My friend was fully behind me now, motionless save for the half-pants that kept his frame trembling. The tiger approached steadily but slowly. I thought I could hear every scrape as his claws brushed the ground. The noise, and Kahnís uncharacteristic reactions, froze my blood. The tigerís eyes glittered like the sunsetís last clouds, but they were not trained on me. I could have been invisible. Kahn had closed his eyes. I wondered if the tigerís stare battered against him.
Three paces awayÖtwoÖone. My arms were at my side. As the tiger reached me he pushed his face into my right hand and licked it with a rough tongue. So he did know I was there after all. ìYou had better go,î he said to me in a voice smooth as dark honey. His tone somehow embraced friendly advice and monstrous threat. I heard the implication clearlyóhe wished to spare me the coming horror.
I backed away, not very far, the tiger so large in my mind it did not even occur to me to run for help. He crowded all thought away. Kahn was obviously in the same stateóhe could do nothing to spare himself. Despite the warning, I had to watch.
Even though my full attention was trained on the scene, I did not see how it was done. Kahn had been paralyzed by fear. It seemed as though the tiger who caused the paralysis could also undo it, and undo it so completely that the kingís body was his to manipulate. Within a few short momentsóand seemingly under the gentlest of pressuresóthe lion was on his side on the ground, sprawled full-length, with the tiger hovering over him like a malicious spirit. (Seeing them together, I was struck with an incongruous thoughtóhow extravagantly beautiful the tiger was with his gold coat splattered with black. Kahn was so plain in comparison.)
What happened next would have looked tender to anyone just happening to pass by. The tiger began to groom Kahn like a mother cat grooms her kitten, touching his red tongue first to the lionís neck and shoulders then working his way down his back. Just like a mother cat he held the object of his devotion steady with a paw draped casually across Kahnís body. The illusion of gentle attention vanished when I realized this paw was pressed against Kahnís throat. My friend was gasping for breath.
ìSee how you are mine,î the tiger was saying between licks. ìHow strong I am, and how helpless you are.î His voice was still deep and rich, luxurious like his coat. Was it that voice that was trapping Kahn? You could be buried in it and not even notice the daylight was gone.
He smoothed the fur on Kahnís chest. ìThe purity of power fascinates me. Nothing else is so simpleówhen one is strong, another is weak. And just when you think you are above control, someone topples you down. How does it feel?î He nipped at the tangles in the lionís mane. ìI almost believe you looked forward to my coming. Maybe you wanted to let go.î He wet the paw that was not blocking Kahnís windpipe and washed his face. ìPity. This would be more fun for me if you were unwilling.
ìShe who took on the unicorn queen was my cousin, you know. She wanted to do what I am doing, but she failed. She became the weak one. It broke my heart. ëEshtine,í I told her, ëlet me demonstrate regicide. Watch your Neekohl achieve what you could not or would not. I will subdue even the High King.íî He stopped his rubbing and raised his eyes to Kahnís. The lionís eyes were making a mute appeal; his pathos tore a knife through me. The tiger chuckled. ìWhat little effort it would take. I could just stop the air from getting drawn into your body, or I could run my claws over you and portion out your skin. Perhaps instead of halting your breath I should suck it out, as they say cats do to infants.î
Kahn made a tiny mewling sound.
Neekohl shook his massive head slowly, narrowing his eyes. ìWhatever will humiliate you most. I must punish you for not even fighting.î He paused, turning away as if considering. ìI have it! I will do none of these things. I will do nothing at all for the moment. But I will come back, and until I do you will be imagining theÖpossibilities.î He play-bit Kahn on the scruff of the neck as if all of this had been a game. Then he released Kahn and bounded off into the woods, tail waving.
My king continued to lie on the ground, lacking either the strength or the motivation to stand. I walked to him slowly. I didnít want to know what heíd do if I startled him now that Neekohlís spell was broken. ìYou summoned no guards to give chase?î he asked. I bowed my head, humiliated I had not helped. Kahn took a deep breath and sighed it out shakily. ìIt would not have done any good,î he said. ìHe is a shapeshifter. We could not have told them what to look for.î
ìNo more walks from now on, I suppose,î I said. ìIt is too dangerous now.î
ìHe wonít be back. His kind expends no more effort than is necessary. If he thinks I will be terrified in his absence, he will decide he never has to return. He has left his ghost to haunt me.î
He rose to his feet at last. I lay my hand on his back and we went away from the woods and toward the castle. If you would have seen the way we moved you would have thought we were just learning to walk.