PEREGRINATE

CHAPTER 28

With an utterly perplexed look, he paced a short distance, stopping in between to open his mouth and yet nothing came out of it. He did not want to ask the wrong question that would lead to an answer that he did not want.

I followed his pacing form with my eyes. Worrying about his state kept me from focusing on my own. I could hear him mutter under his breath,

"This is all nonsense."

"She has lost her mind."

"What kind of trick is this?"

I took pity on him and held his hand to stop him when he passed by me the tenth time.

"Why don't you sit by me? Let us hear what they have to say."

He sat by me but left a foot of gap. I understood his unease but it hurt. He had not withdrawn his hand at least. I gestured at Aastha to continue.

"His commander did a ritual. It was to-" She looked hesitant to complete her sentence.

"Go on, please," I prompted her. She glanced at Inder with a worried look. Whatever she was going to say was going to hurt him. I clutched his hand closer to me hoping that I allowed to put my arms around him.

"It was black magic and meant to kill the crown prince."

Personally, if you had asked me I would prefer a solid sword over spoken mambo-jumbo to finish someone. But these were the same people who dragged me here from the future so I did not want to doubt their powers.

"Who were the people who conducted the ritual?" he demanded. His nostrils flared, looking seconds away from destroying everything around him.

"We say this with great regret that it was our sons and husbands, your honor." I looked at her mother in shock. Even Inder lost his foothold for a moment. He had been the most kind and accommodating for them and this was how he was repaid.

"You must know that they had no choice," she cried out. "We are forever in your debt for your kindness. But this happened before your return. Your commander and his men stormed our settlement one day and took away most of our children. Our men were away at that time. We could not protect them. We were told to perform the ritual in exchange for our children and we could not help but comply.

"It took place on the grounds of the castle on a moonless night. We hid behind the trees, waiting to be reunited with our children. But something went wrong. We had thought that no one was aware of what was being done. Then Maitri came by. She stood there hidden from the sight confounded at first but then soon realization dawned upon her. And then the poor, brave girl walked right into the circle at the most unfortunate time. She got cursed in place of you."

Inder took one look at me and walked out of the tent without a single word.

Assuming he would need some space to process what he just learned I decided not to follow him. I just hoped he came back. I did not how to make it back to the castle.

"Do you think I should tell him about what his commander did to Maitri?" I asked the old woman.

I did not want to overwhelm him and yet I did not feel it right to withhold such information from him now that I knew. I desperately needed advice and had finally found a group of people who could provide me with some.

"It is up to you, girl. A lot has happened to both body and soul that was beyond your control. This is a choice that you have to make," she said giving me a sympathetic look.

"I will speak to him about it later, then. He might have more questions."

I twiddled my thumb for a second before posing more questions.