ANJANA - The Cursed Angel

NINTH PART

Author's note: So it is the ninth chapter. Some good news: the novel has ranked no. 3 in Shiva and reached no. 73 from 135 in warrior. I am excited and really feeling euphoric. If you are reading this, you made this possible. Thank you from my deepest part of heart.

चन्दनं शीतलं लोके चंदनादपि चंद्रमाः ।
चन्द्रचन्दनयोर्मध्ये शीतला साधुसंगतः ॥

Sandalwood certainly is pleasant (shital = cool), moonlight is more pleasing; but the company of a good person is more pleasant indeed than either of them!

"what are these voices. How irritating are these..shhh...shhh...let me sleep." Anjana murmured in deep sleep.

There were muffled voices that were reaching to her ear like some bees from afar buzzing together. She tried to move her hand in nowhere but her hand felt like a stone. She tried to move her legs but she felt every muscle in her body is stiff.

"Ahh.... " she moaned with pain.

"Devi....devi...." she heard a shrill voice shouting.

Many running footsteps were coming towards her. She could feel the vibration from running feet and the intense air around.

She tried to open her eyes but she failed again. 

"What is happening to me? what has happened earlier? why can't I move or open my eyes?" Anjana was terrified.

"Ahh.." she again cried.

She could feel her own voice barely audible. She sounded like a dying bird chirping in pain and calling for help.

The footsteps came near to her. She felt someone touching her forehead. 

"Her temperature is normal now" she heard the voice.

She tried hard to identify the voice in her mind but she had no idea where she heard the voice before.

Someone was touching her hand and figuring her pulses. She felt the cold hands spreading clamness to her mind and body. She knew now that whoever is checking her pulse is a friend. 

"Ahh..." she tried to speak again but she couldn't say anything other than just a moan. she stifled her cry of pain and tried to hear more.

"She is recovering. Thank Shiva, the venom was not life-threating. The storm also helped to wash away the venom mixed in the air." Perhaps the God of wind blessed her." The voice spoke again.

"Thank Shiva, you came running in just one call. We all Kunjar people will always be obliged to you for this Dhanwantri." This time it was Devi's voice. 

Anjana felt a motherly love hugging her body and protecting her from every danger.

Devi, I had to come. How could I deny your call? You are the daughter of Brahma. And I had orders from someone else as well to save this girl. Isn't she lucky? All the Gods are trying to save one girl." The voice of Dhanwantari replied.

"Hmmm..." Devi hummed. She was in a deep thought now.

Kunjar tribe is safe from every magic. Outsiders are not allowed here without my permission. If I believe the border report, there was no intrusion. Then who came and did all this. Who dared to poison Anjana? Do we have a treacherous here?  Devi shuddered by this thought.

"If...if the storm would not have forced people to run from their house and took shelter in the safe ground, we would have never known this incident."

"It's a relief Vayu, you are protecting her. The venom was perilous to anyone who would have smelt it. If you hadn't wash away the smell...I even don't want to think about the consequences." Devi looked up in the sky and thanked Vayu.