of them being safe, that Mahisha couldn’t hurt them. That didn’t make any sense. It was all in my head, but on some level I felt as though it had been real, as if my dad had been trying to communicate with me. I noticed that Shiv had stopped talking and was watching me with some amusement.
    “I’m sorry, Shiv. It’s just that...I had this strange dream. My dad was trying to tell me something and I don’t know what to think.” My shoulders fell and I felt exhausted once again.
    “What did he tell you?”
    “Just that they were safe and that I shouldn’t worry about them. He also said that I have to find a sword that will destroy Mahisha.” I looked up at him, my eyes willing him to say that it wasn’t just a dream.
    “Maybe your dad is trying to communicate with you,” Shiv said. “It’s not unheard of you know, at least not in our world.”
    “But how is that even possible? My dad’s a professor, how would he even know how to do that?” A part of me couldn’t help wondering, though.
    “Look, Callie...I’m not sure how your dad fits into all of this, but I don’t think we should dismiss anything, no matter how far-fetched it might seem.” I nodded slowly. I really needed to find a computer. A bit of research might answer a lot of questions.
    “Shiv, is there a computer I could use? I really need to let my friends know that I haven’t been kidnapped and murdered. Ben already left like twenty messages.” Shiv raised an eyebrow.
    “Sure, you can use my laptop. It’s in my room. I would ask you to come there and use it, but if my mom finds us in there together, she’ll freak. Trust me, guardian or not, she’s still very old-fashioned.” I smiled as if I totally agreed that it was ridiculous, but secretly I was relieved. I didn’t really trust myself right now. If the last few hours were any indication, my brain and my body