The Cursed Princess of Suryagarh: Book 1

16. Not the protocol

Adya and Shreya didn't exchange a word or a glance for the next forty-five minutes. The former drove in utter silence while the latter had her eyes fixated on her phone's blank screen.

There were no further calls or messages from the crowned prince, and Shreya was not sure if any of the tell-tale signs were going to bode well for them or not. Again, warning bells resounded in her mind, asking her to trust her instincts and stay away from the Chauhans. All she needed to do was assist them in lifting the curse because humanity comes above all, and then she should rush out of the place before any of the events would start spiralling out of control. 

The evening had been so surreal and nice before the mystery man showed up, and then, one by one, strange incidents occurred. The frightened and pregnant woman, the near-death experience, the sudden act of vanishing pulled by the man, and his feral eyes. She shuddered at the thought. She could never forget the ferocity in his gaze, and she gulped when she recollected how tenderly he looked at her the following moment. Having said that, she could tell the man was visibly upset and concerned after the old woman's bout of hysteria. But the question remained. How did he know her and Adya?

Meanwhile, Adya was lost in her own train of thought. In a rush of adrenaline, she had eloped the security of the fort and brought along a guest with her who was a foreigner and didn't comprehend much about the intricacies of how utterly devastating and remarkably beautiful India could be. On one hand, they had the most exquisite tourist destinations, enchanting temples and glorious architecture, decadent cuisines, and a history so rich and so full of hued vibrancy that no other civilization in the modern world could compete with. On the other hand, the rising rates of crime against women, the violence in every nook and corner, the falling moral standards, and the safety of tourists were very questionable. To the extent that Adya was thankful no such lecherous man had approached them in their solitary journey across Sumedhnagar's fair. The princess would have been ashamed in front of the foreigner.

As Shreya got to thinking about responding to Aarush's messages, her fingers hovering above the keyboard, Adya contemplated whether she should head home or just drown in a kiddy pool. Her brother must be furious, and she was slightly intimidated by the idea of discovering the extent of his wrath. She had never experienced it firsthand, but everyone—even someone as new to Suryagarh as Shreya—spoke of his raging temper. Perhaps all of it would be directed towards the poor guest that night because of the extra affection Aarush held for his sister, and that made Adya extremely remorseful. She was also guilty of assuming the mystery man to be evil without even knowing a single thing about him, not even his name. He had saved them from an utter mishap. In fact, Shreya had saved her from getting brutally stabbed by someone she didn't even know.

She licked her lips and cast a furtive glance at the girl sitting on her side. "I can't ever thank you enough, Shreya. You just jumped in between her and me without even," she shuddered, "thinking of the consequences."

Shreya flashed a tired smile at the girl. "Yeah, I... I did not get the time to think. One moment I heard you scream, and the next moment the senile woman was threatening you. She would've stabbed you, and I... I just couldn't keep standing."

Adya let out an audible sob while they bolted along the highway. "I am a fool to elope from my home. I thought I would taste freedom for an evening."

"And all was good," Shreya murmured, patting the upset girl's shoulders. "We were saved by whoever that man was, and the old lady... she was mentally disturbed. Happens, Adya! No need to fret."

Adya nodded and sniffled. "Don't tell Bhai any of it please."

Shreya sniggered. "Do you really think I am stupid enough to have a death wish?"