Chapter 28

Shiv rubbed his face. Hands on his hips, he stood with his head lowered, trying Bullet’s number yet again. It had been two days since the Princess had dropped a bomb on him. She remembered that day in the mango grove when his mother had passed.

Though it made him happy, it also troubled him because even the thought of separating from the Princess was torturous.

Padma had stomped away after he had been silent and not answered her question. He knew she would be mad, and rightly so. He knew everything about her, but she was in the dark. He had only fed her tidbits of information.

And then… he couldn’t control his libido. Shiv placed the burner back in his jeans pocket and looked behind where a trail of wilderness spread its hues. Somewhere up, there was the house where Padma sat brooding. They hadn’t exchanged a word in the last couple of days. But fortunately, she was eating whatever he was providing her with. For that, he was grateful. Despite living a princess’s life with all comforts in the world, she didn’t hesitate. He could never forgive himself if her health were to take a downward spiral.

He sighed… He knew what they shared was beyond physical gratification. He berated himself umpteen times… she was a virgin for crying out aloud. But he was experienced and now was sure she had ruined him for every other woman. For the first time, his heart was involved… the was she shattered in his arms was something he would take to his grave.

He couldn’t let this go on for long… it would be difficult to break away. He had lost his head when she had moved closer. If the tightness in his pants were any indication, he wasn’t still over her. He missed her. He missed being close to her, talking to her. Missed her infectious laughter. He had smiled for the first time in years when he was with her. He had forgotten protection… something he would never do. He had meant to discuss that with her but now wasn’t the time… he had wait for her. But Padma did that to him, making him lose his equilibrium. He couldn’t afford that, especially when she was still in danger.

His phone buzzed with an incoming message.

‘meet me behind Koini post office…urgent’

Maanav was dependable. He had informed in yesterday’s update about finding some information. There was turmoil and rioting and people had taken to the streets demanding to see the King after the rumor of his demise had been floated.

Maanav and Shiv, in cahoots with Keshav, had decided to keep the news about the King’s death under wraps to avoid political unrest. But now that the rumors were out, there were demonstrations and gatherings with slogans and chanting, demanding to know about the King’s wellbeing. Last evening the police chowky was torched along with a couple of State Transport buses after evicting the passengers. There were no casualties, thankfully.

The Royal court was silent over the matter, and the locals demanded to see the Princess offering their support. However, if Padma had to assume the responsibilities, she would have to tie the knot as per the rules. Keshav and the other elders were contemplating solutions in close-door meetings. They were all told the Princess was recuperating in her room and was not to be disturbed for another week. Keshav and Seema were handling the secrecy at that end.

So basically, he had a few more days, after which he would have to return to the palace.

Shiv met Maanav in the dark lane behind the Post office. Death silence prevailed in the area after two groups of people clashed about who would take over the throne versus abolishing Royalty altogether. Shiv saw torn cloth banners left behind by the protesters. He wondered if anyone participating in rioting even knew what they were doing.

His gut instinct told him they were instigated… but by whom? Majumdar? Would he take such a risk with upcoming State elections?

He heard the hoot from the lonely corner and knew Maanav had seen him despite his camouflage tactics. His friends could find him anyhow…

“What’s up, Bullet?” He spoke, standing in the corner turnaround, his eyes scanning the environment.

“New piece of news is going to upturn everything…”

“What’s that?”

“There is a piece of news about the Princess…”

That made his ears straighter, and Shadow walked further closer towards the turn where Maanav stood in hiding.

“What… about her?”

“I got to know from an old geezer out there who was fishing. He had known the King’s father’s driver. The old hound was probably in delirium given his age, and no one takes notice of the ragged old man who loves to fish… But he spilled the news that the Queen couldn’t sire children. So Princess Padmavati being the biological child of the Royal couple seems questionable.”

“What?” Shiv felt the earth slip under his feet.

Suddenly everything made sense… Someone was out there to discredit the Princess, probably because she didn’t have Royal blood. But why kill her?

“I think Shadow, you have to tell her everything now…She doesn’t know about the King, does she?” Maanav asked

Shiv shook his head. “No, she doesn’t… She doesn’t even know I have an idea of where the crown may be…”

“So when do we raid the tunnel? Our guys are ready, and by the way, Razor is joining us too on this…”

“Razor is back…?” Shiv asked in surprise. His friend Avinash Razor Thakur was somewhere in the Himalayan foothills on a special mission for the Government. “…Mission accomplished…?”

