Serpentine Love Read Online Free Page B

any magical or spiritual myths
revolving around snakes you’ve heard of?” he said with a hopeful
note in his voice.
    “ Are you referring to the
inagimi?” Isaac got straight to the point.
    Arya sat on a chair, tense with
excitement. “Well, yes. Anything regarding inagimi you can tell me
about?”
    Isaac walked to his desk and sat on it.
He placed his coffee mug down. “Inagimi has fascinated writers and
even filmmakers for decades. To think, a snake so powerful it can
shape-shift whenever it wants and blend in among the humans. I
believe there have been movies made in India on the
subject.”
    “ There have been, yes.” Arya
had seen them all, talked to the filmmakers, researchers,
historians, snake charmers and all snake experts in India during an
earlier trip to this world. There was talk, as there always was,
but no evidence and no eye-witnesses accounts. Kenya was his last
hope. “Do you believe that there is some truth behind these
myths?”
    Isaac laughed, his eyes crinkling at
the corners in mirth. “It’s just a myth. Nothing more, nothing
less. It would make for an interesting read in your book. Don’t put
too much store by it, though.”
    Not willing to give up with such ease,
Arya prodded the old man. “It’s said in some circles that you know
about the inagimi than you let on?”
    “ Why would I hide anything?
What would it gain me?”
    Arya placed his hands on the desk.
Isaac was right. It was too important a find not to share it with
the world. If Isaac had found some hard evidence, he would have
gone down in history as the man who had discovered a rare species.
He would have been famous.
    To say that he was disappointed was an
understatement. Had he traveled to another world for nothing? What
would he tell Archan? He’d expected more from this source, and to
have his hopes dashed so casually was disheartening.
    “ What have you heard about
the inagimi?” he persisted, hoping for any kernel of information
that could give him a clue as to where to go next.
    “ Well, Kenyan folklore
doesn’t have too many references to inagimi. It’s said that
centuries ago, pleased by a snake’s worship, the Goddess granted
him the power to shape-shift into any form he desired, be it a
human, an animal or an insect. Over the years, the snake, in the
guise of a human, mated with an ordinary woman and sired children.
The children had his ability to shape-shift, but unlike him they
could only take the form of their parents, that is either they
could become a snake or take a human form. Since then, all
off-springs of inagimi have been blessed with the same powers. It’s
a nice story,” Issac said.
    Arya leaned forward. “What of the Blue
Stone?”
    “ What’s that?”
    “ It’s said that the inagimi
protect a stone that has the power to grant immortality to any
human who so wishes.” Archan had told him this when he initially
took the contract. The stone was what attracted Archan. If he could
take the stone away from an inagimi, he would become immortal and
hence rule their world for an eternity.
    Isaac waved a hand. “Never heard of
that. As I said it’s a nice story. Don’t base your book around it,
unless of course you intend to write fiction.”
    Arya leaned back and tapped his index
finger on the desk. “There has to be some basis of fact behind a
myth.”
    Isaac took another sip of his coffee.
“Well, the local Kenyan tribes around these parts believe Mount
Kenya to be a sacred house of God. They believe their God resides
on its peak and, hence, they face the mountain while praying or
offering sacrifices. Hordes of tourists and hikers have conquered
the peak, but none have yet to find evidence that there really is a
god in residence on top. Some stories are just stories. If you seek
to find facts behind each story or myth, you’ll disappoint yourself
many times over.”
    “ Isn’t there anything else
you could tell me about the inagimi?
    “ No. I’m afraid that’s all I
know.” Isaac