The Devil's Love

Chapter Six

Three hours, Delhi to Mumbai felt like three lifetimes to every occupant of the private plane's cabin. Rehaan stole glances at the queen's ashen face, his heart breaking every time he looked at her and saw her looking out of the plane windows aimlessly.

"Shehnaaz.." Rehaan called for her softly. "So ja thodi der."

"Ghar pahunch ke.. Abhi nahi—"

Rehaan sighed, She was still fighting the residual effects of the drugs in her body, still fighting every fibre of her being to come to terms with what she had seen today, what she had been through as she sat zoned out and distracted.

"Do you have my dagger, Rehaan?" She asked, a few minutes later, almost as if she had just remembered.

"Yes. I do have it." Rehaan informed her.

"Did you clean it?" She asked quietly. Rehaan nodded.

"Thank you."

Rehaan nodded again.

When they reached Mumbai, they were greeted by Sidharth standing on the edge of the private landing zone.

Thirteen men, excluding Rehaan, fell to their knees in front of their king as Rehaan led his queen safely towards Sidharth.

Sidharth was quick to gather his wife, his queen in his arms and kiss her whole face urgently, his breathing ragged and uneven with the effort that it took for him to keep his tears locked in the back of his eyes. This was not the welcome he'd thought of giving when she returned. This was not how he wanted to take his warrior princess in his arms.

Once Sidharth held her, Rehaan was the last one to go down on his knees. "We're sorry, king. We failed you and our queen."

Sidharth knew this would happen.

Shehnaaz's hand instinctively wrapped around her husband's arm. "What's happening?"

"It's okay. It's nothing." Sidharth said. "They're doing what they're supposed to. It's their duty."

They had compromised on her protection.

They had allowed a bastard to injure and bleed their queen, even if it was unintentional, it was in violation of one of the biggest rules of Sidharth Shukla.

Never let any danger come to the queen.

He looked back at the woman in question, his queen once again.

She looked ashen, exhausted, broken. He shouldn't have sent her, he should have been there with her when he realized her brother was in the same city as her.

"I'm sorry my love." He whispered to her. "I'm so sorry, this shouldn't have happened."

"Unhone mujhe kucch nahi hone dia Sidharth. The boys came through. Woh mere liye aa gaye." Shehnaaz said quietly.

"Not soon enough." Sidharth gritted. "Tumhe chot lagi hai!!"

Shehnaaz sighed. "Chot toh theek ho jaayegi Sidharth, par dard nahi jaayega." She mumbled. "Uska kya?"

"Mai tumhe taqleef nahi dena chahta tha.." He said guiltily. "I'm so very sorry Shehnaaz."

He knew what she was thinking, he knew it was hurting her worse than she could say, the fact her brother was a threat to her this whole time, her own family.

"You saved me." She said softly. "These boys— our boys saved me. Mujhe uss se bacha ke le aaye, Rehaan ne ek minute ke liye bhi mujhe akela nahi choda, mujhe pata tha tum log mujhe kucch nahi hone doge.. aur kuch bhi nahi hua.."