She was the one bright spot to counter his frustration. Her acceptance of him as a therianthrope, a hunted man, and as a lover had him feeling more content than he’d ever imagined. While he knew their time in the hidden village wouldn’t last forever—because he’d discovered it was more of a transientplace where the harimau could come to be themselves away from the modern world—he cherished each and every day, especially since he didn’t have to constantly watch his back and worry that the general or his lackeys would catch up to him.
Initially, Nadirah had been antsy about them staying, worried about her grandmother, until Farah let her know that someone had managed to get in contact with her and provided an update. Nenek had moved in with her sister, a sobering reminder that Phoenix’s arrival in their life had caused them to lose everything. According to the person who managed to speak with Nenek, she had been happy to know Nadirah remained safe, even if they couldn’t speak—no cell phones allowed in the sanctuary. Smart, because then no one could be traced. While Phoenix still hadn’t the slightest clue as to their location, Nadirah had a theory, which she whispered to him one night.
“I believe we’re in the Royal Tiger Reserve.”
“What makes you think that?”
“Because it makes sense. Where else could tigers roam freely without fear of poachers?”
“But what about the village? I highly doubt they’d allow people to build and live here.”
“Unless those running the reserve are allies to the harimau?”she’d countered.
An interesting theory.
When they’d been there a month, with him still struggling to make progress, Johan, who’d disappeared for several weeks, returned. Seeing the man, Phoenix, accompanied by Nadirah to help translate, beelined for Johan so he could ask something that had been bothering him. “That tablet we found in the ruin, why was it so important?”
“It’s part of our history.” Johan looked thoughtful as he added more, which Nadirah translated. “It didn’t hold any secrets. The stories of the harimau are well known. However, itprovides a reminder of how well they’ve endured and thrived. A piece of their past that belongs to them and no one else.”
“So it wasn’t a map?”
Johan shook his head.
“What of that poem in the museum that claimed to know how to find the harimau?”
The question made Johan laugh. Nadirah translated, “He says you speak of the False Ballad. It is unsure how it came about, although the prevailing theory is a harimau was most likely caught by people who wanted them to reveal their secrets and location. They created a poem with plausible clues detailing the supposed location. It became famous when it was found along with some human remains showing signs of a tiger attack.”
“In other words, everything I did up until meeting you was useless. If you’d not come across me, I’d still be aimlessly searching,” Phoenix surmised.
Johan offered a sly smile. “We’re good hiding.”
“In plain sight, obviously. No one lives here full time,” Phoenix pointed out. Faces kept coming and going with only a few constants. Farah and a few other older harimau appeared to be the only ones living permanently in the village.
Nadirah translated, “The children require education. Jobs are needed so they can pay for the things the jungle does not provide. This place is where they come when the tiger needs to escape and enjoy freedom.”
“Speaking of freedom, how long are you planning to keep us here?” Phoenix asked. Not that he was in a rush to leave; more worried he’d find himself abruptly out in the world no further ahead.
“You stay until we trust you.”
“And how do I prove that you can?”
At that query, Johan shrugged.
The day after that conversation, Nadirah woke and immediately threw herself out of the tree house. The sound of retching followed.
Phoenix didn’t bother to put on clothes as he quickly followed to rub her back and hold back her hair.
Crouched on the small platform outside their nest, she groaned. “I think last night’s fish didn’t agree with me.”
That didn’t seem likely, as they’d both eaten the same thing. “Perhaps you’ve caught a bug.”
From the ground, Farah called up to them. “Are you okay?”
“Nadirah’s sick,” he stated. “I’m going to put her back to bed.”
“No,” Nadirah weakly protested as he led her back inside. “I was supposed to go with you to the river today.” They’d planned a picnic and a swim.
“We’ll go when you’re feeling better.”
