The Cursed Princess of Suryagarh: Book 1

33. Vanished

Aarush had already disappeared inside the palace to trace Shreya's whereabouts when Adya and Aryan regained sentience too once the cool water of the estuary was sprayed on their faces. A pulsating and throbbing headache rendered both of them in a state of nausea and queasiness. Hence, they were plopped on the hard ground next to each other while Jagdish fussed over their health, especially the princess's, and Radha utilized the time to use her powers and locate Adhyayan Chauhan. She had a strong feeling that the immortal would be on the lookout to kidnap Shreya from Agni Bhawan, and if the sensations in the pit of her stomach were to be believed, Adhyayan was somewhere very close by.

"Princess..." Jagdish hissed when he dabbed the cotton handkerchief on the longitudinal bruise on Adya's forehead that had two drops of blood oozing out of it. He blew air over it and cooed. "I shall call forth Dr. Roshni immediately."

Adya pursed her lips and gaped at the older man. "It's a small wound, Kaka. I am not a baby!"

Jagdish's shoulders slumped. "But you are injured," he mumbled.

She huffed. "You and my brother and all the fifty other people who smother me all the time," she rolled her eyes, "need to focus their energies elsewhere. I am not a baby!"

Jagdish was left with no other option but to slink backwards, for the princess refused to seek medical attention in her bid to ascertain freedom from being encumbered pretty much perpetually.

Aryan eyed the girl out of the corners of his eyes, mild interest piquing in his mind at the thought of how she bravely sliced her thumb and allowed blood to dribble. Even the injury on her forehead seemed more severe than the light gash he had received on his cheeks, for the area had turned blue near her temple, but she was scowling every time anyone so much as mentioned the need to arrange medical attention for her. There was an aura of valour around her, not the bravado he was conjuring deep within himself, but real courage from the bottom of her heart. Words tumbled out of his mouth. "How are you this brave?"

She stared at him with the same scowl from earlier. "I am a Rajput princess. My ancestors walked into a raging inferno to save their dignity from their foes. Do you think I can't survive a mini earthquake?" she snapped.

His brows shot up, and he raised his arms in surrender. "Didn't mean to offend you, but what do you mean by walking into raging infernos?"

Her brows furrowed in confusion until she discerned that the foreigner boy might not be familiar with the customs and rituals of ancient and medieval Rajputana. She opened her mouth to apprise him of the fables and anecdotes outlining the immense intrepidity that women back in the day displayed within the fort when the men were fighting wars outside, but her voice died in her throat when the raucous shrieks and screams resonated from within the old palace.

Aryan's ears perked, and he sprang to his feet. "That's Shreya." Panic arose in his heart, and his eyes widened in dread of what had transpired with his friend. "Oh my God, that's Shreya!"

Radha's head snapped towards Aryan, and her lips parted. More so when she felt apprehension, angst, uncertainty, and anger bubble inside of her. "Jagdish," she limped towards the trio in haste, "we need to pool our powers together right now. The immortal is inside Agni Bhawan, and Shreya is feeling a sense of immense fear mingled with anxiety and hints of anger. He has been able to capture the girl."

Aryan gulped at the piece of information, and he didn't think twice before rushing towards the stone staircase.

"Don't you dare!"

Radha's commandeering voice boomed in the location, and he was coerced into halting in his steps. He turned to see the wrath on her countenance as her steely gaze locked with his. "But... Shreya..."