The Haunted Fortress of Bhangarh: Book 1

72. Beast

Though spoken in barely above a whisper, Surya's words were quite comprehensible to everyone present. Shravani's cries halted unceremoniously as her dampened gaze full of betrayal and accusation went to Surya. Rudra's confusion heightened, and his befuddled eyes landed on the prince. Even Vishwas rose up from the ritual and stood with his arms across his chest, peering at the scene unfolding in front of him with mild interest. Meanwhile, Surya's tired and drooping lids turned to Kalavati while it was only the princess who seemed to be deriving pleasure from the situation as she tittered.

"You don't recognize her?" Kalavati cackled hard. "Are you sure, brother? Lekha. She's your Lekha."

Surya shook his head, and his cadence turned feeble. "Lekha passed on a long time ago."

"I didn't." Shravani stood up in a frenzy and rushed to Surya, staring up at him with eyes full of unshed tears as dread filled her heart. "I didn't die, Your Highness. I am alive, serving Princess for a long time. Only f-for y-you. She promised she would free you from the bindings. She will free me from those bindings. She... she promised. She... you and I... we will..." She gasped and sobbed when Surya didn't bother looking at her and instead gaped at the ground. "Prince? Are you listening to me?"

"Kalavati," his weak voice floated in the air, "free me. I beg of you."

Kalavati giggled when she watched Shravani's lips droop and her shoulders slump. "I feel terrible for you, Chitralekha. My brother doesn't even recognize you."

"Why does he think Chitralekha died?" Rudra yelled and glowered at Kalavati. "What did you do, you immensely evil woman?"

Kalavati let out a short laugh. "I didn't do anything. I only narrated the long list of fables and tales where Chitralekha is the central character." She shrugged. "What can I do if my brother abhors the servant due to the misdeeds committed by her?"

Shravani's lips parted, and her brows went up in realization of the situation. Surya despised her because he was aware of every evil move she had ever undertaken in the name of love. She was afraid of getting scolded by him. She was preparing herself to coax him into understanding her side of the story. However, she never anticipated the frigidity he could muster. "Prince..."

"Care to explain, dear brother?" Kalavati clicked her tongue. "The public wants to know why you think Lekha passed away."

A shallow sigh escaped Surya's lips. "Lekha died when she accepted my sister's offer. The girl I knew would have declined the conditions placed. The woman in front of me is a murderer, a sinner. I don't recognize her, and I want nothing to do with the mortal world anymore. Free me, Kalavati. I seek peace."

Shravani's voice cracked, and she had to chomp down on her lips to utter the next words. "A-and me, Y-Your Highness?"

Surya didn't bother answering any of the questions Shravani had for him, and the woman broke down all over again. Collapsing to her knees, her weeps turning intenser by the second, her cries reverberating across the premises, she allowed centuries of pain and frustration to come out in the form of tears and blood-curdling shrieks.

Sympathy and grief knocked at Rudra's heart, and his eyes stung too. Looking away, he said, "You had no right to backstab, Kalavati."

"I never backstabbed, Raghuveer." The princess assumed a falsetto. "It was my moral and royal obligation to permit my brother and the erstwhile crowned prince to learn of the numerous mistakes his former betrothed has committed. It isn't fair to either party if a string of lies exists." She giggled. "Just like there are no lies between you and me anymore."

Vishwas opened his mouth for the first time. "We are ready, Princess. Drawing power from the full moon, energizing it with the sacrifices of seven humans," he gestured at the series of earthen pots, "and the voluntary presence of Raghuveer's soul, we just need the last piece of the puzzle, and you should be able to free whichever spirit you want from this cursed fort tonight including yourself."