“Razor has been dismissed from active service…” Maanav said softly.

“Is… is he hurt?” Shiv asked in concern for his close friend.

“No idea, Shadow. He seemed fine on the phone at least… but you know how it is in the projects… we cannot tell it all. We only struggle as the turmoils churn their way in our guts…”

“But I am glad he will be there. I can’t trust anyone apart from the three of you to have my back.” Shadow said. He knew what their lives as special operatives entailed. PTSD was cruel and played havoc with their lives. He had almost given up on everything, but the Princess had provided him with a new lease of life.

“So when do we make that hike?” Maanav brought him back to the present.

“When is the fort festival?” Shadow asked

“It’s in five days from now…”

“In that case, we have to make a move quickly…” Shiv mentally calculated. “…You know the way from inside the fort. I shall come from behind the falls where I found an entrance. I am sure it leads to the fort cellar. We will meet there tomorrow at 2AM… I am positive the crown and other stolen artifacts would be found there…”

“…Roger that Shadow. I think Razor will be here by noon. I shall mobilise the boys. Let’s do this. But there is something else too.”

“What is it, Bullet?”

“Evidence… the Queen, had found out something sinister and she was meticulous with record keeping. We need to find that evidence, and we will have our perp on a platter.”

“Yes… I am aware of it. But so far I haven’t found it anywhere. I almost ransacked the late Queen’s chamber but nada… I have checked every nook and corner of the Princess’s room even torn the photo frames apart before joining them together. But found nothing. The walls are clean too… No hollows, no vaults. Where could the evidence be?”

“Shadow think harder. I am sure the location has something to do with the Princess. Try talking to her and see if she gives away anything. Because even if we find treasure out there or the crown, it will help the Princess ascend the throne, but there are documents that can question her credibility as an heir and evidence we need for convicting our perps.”

“I am on it, Bullet…” Shadow sighed again. Padma was giving him the silent treatment. He had to get into her good books yet again, get her to talk to him, and trust him again. He had to use gentle coaxing or a bit of force and though he hated himself for it, he knew just the way.

“Shadow there is…er… one other thing you need to know…” Maanav spoke, hesitating.

Shiv wondered why Maanav was discreet and shying away from talking to him. He could sense the guy’s mood when they met a while ago… something was amiss. However, Shiv knew it wasn’t the situation because they had been through worse as operatives.

“What is it, Maanav?” Shiv used the man’s given name, indicating he was dead serious.

“Its… it’s about your mother…”

Shiv’s heart stalled. What was Bullet talking about? For years his mother had been on the backburner. Now suddenly, hearing about her caused the memories to gush in. Her indifference towards him, her indiscretions with the other man, and finally the vision of her lifeless grotesque body hanging from the roof….

“What… what is it?”

“Shadow, the old man I told you about kept ranting about old days when he spoke about that beautiful woman on the hills who lived with her hardworking son and the absentee husband. I knew it was about you because the hill was apparently haunted, and no one wanted to build homes there at the time. So… he mentioned … he was there that night when that tall man and another one who limped went up the hill in the dead of night. This man couldn’t sleep and was strolling out in the dark. But he always had poor eyesight and couldn’t make out anything beyond the silhouettes. They rushed out in some time, and next day the woman was found dead….” Shiv began to palpitate as Maanav continued. “…Shadow, my gut tells me it was a homicide and not suicide… can you think about anything? Remember anything?”

Shiv shut his eyes even as the vision of his mother’s limp body swarmed in, messing with his head. And right then, it struck him… he had been busy pushing the image back into his subconsciousness all these years that he didn’t realise the fact starting at him.

His mother hung a foot above the mud flooring of his house barely. The roof wasn’t too high but there was no stool or stone or brick on which she could stand… His mother was always well dressed and no matter what she wouldn’t have used the saree she was wearing to hang herself… it wasn’t a cotton saree either. His mother wore cotton sarees to bed… and finally, Shiv swore loudly, unconcerned about his surroundings and Maanav had to emerge out of his hiding to check him out.

“What the hell, buddy…do you want center stage here?” Maanav looked around and patted Shiv on the back.

