The Silver Anklet Read Online Free Page B

Raani.
    An announcement wafted over to them. As the crackly voice sped to every corner of the fairground, Tara said a little prayer.
    â€œSuraj and Rohan, please go to the north end of the fair right away. Your sister is looking for you.
    Repeating …”
    â€œTara!”
    Tara whirled round. Ananth ran up to her, bathed in sweat. One look at his ashen face and she knew.
    â€œYou didn’t find them, either,” she said. “How could I be so careless? I’ve not only lost Suraj, but Rohan, too!
    How will I face his mother?”
    Ananth put his hands on her shoulders. “Tara, we don’t know for sure if …”
    â€œYes we do,” said Tara, pushing his hands away.
    â€œVayu told me Layla led them off somewhere after the ride. I’m not an idiot. Something’s happened. Something bad. And it’s my fault!”
    â€œI should have let you look for them sooner,” said
    Ananth. “I’m to blame, too. We won’t go home till we’ve found them. All right?”
    The buzz from the gathering crowds grated on her nerves; everyone was just standing around. Why didn’t they do something? Tara stared into the forest. There lay the answer to the missing children. Even as they stood here arguing, Suraj, Rohan, and Sadia were in grave danger. She remembered the hyena from the afternoon, those gleaming, hungry eyes, those sharp teeth that could crunch through bones the way she crunched a stick of sugar cane. A wave of dizziness swept over her and she dug her nails into her palms. “Come on, come on,” she whispered softly to herself, scanning the darkness around her.
    Vayu hurried up to them. “Did the boys come to you yet?”
    Tara shook her head, close to tears.
    â€œI’m so sorry,” said Vayu. “I almost feel responsible myself. I should have insisted!”
    Just then Raani emerged from the forest. Her eyes searched for Kabir and she walked straight up to him, ignoring the others.
    â€œWhat was Sadia wearing today?” she asked.
    â€œA blue ghaghra-choli,” said Kabir. “Why?”
    Raani exhaled. “Then it’s all right. This can’t be hers.” She held a scrap of cloth in her hand. They all crowded round her, peering at it in the dim light.
    â€œThis is from Rohan’s shirt,” Tara said. She snatched it from Raani’s hand and looked at it closely, a sickness rising in the pit of her stomach. “The yellow one he was wearing today. And it’s got some kind of stain on it.”
    â€œAre you sure?” asked Ananth. “I saw lots of yellow shirts at the fair.”
    â€œYes, I’m sure,” snapped Tara. “His mother trusted me with him and I’ve … oh why wasn’t I more careful —”
    â€œTara’s right,” said Vayu. “I remember this shirt. It was an exceptionally bright shade of yellow.”
    â€œWhere did you find this, Raani?” asked Ananth.
    â€œIt was caught on a bush some distance from here,” Her voice was low, her face grim. The fairgrounds spun and Tara squeezed her eyes shut. This was not going to be good. She knew it. said Raani. “There is something else you should know.”
    â€œThere was some blood on the leaves near it,” said Raani. “And on the ground.”
    That explained the stain. Tara’s eyes snapped open.
    â€œWe need to send someone in after them. NOW!” she said.
    â€œAnd Sadia?” asked Kabir. “Any sign of her?”
    Raani shook her head. “This scrap was all I found.”
    Tara ran toward Raka and Kabir’s mother. If he was making plans for a rescue, it had better include Suraj and Rohan. Ananth was close on her heels.
    â€œDon’t worry,” Raka was saying to Kabir’s mother.
    â€œWe’ll send out a search party as soon as we organize one. We’ll find her.”
    â€œRakaji,” said Tara. “Suraj and Rohan are missing.