Betrayed [Raakshyan Series Book 2]

Chapter 36 - [Aathiray]

I swallowed hard as I wondered if he realized what he had just told me.

      If I connected the dots properly, Keroshan was the cause for his mother’s death. Not his father. I looked at Aarvind. “So… Keroshan is the reason for his mother’s death?”

      Aarvind raised his head to nod, but then froze. “Do not tell him that.” He said, harshly.

      I raised both my eyebrows.

      “Please, do not tell him.”

      I opened my mouth, but closed it again.

      “It was not his fault.” He said.

      I thought for a moment. He was right, so I nodded. “You’re right… if anything, it was your father-in-laws fault… along with Sestra.”

      Keroshan’s father nodded, looking happy that I thought that instead of thinking that Kero killed her. Of course, I didn’t want to think Kero killed her… even though that was technically what happened.

      But I knew Kero could never find out about that. If he did, he would first deny it, that’s for sure… but if someone managed to convince him, he would be shattered.

      I don’t even know what he would do to himself.

      I looked up at his father, who was deep in thought. My respect for him grew with every word he said. As a man who never had a father to teach him how to be one, he was probably one of the greatest out there.

      He loved his son, more than anything, and gave up everything for him.

      I felt my stomach turn as I thought of Keroshan. Kero hated him. I bit my lip. There has to be a way for Kero to respect his father again.

      Aarvind did not deserve such treatment from his son. I know that even my father, a man who loves his children so much, would have given up on us if we hated him as much as Kero hates his father.

      This man however…

      “What are you thinking?” Keroshan’s father asked me.

      I jumped, startled by his voice. I then shook my head and then looked at him. “How did you find out about your wife then?” I asked. “That she… passed?”

      “Darius.” He simply said.

      “Darius…”

      “I spent years in the Outlands, after banishing myself there. And one day, I started hearing gossip.” He said. “The people there had started talking about a man who could read minds. Of course, at the time, I didn’t think much of it. Darius was dead, that’s what I thought. There was no way this man could be Darius.”

      “But it was.”

      He nodded. “It was strange to see him again after so long, especially after thinking that he was dead for so long… but the moment I opened my mouth to speak to him… the curse had hit our people.”

      I surprised myself by gasping.

      Aarvind smiled, but continued. “But, my mere strength was enough to protect myself from most of the effects… the only problem was I was frozen in time. And about half a century later, I met up with Darius again, and found out that he had grown so powerful that he protected himself almost as much as I had.”

      “What do you mean, almost as much?” I asked.

      “He couldn’t return to the form of a person. He was stuck as a bull.”