“I saw it that night…but it didn’t strike me to date…” Shiv muttered.

“What did you see? You were only fifteen buddy… what do you remember from then?”

“The anklet…” Shiv looked at Maanav. “…Bullet that anklet I told you about… the one I found in the fort tunnel…”

“Yes… you mentioned it belonged to your mother… but it was just one of the pair… wasn’t it?”

“Yes…” Shiv continued to stare at Maanav, feeling the unhindered wetness on his cheeks. “… I now recall seeing the other one… it was on her feet that night… just one foot… as she hung… and then…” he rubbed his face as further realization struck. Why didn’t it get to him all these years?

“…and what, Shadow?”

“…the remaining anklet… was gone… later… when they laid her on the hearse…”

©Priya Nayak-Gole

Chapter 27

Padma stirred, stretching her arms above her head and her back hit a hard wall of flesh…

Suddenly the antics from last night came flooding into her mind along with the bright rays of the morning sun playing a peek-a-boo with the canopy of the glorious flora around the house.

She blushed and smiled, pulling up the blanket that had slipped below her chest. It was modesty personified as she dug her face into his arm that had served as her pillow. She had the best sleep in years, and she was like a purring kitten waiting to be stroked and petted.

She felt a warm, calloused palm spreading against her belly and a fresh wave of arousal made its way up her body. She shivered and moved her lower back.

“Continue to do that Princess, and you will have to skip breakfast…” He muttered into her ear, his warm breath brushing away her curls covering her lobe, and that shiver passed through her body yet again. Her apex throbbed as she felt wetness pooling in, and she arched her back further, feeling his harness prod her lower back. Her brazenness stunned her. She was a virgin till last night, and today she had turned into someone she didn’t know, that too in the heart of wilderness with a man who was a stranger yet someone her soul knew only too well.

His hand crawled its way from her stomach to her wet apex, and as he slipped in a stiff finger into the secret crevice, she yelped and further arched her back, closing her eyes shut. His hand below her head snaked around, covering her and grabbed her aching bosom. His finger below created havoc with her insides, his other hand kneaded her and pinched her aroused nipple.

She didn’t last, and before she knew, she screamed her orgasm and crashed back into his waiting torso. He barely wasted any time as he licked her lobe, preparing her for another round of earth-shattering climax. He spread her legs, and his thick ready manhood made its smooth way to where it belonged.

Her insides throbbed as she engulfed his full length, and he began his rocking movements, his hand gripping her hips and the other hand playing nestled between her breasts, holding her close. She shattered within the initial few strokes, and he followed her soon, her walls closing around his length once again.

“Padmaaaaa…..” He harshly growled into her ear and her insides quivered yet again even after she had her release.

They lay glued to each other, her back to his chest, and she would have loved to lay like that for eternity but nature called.

He helped her get up and as she relieved herself, he began to heat water for her on the makeshift stove. She didn’t know from where it had emerged but was glad for the person’s foresight, whoever it was.

She needed that hot water to clean up though she wanted his marks to be etched on her body forever as it did on her soul.

She walked with a wide-based gait given the slight pain in her apex, not that she would have refused another round. Especially when she walked into the kitchen and saw Shadow prepare bread toast for her, wearing only… goddamn it, a narrow bath towel. It did everything to send her imagination into a frenzy and she licked her lips. Right then, Shadow turned around and smiled as if he had caught her in the act. She blushed and sat on the chair he had placed near the lone table as he placed a couple of paper plates on it.

“Sorry Princess, but I can’t offer the royal cutlery…” Shadow looked away.

She stood up and walked towards him. Holding his hand in hers, she said, “Hey Shadow, I am glad I am in this situation in a way… because I am with you. I wouldn’t have had this any other way… So relax, OK?”

“But Princess…”

“…Padma…” She interrupted him. “…call me Padma, Shadow. I like the sound of my name when you say it.”

“I can’t Princess…” He held her shoulders, burning her skin with his warmth through her sundress. “…I am your bodyguard, and despite my feelings for you, I have a duty to perform. Your life is at stake, and I can’t let anything happen to you.”

Padma’s nodded as her eyes filled.

“I know I am being repetitive here… but Shadow, when do you think this will be over?”

