Tiger’s Destiny Read Online Free PDF

turned cold.
    Today could be the day I die.
    With that morbid thought, I prepared for my wedding.
    I took a long time drying and brushing my hair. Spending hours in the sun, hiking the jungles, and swimming in the ocean had bleached my brown hair, which now had champagne-blond highlights. Mom would have liked it. I wondered what she would have thought of my upcoming nuptials. It certainly wasn’t the wedding I’d envisioned for myself.
    I had asked the Scarf to create a wedding dress befitting an ancient Chinese princess. I ignored it as long as I possibly could, but finally slid open the closet. I gasped at the silky red dress, which looked similar to the one the bride had worn at the wedding Li and I attended.
    The gown was elaborate, and I was glad it would take me at least twenty minutes to put it on. It was trimmed in beads and elaborate gold stitching. There was a Mandarin style ruff attached to a golden tunic adorned with a large lotus blossom. Strings of beads crossed back and forth over the tunic, and its thick, embellished sleeves draped over my hands while the silky under sleeves extended at least a foot beyond my fingertips. On the thin apron of the tunic’s top layer, the Scarf had stitched a gorgeous fiery phoenix.
    A long, golden scarf wrapped around my back and draped to the floor. I stepped into red silk slippers embroidered with golden flowers and fastened the pièce de résistance—a magnificent hairpiece with golden feathers and flowers, intricate braids, beads, and ornaments woven throughout.
    I turned to gaze at my reflection. I looked like an exotic bird, a phoenix, in fact. Like the great bird, I was beautiful and vibrant, but I was also deadly; and soon, I would be consumed by fire.
    I tucked the Scarf into one of my long sleeves, concealing it for later use. After dabbing a flowery perfume on my wrists and behind my ears, I sat down to await my groom.
    Too soon, one of Lokesh’s servants came to collect me. He ogled my costume with a shocked expression, then quickly ducked his head and stayed as far away from me as he could.
    Is he afraid of me? I wish Lokesh felt the same way.
    The servant guided me to what looked like a small library and handed me a note and a box on his way out. I heard the click of the lock behind him and then silence.
    I let out a pent-up breath and hoped that whatever plan Ren and Kishan had dreamed up would be put into motion before the wedding ceremony. Closing my eyes, I made a wish that we would all make it out alive.
    I sat stiffly before opening Lokesh’s note, which said that we were to dine before a magistrate performed the ceremony. Tugging the white ribbon off, I opened the gift from my husband-to-be.
    It was the biggest diamond I’d ever set eyes on. The stone was round, multifaceted, and pink. Two smaller pink diamonds were set on either side. It might have been my imagination, but the five prongs holding the large diamond into place looked like thick fingers. I imagined Lokesh’s own grasp—so strong there would be no hope for escape. I slipped the ring on my middle finger just as the doors opened.
    “Ah, there you are, my dear. And what do you think of my gift?”
    “It’s lovely.” I managed to give him a smile.
    Something flashed in his black eyes, and he took a sudden step toward me. I stood proudly but inwardly cringed. He grabbed my chin and murmured softly with a repellent smile, “I shall enjoy tearing your pretty dress to pieces tonight. I do hope you’ll have enough spirit to make the evening interesting, Kelsey. I wouldn’t want to be disappointed.”
    I jerked my chin away and leveled my eyes on him. “Believe me when I say that all my energies will be focused upon you tonight, my liege.”
    Leering with anticipation, Lokesh took my arm and led me into the ballroom, which sparkled with the light of hundreds of candles and was perfumed by dozens of white flower arrangements. If it had been anyone else’s wedding, I might have appreciated