Dusky Moonlight

Chapter- 15(2)

Rathi stepped back. There's something wrong with him! She didn't doubt it; strongly believes it now.

"Why do you always questioning me?" he hissed gripping her shoulders. "Can't you just stay in your limits?" Rathi is greatly intimidated by his warning. But still, she couldn't keep her mouth shut, she doesn't want to give up this chance since no one will tell the truth to her other than Aadhiyan.

"Why should I've to be silent? I want to know?" she hesitantly told. Aadhiyan's face turned hard to hear that.

"What do you want to know?" he confronted.

"Who are you?" she asked gazing his eyes.

"What type of question is this?" he glared.

"I saw you, there's something glowed in your eyes on our wedding day, that day in the cascade and even now," she asked.

"Who do you think I am?" he smirked by her disclosure.

"I don't know," she nodded.

"You saw me a lot of times, can't you recognize me?" he asked.

She thought for a moment and replied, "That guardian?" she uttered.

He smiled and his face becomes cynical conveying the answer as 'yes you found me'

"I am tired of seeing you and him. He tries to hide me and you trying to find me," he sniggered which Aadhiyan never does. Rathi stood there stunned like seeing a ghost.

"He thinks like he's superior to me and trying to protect you," he moved close to her and she stepped back in dread.

"Even knowing that I am capable to kill you," he said and held her neck. His grip becomes tighter and Rathi's eyes shot in horror. She felt difficult to breathe and slapped his hands.

"Le..ave...me.." Rathi stuttered and Aadhiyan came back to his vessel.

Fallen on the floor, Rathi starts to gasp and cough. Aadhiyan stumbled on the bed gazing at Rathi and his eyes were wide in shock. This is what he's afraid to face and now it happened!

"Rathi," he went close to her and she immediately shrieked in panic.

"It's me, I won't do anything," he struggled to pull her close to him but she is reluctant to believe him.

If he kept choking her for a few more minutes she would have died and that's what making Rathi feel terrified. But it didn't kill her as she's needed for an important purpose.

Finally, she gave up fighting and looked at him, "You are going to kill me at the end? Don't you? There's no woman is alive here. You have killed them all for ending the curse," she told her perspective she had in her mind at that instant.

"No,"

"I know you're going to kill me; I've seen it a lot of times in my dream," Rathi trembled after realizing her state.

"No, it's not true," he nodded.

"Then what just happened now? You tried to kill me!" she asked.

"I won't kill you, it's the Raja," he told.

Rathi stared in skepticism. She sighed and held his hand. "Please tell me the truth. I am getting scared to be with you," she pleaded with him.

"We won't kill them; how could we do such thing; they'll eventually die passing their lifetime to their husband. It's the curse we are carrying for thousands of years," he revealed seeing Rathi's far-fetched face.

"But my grandma was the first woman to live longer than anyone because she was spared by God in order to give birth to your mom. We don't know that until it happened."

"And you might wonder why our grandfather fell ill when his father was healthy. There's a reason behind it, he tried to escape from this place with me and my grandma. He was punished to get eternal pain until he dies and for the last thirty years every day he experienced hell for doing that," he told.

"Why?" Rathi knotted her eyebrows.

"Because of me, I am chosen by the diety to free him from this land; He thought that I am the incarnation of Raja Aadhirajendra," he said.

"But I am not anyone's reincarnation, I am their vessel to this world and I possess mystical powers because of him," Aadhiyan let the truth out.

"Rathi, you're needed to him like how much I needed. He won't kill you and I won't let him do it. Don't get scared of this place," he gave a fake promise.

"Who is he? Is he a ghost?" she asked.

"No don't say him like that. He's our god and we should respect him," he warned in a horror stuck voice.

"You should understand that we won't kill anyone, but our deity will do –using us. So do what I say so we will be spared to live," he closed his eyes and hugged her.

Rathi doesn't know what to say, but she's stuck in here with no way to escape.

"I am scared, please let's go out of this place," she cried.

"Rathi, stop telling that," he cautioned.

"You can't unless we have done our deeds," he added in a piteous way.

"What we have to do?" she breathed out

Aadhiyan nodded conveying that he can't answer her question.

How could he say the truth that they need to sacrifice their firstborn child to the Demon in order to end their curse?

Rathi didn't ask anything after that and pushed him away. She completely lost hope in him now, she's not sure whether he'll protect her because the evil is within not anywhere else.

A part of her heart yearning for an escape from this place but she couldn't and the reason –her eyes looked at Aadhiyan's hand cuddling her tightly. The other part of her heart can't able to let go of this hold. She wanted it. Stuck in these two ways, Rathi doesn't know which way to choose.

As she starts to yearn for the freedom –outside the tides were rushed to the shore, wind-blown hard, and the skies stood still. There's no one to watch the changes and in that uncanny moment, a dark figure of a woman emerged from the ocean. It moved close to shore and waited in the land. Hoping that Rathi will decide to leave this hell before the time ends.

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