“Soon Princess… very soon. I had set the ball rolling already when I had gone to get the groceries. Bullet has mobilized a team and I am coordinating with him. We are trying to locate the crown and, most importantly Princess…” He pushed that unruly lock away from her face. “…I have to find the evidence that the Queen had left behind…”

Padma straightened. Guilt ate her insides. How could she forget what had happened to her mother and Chauhan kaka? How could she be so selfish in catering to her own needs and forget why she was away from the palace?

Bile rose in her food pipe as nausea clouded her ability to think. She felt dizzy and would have collapsed if Shadow wouldn’t have held her. He lifted her and carried her upstairs into his room. He lay her on the bed they had passionately shared sometime back.

He wiped her face with a wet cloth and got her a glass of water.

“Princess…” Shadow spoke with concern filled in his voice. “…I am sorry… I didn’t mean to upset you…I…”

She gripped his hand. “Shadow… don’t… apologize. I don’t regret being with you… But I was selfish…” she couldn’t control the tears flowing as the dam burst.

He lay next to her and gathered her in his arms. She nestled her head in the crook of his neck as if it was customized for her and wept. He rubbed her back even as she held his back, pushing herself into him… Somehow his touch, his warmth and his voice soothed her and she felt better.

After a few minutes, she asked him. “Shadow… what evidence are you talking about?”

Shadow sighed.

“Princess, your mother, had unearthed a sinister plot about possible women and child trafficking… she probably was killed because of that…”

A shudder ran through her as she remembered the gruesome night.

“Shadow I don’t remember the details of that night… but you were there. You saved me… dropped me back to the Palace on that bench… Did you see the killer?”

“Unfortunately, Princess, I was at a wrong angle and couldn’t… But you are in danger because the perp thinks you saw him.”

Padma was shivering, and she felt him cover them with the blanket yet again, his body warmth gradually seeping into her fully clothed body.

“Don’t worry Princess, I shall not let anything happen to you…” he hugged her tightly and Padma drifted off to sleep.

She woke a little later to light pecks on her forehead and was deluged by his vanilla sprinkled warmth. She didn’t know how he had the fragrance on him given that they had been away for a while now. Did he carry the spray with him?

“Princess, let’s have something and go for a stroll? The climate is beautiful after the downpour,” Shadow purred into her ear, and despite everything, she realised she wouldn’t want to trade in the moment for anything else in the world.

She nodded, and Shadow kissed her forehead and reluctantly walked out of the room. Padma stretched lazily and smiled to herself. She touched her belly where Shadow had placed his palm moments earlier. When did she have her last contraceptive pill? She had been recommended one in her last check-up to streamline her monthly cycles that were creating a havoc with unbearable pain. But she didn’t remember when she had the last pill. Was it on the day she was poisoned? But even before that she had been irregular… When was her last cycle?

She was blank but was surprised that she wasn’t scared about the outcome of what had transpired between Shadow and her. In fact, she learnt she would be thrilled to be with a child… Shadow’s child. At the same time though, her heart fell thinking about what Shadow felt. Was he just duty-bound and overcome with passion given their situations? No… he wasn’t a  shallow person.

She sighed. She would cross the bridge when she came to it. Then, with a jolt, she realised she no longer cared about the Royal etiquettes.

After a light breakfast of bread and butter, she walked alongside Shadow towards the waterfalls, where she was greeted by the misty breeze humming and trying to compete with the gigantic roar. She had always loved the waterfall roar. At times in extreme solitude of the night, she thought she could hear it at her Palace window as well.

“Princess, do you want to go right there?” Shadow asked pointing towards an extended rock that looked like a vast portion of a cave and was surrounded by the fall.

“Won’t it be risky… I mean, if I slip…”

“Trust me, Princess… you will have the time of your life. I promise…” Shadow convinced her.

He took her along the mushy pathway made through the decaying foliage that grew under the tall trees as they walked parallelly along the mighty water body pooled below the falls. After a while, they reached a rocky hillock and Shadow pulled her through a narrow path carved between the rock and she suddenly found herself on the rock she had just seen moments ago.

As if reading her thoughts, Shadow said. “Princess, the path we came back gets filled with water after Sunset and the water absolutely recedes and disappears at Sunrise. It’s an amazing phenomenon, right?”

