mankind.’
‘My kind?’
The laughter was hoarse and loud. ‘I know what you are. I know who you are. You all are the Mauryan’s people with special powers and possess the ancient knowledge. The ones who are destined to protect humanity! You have the powerful Kalingan returning in this era. It is very easy to latch on to a human. The warrior spirit will return again and it scares me to think what he is capable of.’
‘How do you know all this?’
‘Because he told me. The Kalingan spirit whom you thought you had destroyed spoke to me and sent me to issue a warning to you.’
Tara was alarmed. So that was the reason she had been getting so many patients who had been trapped by the spirits! They were warnings to her of his arrival. ‘What did he say?’ she asked.
‘Beware, he said. That even though his spirit is trapped, he is still powerful enough to mobilize his Kala Yogis. He knows where you are.’
‘Shit!’ Tara murmured.
‘You will be tested again. I can see great darkness approaching. The great Mauryan king’s men have no rest. You will be tested again …’ he went on repeating, then lay down on the settee and immediately fell asleep.
Tara eased Jerry out of his hypnotic state. She explained to him that all he needed to do was return to Bhangarh. He appeared perplexed and recalled nothing, not even the attack. ‘That’s all I need to do?’
Tara smiled. ‘Yes, you don’t need to offer any sacrifices. It’s a simple solution. Just go back to Bhangarh, stay till after dark and this entity will leave you.’
Jerry gave her a curious look. ‘You are the first doctor I have met who believes in ghosts.’
Tara gave a thin smile. ‘Let’s keep that a secret, shall we, Jerry?’
He thanked her profusely before he left.
Tara leaned back in her swivel chair, picked up her phone and sent a message to Raakin. Maybe this time she, Akash and Zubin would not have to deal with the Kalingan if they went into hiding. The Kalingan was not just out to attack the Nine but wanted to hurt the three of them in particular. This much was clear that after their tryst the last time, the Kalingan perceived them as the enemy. They had trapped him in Angkor Wat, where he had gathered his strength and become strong once again, so that if a human host was willing, he would come attacking at the first chance. He was already sending warning signals through other spirits. The power of anger was penetrating the spirit world.
She felt the strain of exhaustion at the nape of her neck and moved her head from side to side. The tendons felt taut. She walked over to the window and gazed at the hurrying world outside. While she massaged the stiffness, she felt a slight heat where the microchip implant was embedded in her ear. It tended to heat up when she used her powers or when danger was imminent. The Ashoka symbol was more than just an indicator of her membership of the Council of Nine. It also carried information about her experiences and her communication powers. Telepathy was just the basis of her abilities. There was so much more she was capable of doing and learning. Slowly, with time, she had acquired the skill to control her powers. And with her degree in psychiatry, she was able to harness her skill and put it to good use. Learning more about how the mind and brain work was not only necessary, but also helped her become a recognized and well-respected psychiatrist in the country.
Her knowledge and every new experience were stored in that implant for the next person who would inherit her position as one of the Nine.
Her BlackBerry buzzed. She glanced at the message. It was from Akash. Hey, what’s up with you? Heard you had a message from the warrior spirit?
Tara replied. Raakin told you, eh? Yeah, was practically strangled to death while helping a possessed man, who very kindly delivered the message . She smiled, expecting a cryptic remark.
Keep safe, darling. By the way, our nanny Raakin is a real tight-ass
‘My kind?’
The laughter was hoarse and loud. ‘I know what you are. I know who you are. You all are the Mauryan’s people with special powers and possess the ancient knowledge. The ones who are destined to protect humanity! You have the powerful Kalingan returning in this era. It is very easy to latch on to a human. The warrior spirit will return again and it scares me to think what he is capable of.’
‘How do you know all this?’
‘Because he told me. The Kalingan spirit whom you thought you had destroyed spoke to me and sent me to issue a warning to you.’
Tara was alarmed. So that was the reason she had been getting so many patients who had been trapped by the spirits! They were warnings to her of his arrival. ‘What did he say?’ she asked.
‘Beware, he said. That even though his spirit is trapped, he is still powerful enough to mobilize his Kala Yogis. He knows where you are.’
‘Shit!’ Tara murmured.
‘You will be tested again. I can see great darkness approaching. The great Mauryan king’s men have no rest. You will be tested again …’ he went on repeating, then lay down on the settee and immediately fell asleep.
Tara eased Jerry out of his hypnotic state. She explained to him that all he needed to do was return to Bhangarh. He appeared perplexed and recalled nothing, not even the attack. ‘That’s all I need to do?’
Tara smiled. ‘Yes, you don’t need to offer any sacrifices. It’s a simple solution. Just go back to Bhangarh, stay till after dark and this entity will leave you.’
Jerry gave her a curious look. ‘You are the first doctor I have met who believes in ghosts.’
Tara gave a thin smile. ‘Let’s keep that a secret, shall we, Jerry?’
He thanked her profusely before he left.
Tara leaned back in her swivel chair, picked up her phone and sent a message to Raakin. Maybe this time she, Akash and Zubin would not have to deal with the Kalingan if they went into hiding. The Kalingan was not just out to attack the Nine but wanted to hurt the three of them in particular. This much was clear that after their tryst the last time, the Kalingan perceived them as the enemy. They had trapped him in Angkor Wat, where he had gathered his strength and become strong once again, so that if a human host was willing, he would come attacking at the first chance. He was already sending warning signals through other spirits. The power of anger was penetrating the spirit world.
She felt the strain of exhaustion at the nape of her neck and moved her head from side to side. The tendons felt taut. She walked over to the window and gazed at the hurrying world outside. While she massaged the stiffness, she felt a slight heat where the microchip implant was embedded in her ear. It tended to heat up when she used her powers or when danger was imminent. The Ashoka symbol was more than just an indicator of her membership of the Council of Nine. It also carried information about her experiences and her communication powers. Telepathy was just the basis of her abilities. There was so much more she was capable of doing and learning. Slowly, with time, she had acquired the skill to control her powers. And with her degree in psychiatry, she was able to harness her skill and put it to good use. Learning more about how the mind and brain work was not only necessary, but also helped her become a recognized and well-respected psychiatrist in the country.
Her knowledge and every new experience were stored in that implant for the next person who would inherit her position as one of the Nine.
Her BlackBerry buzzed. She glanced at the message. It was from Akash. Hey, what’s up with you? Heard you had a message from the warrior spirit?
Tara replied. Raakin told you, eh? Yeah, was practically strangled to death while helping a possessed man, who very kindly delivered the message . She smiled, expecting a cryptic remark.
Keep safe, darling. By the way, our nanny Raakin is a real tight-ass
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