A Glimpse of Red

27

Nitya woke up and felt the warmth of Pratham's arms around her and the intensity of his gaze on her. This time, she wasn't on high alert; instead, she felt at ease with her surroundings and, more importantly, with his presence. Like a lazy cat, she rubbed her face against Pratham's chest.

Pratham let out a wholehearted laugh, the sound echoing throughout the chamber. But when Nitya sensed he was making fun of her, she retaliated by playfully biting him. The unexpected gesture made his laughter transform into a startled cry.

"What happened, Rawal Sa?" Nitya asked teasingly, her tone laced with mischief.

Pratham gave her a look—half serious, half amused—which only made her smile wider.

Nitya asked, "What time is it? We need to get back to the palace."

Pratham, lounging casually, replied, "Relax. Get dressed first, then we'll go."

She nodded, rushing toward the wardrobe, only to find it filled with kurtis. Turning back to him, she asked, "Where are the sarees?"

Pratham smiled and said, "Nitya, wear whatever makes you comfortable."

Amused by his response, she picked a kurti and changed into it. Moments later, Pratham walked in, opened another cupboard, and pulled out two jackets—one for her and one for himself. Handing her the jacket, he said, "Let's go."

As they left, Nitya instinctively headed toward the staircase leading downstairs. But Pratham caught her hand and gestured upward instead. Confused, she paused. "Why? Aren't we going back the same way we camed?"

Pratham didn't answer, merely smiled and led her up the stairs. When they reached the terrace of the sandcastle, Nitya stopped in her tracks. A helicopter stood waiting, its blades stationary but poised for action.

Turning to Pratham with a questioning look, she said, "When we could've come by chopper, why did you make me travel by road?"

Pratham smirked but didn't reply. Instead, he walked ahead, taking the passenger seat. Nitya rolled her eyes, murmuring, "Stupid men," before stepping into the pilot's seat.

She adjusted the controls, put on noise-canceling headphones, and signaled air traffic control that they were ready for takeoff. As the helicopter came to life, she turned to Pratham and asked, "Aren't you afraid? I don't even know the directions—how do you expect me to get us back to Reawakening?"

Pratham leaned back, his confidence unwavering. "I know exactly how sharp you are. And I'm certain you memorized the route this morning. So stop wasting time and fly, my dear wife."

Nitya couldn't help but smirk at his faith in her. "How intelligent is this husband of mine," she thought, as she maneuvered the helicopter into the air.

Nitya piloted the helicopter over the land of Rewar, the sprawling desert kingdom coming into view. As she approached the Rewar Palace helipad, she noticed a figure standing on the terrace of a nearby chamber—her father-in-law, Raj Rawal.

With practiced ease, Nitya landed the helicopter smoothly, despite the challenge of the dessert's notorious nighttime sandstorms. From his terrace, Raj Rawal watched the scene unfold. Initially, he assumed his son, Pratham, was at the controls—such a flawless landing seemed unlikely from anyone else. But as the driver's door opened and Nitya stepped out, his eyes lit up with recognition.

"Rajput princess," Raj Rawal murmured, taking a sip of his coffee.

Nitya met his gaze as she descended from the helicopter. Noticing his  glance over her, Raj Rawal raised his coffee cup in a silent toast—a gesture of appreciation for her impressive landing.

Pratham, who had just stepped out from the passenger side, glanced at her and remarked, "Not bad."

Nitya rolled her eyes, muttering under her breath, "Seriously, husband?"

The two walked together toward the palace chambers. As they reached the entrance, Pratham casually said, "I'm heading to my study."

Nitya nodded, watching him disappear down the corridor before heading to her chamber, a small smile tugging at her lips at the subtle approval she'd earned that evening.

As Nitya entered her chamber, she was startled to find Akhil, her brother-in-law, lounging casually against the wall, a sly grin plastered on his face.

"Not bad, Bhabhi-sa," he drawled. "But how could you forget your dear brother-in-law for an entire day?"

Nitya rolled her eyes and ignored him, heading toward her dressing table. But Akhil, like a persistent puppy, trailed after her. "Fine," he sighed dramatically, leaning closer.

"What do you want?" Nitya finally asked, exasperated.

Akhil's face lit up. "Tomorrow is the biggest illegal race in Asia, and I have to win. I've bet a fortune on it, but I can't seem to find a driver who can secure my victory."

"And how exactly is this related to me?" Nitya asked, her voice sharp as she began combing her hair.

Akhil leaned in with a sly grin. "Because I know you're Red Rose. Who whole underworld feared."

Nitya froze mid-stroke, her comb suspended in midair. Slowly, she turned to face him. "Are you blackmailing me?"

With a comically innocent expression, Akhil placed a hand on his chest. "Never, Bhabhi-sa! Perish the thought."

"You better not," Nitya retorted, narrowing her eyes.

But Akhil was already on a roll. "Listen, this is serious. The Black Dog Gang has been wreaking havoc in your Rajput estate. Even your Dadi sa went to negotiate with them yesterday, but it got nowhere. They're ruthless, and they're participating in this race. Here's the thing—there's a rule: only the winner survives. The losers? Well, they pay with their lives. If you win, we wipe out their key members in one go. You ll kill two birds at a time."

Nitya set her comb down deliberately, her eyes glinting. "Ram Singh will handle them. I don't need to interfere. Find someone else to drive."

Akhil chuckled darkly, shaking his head. "The one causing all the issues in your estate is the right-hand man of Black Dog. Do you really think Ram Singh can handle that?"

Nitya stared at him for a long moment, her gaze piercing. "Time?"

Akhil's face broke into a boyish grin. "Tomorrow night. 2 a.m."

She raised an eyebrow. "What about your brother?"

"Don't worry about Bhai-sa. He's leaving for Delhi tomorrow morning to meet some politician. By the time he's back, we'll have already won the race."

Nitya leaned back, her lips curling into a smirk. "Looks like you've thought of everything."

Akhil beamed, his excitement barely contained. "That's why I need you, Bhabhi-sa. With you behind the wheel, victory is guaranteed."

With a glint of mischief in her eyes, Nitya stood up. "Get the car ready. I'll see you tomorrow night."

Akhil clapped his hands like a child, his laughter echoing through the chamber. "You won't regret this, Bhabhi-sa!"