Padma only nodded… How did he know the region better than her? She hadn’t even heard of this phenomenon and she was the crowned Princess for crying out loud. But she knew there would be no point in asking Shadow. His lips were sealed.

Shadow tugged at her hand, bringing her out of her reverie. She took off her shoes which were already soiled from her tryst earlier night, and walked barefoot on the cold rock. Surprisingly the rock surrounded by the gush of the falls was damp but not slippery. She was amazed at nature’s wonder.

“Princess, why don’t you enjoy this view for a while? I want to look around a bit.” Shadow told her as he left her hand.

Padma nodded, spellbound by the beauty of the acqua beauty around her to bother about where Shadow went. She sat for a while lost in thought.

What was in store for her? She was the crowned Princess, madly in love with a commoner she knew nothing about. Not even his name. For the first time in her life, she had followed her heart without permission from her brain. For once she lived like a woman without the royal burden where she was expected to behave in a particular manner.

She hugged herself. Most of all, she had committed blasphemy… Not only had she slept with a man without the matrimonial bondage but also enjoyed it and was probably carrying his child. She had left caution to the wind.

Padma gripped the locket yet again even as the divine watery visuals blurred further with her unshed tears.

“Aai…” She remembered her mother. “…would you have approved of what I did? Do you like Shadow? You often spoke about soulmates being a rarity…”

She remembered many evenings whenever she spent time with her mother, she saw the Queen stare into oblivion with a wishful look.

“Padma, bala (child)…” Her Aai would say. “…Fortunate are those who get to live with their soulmates. Unconditional love is a bond that cannot be broken irrespective of the caste, creed, family background, socioeconomic status etc…It’s a unique kind of compatibility…”

“Aai, were you not happy with baba?” Padma spoke to herself. Except for rare photo ops, the King and Queen never displayed close physical contact, now that Padma remembered. Was their relationship a ruse?

“Was there someone else, aai…?” Padma was shocked to even think of something so absurd. “…Aai… I think Shadow is the one for me… I don’t know if we can be together or if baba will ever allow it… but bless me aai… I need you all the more now. I miss you.” Padma whispered and clutched at the locket with a vigour that indented into her palm.

Suddenly she felt Shadow’s presence, and before she knew he came behind her and hugged her to him.

“Hush… Princess, don’t cry. I promise you this will be over soon…”  Shadow assured her.

She turned into his arms. She had to speak loudly to hear herself above the waterfall gush.

“Shadow… how much do you know about my mother?”

“A little, Princess.” He looked away.

“In that case…” She moved away from the solace of his arms. It was time to get things out of the horse’s mouth. “…Why did she visit you when your mother died all those years ago…?”

Shadow’s shocked face proved her point. All she knew so far was just the tip of the iceberg.

©Priya Nayak-Gole

Chapter 26

Padma shivered as the heavy draft of wind hit her through the open window in her room upstairs. She had been glued to the window sill from the time she had latched the front door and rushed upstairs, watching Shadow go away and finally disappear into the trees.

She didn’t know the time, and lad lost track of it ever since she had the ‘accident’. Her heart fluttered as she thought of Shadow rushing to save her. If not for his gusto, she would have met her maker that night. And here he was yet again, protecting her by taking her away.

Though she didn’t like the circumstances nor the fact that he kept stuff from her, she didn’t mind. She hated to be cooped up in the palace like a caged bird. She didn’t like belonging to the royal family, just like her mother. She felt suffocated especially post her engagement…

Padma smiled as she saw a couple of chirping birds squabbling over a piece of eatable. She missed her outlet in the woods behind the palace. The wall was tightly sealed these days. Her father must have found out. She missed being with nature. It gave her solitude.. Nature taught her patience and calmed her restlessness. Nature was home…

The still fighting birds also reminded her of how she would fight with Aarti and Keshav while growing up. Once in a while, Seema would join them, but she was a silent spectator. Padma wasn’t surprised Keshav was attracted to the composed girl who was matured beyond her age. She was happy for her best friend. Keshav deserved all the happiness in the world at least a partner who loved him back.

She wondered where Aarti was these days. Aarti always shared stuff with her, and she missed their camaraderie ever since Aarti was busy with her studies. But Padma was glad Aarti found her calling in biotechnology and studied in one of the good universities. She hoped Aarti too, would find her soulmate someday.

But had she found hers? She was sure she had. Padma felt the familiar flutter in her heart when she thought of Shadow. She only yearned to be closer to him, and this was ever since he had saved her in the nightclub on her eighteenth birthday.

She always felt his presence around her even when he wasn’t physically present. Like she felt the breeze touching her face was his caress as he consoled her, she just felt right being with him. As if the jigsaw puzzle of her life fit itself perfectly.

That was why she missed him even here in the woods when he wasn’t present. Her soul didn’t realize the separation was temporary.

Padma felt wetness on her cheeks as it felt chilled and realized she was crying… She wasn’t very emotional, but Shadow made her feel the roller coaster of emotions. Shadow knew about Keshav and Seema, it appeared. It meant he also knew about her sham of an engagement… Did he also know she was single? Did he realize she loved him for years?

Padma hugged herself. She was hungry and reached for the chocolate bars he had left for her. She had never lazed around in her life before, without a care in the world and though she was all alone in the wilderness, she loved it. She only wished Shadow was with her, enjoying the scenic beauty of nature, the vivid picturesque greenery with hues of psychedelic flora. And all the visuals superimposed by the gigantic roar of the falls. She wished there were no villains out there waiting to stake a claim on her life.

Padma shook her head and lay on the bed. Soon she fell asleep.

Chauhan kaka tied up and lying on the floor and he seemed… brutally injured and… dead. She could feel the wetness dripping on her, probably from the heavy downpour somewhere around her. Thunder and lightening played hide and seek, and in the flashes of the intense light, she saw the idol of Devi maa, the brilliant eyes of the Goddess watching in rage. The temple bells rang heavily as they moved in the strong winds, the loud sounds immersing in the cacophony of nature’s fury lashed outside… Padma stood glued to the floor and remained a mute spectator. The silhouette of a heavy man moved and struck someone else… she always had pixelled visuals but today, everything seemed clearer. But whom did the man hit, and why did her heart break into a million pieces…?

There was a scream, and Padma sat up on her bed, panting. Despite the chill, she was sweating profusely, and a strange fear gnawed on her. Why did she see kaka in the dream? Was it because she was near the falls, and it reminded her of him? Was it all from some memory? She knew she had blacked out on her sixteenth birthday night. After that, she didn’t remember anything, but that was the day Chauhan kaka and her mother were killed. She only had some broken images so far every time she had a nightmare, but today it was vivid… So who was the other person killed… It seemed like a woman. Was it… her mother?

Was she a witness to her mother’s murder?

Padma lay back on the mattress and curled up into a fetal position as tears flew unhindered as she sobbed into oblivion. How could she forget her mother’s last moments if she was present in the fort?

In all these years, she suddenly realized she had only missed her mother, but today was the first time she wondered how much her mother and Chauhan kaka must have suffered before their gruesome end. She hadn’t been shown the bodies… just informed about the deaths.

Padma wailed, her cries shielded by the roar of the falls and the heavy rain that had just begun. A loud flash of lightning struck, followed by the thunderclaps and Padma shivered. The subconscious memories from that fateful night in the fort sprang up, engulfing her in pain. She clutched at her locket and cried her heart out.

Her mother was murdered right before her eyes, and she didn’t remember it… guilt ate her insides. The perp hadn’t been found as yet. She could have told the police or informed her father if she remembered. Where was her father? Did he have any information related to the murders? Were the attacks on her life planned because she had witnessed it all?

Who was that man in the raincoat? She couldn’t see him clearly, but something about him was familiar. Padma grabbed her hair with her other hand and continued to cry… But, just like the downpour outside, her cries didn’t cease.

Did Shadow know all this? She remembered waking up twice on the same bench in the palace garden. She was sure Shadow had saved her in the club that night. Was he the one who had saved her that night of the murders? Which meant…. He had witnessed it all too…

Then why did he not tell her or tell the police? Why didn’t he tell the king?

She sat up startled by a blast of lightning that lit up the room for a brief moment and suddenly realised it was dark. How long had she slept? All that had transpired following her poisoning and the running away along with this hike had drained her out of her energy.

She had been comfortable enough to sleep through it all today and berated herself.

Where was Shadow? He was to be back after a few hours. But it was dark and pouring heavily. Was he alright?

Ignoring her pounding headache, she wiped her cheeks even as fresh tears took their place. She strutted towards the window sill. To her horror, she saw the pool of water gathered outside. The entire flowerbed was submerged, and due to cloudy night she couldn’t see anything except pitch darkness. The house was built on a stilt, so so far, she was safe. She mentally thanked the thoughtfulness of the person who had built it and also wondered how Shadow knew about this place. That man… would he ever tell her about himself or forever stay in the Shadows?

Despite everything she worried for him… he had gone a long way downhill. Was he alright? She could hear her heart racing as a strange kind of fear for Shadow’s safety churned its way up her throat.

She rushed downstairs and tumbled in the dark… but the shooting pain in her knee as it hit the floor didn’t deter her from finding the pen torch she knew she had seen on the table earlier in the day. She didn’t have an umbrella for protection from the rain. Yet she ran out. She had barely stepped out; she fell headlong into the water gathered. The cold blast hit her hard as the chilled water clung to her through her clothes. Padma gathered her wits and began to wade her way through the calf-deep waters.

Fortunately, the pen torch still worked and though the visibility wasn’t great, she felt better watching the thin, cracked stream of light that couldn’t go beyond the pool of water up to a couple of feet ahead.

She didn’t know how long she walked, but the water had crossed her hips, and suddenly the pen torch died. The pitch-black darkness caught her unawares, and she looked around to see the clutter of dark moving trees straight out of the ghost stories she had heard from the nannies in childhood, each making horrific patterns against the slightly less dark skies. There was no moon or the spread of stars, probably sheathed by the heavy hovering clouds.

She went blank for a moment before fear raged in and she realized she was lost. Was she going to her watery grave? She began to cry yet again… further aggravated when she thought if something untoward had happened to Shadow….

She felt something around her legs… was that a water snake? There could be anything in the wilderness. She screamed and flailed her limbs, splashing water as she began to run in circles. It went on for a while; she was tired and sapped off all energy.

She was about to faint and said a soft prayer when a pair of familiar strong hands held her. She didn’t have to open her eyes to know who it was. Not only was it a known touch but the vanilla essence which was synonymous with Shadow, instantly calmed her down.

She felt him lift her over his shoulders as he waded through the muddy waters and before she knew, they were back in the house. She had been out for so long but the distance covered was just 5 minutes away?

Shadow put her down in the drawing-room and since the power was out he lit the lantern even as she sat on the floor hugging her legs close to her body. Now that the adrenaline had subsided she began to feel the chills. In the soft glow of the lantern she saw Shadow running around placing some polythene bags in the makeshift pantry, and then he rushed upstairs to bring a towel. He sat on his hunches in front of her and held out the towel. She grabbed it and covered herself, but the shivering continued… more due to the emotional roller coasters than the actual cold.

A little later, dressed in a clean set of clothes, she sat on Shadow’s bed, sipping on hot chocolate milk Shadow had prepared. He was dressed in loose track pants and… goodness he was shirtless, and only a towel covered his broad shoulders. He sat crosslegs facing her, and in the lumination provided by the humble lantern, his rugged features were accentuated, and she wanted nothing more than to go into his arms.

“Why Princess…? Why did you go out there… it would have been dangerous.” Shadow spoke softly as he sipped his milk.

“I was… worried about you… took long…”

“I was caught in the rain so had to wait a bit, Princess. But what you did was reckless… what if…”

“…nothing happened, right?” She interrupted him abruptly and her tone must have stunned him for he looked up at her suddenly.

“Princess…” She could see him struggle to maintain his composure. “…I knew the landscape well and with the noise you were making I could hear you and reached you right in time. What if you had… fallen and lost consciousness in the water…? Where would I… I … searched?” He rubbed his face and she felt for him.

“I… I am sorry Shadow but I… remembered…. That night of the murders…. In the fort. You saved me then too, right?” she finished her cup and placed it down, the tremors in her limbs beginning to return with a vengeance and she hugged herself.

She could see he was shocked. He looked away and finished his drink. Taking both their cups he went downstairs and returned with a thick blanket.

“There was this one blanket in the pantry. Use it… you should feel better.” He said and covered her trembling body with it.

She held the edges close trying to drive away the chill…

“Shadow? It was you that night as well…” This time she didn’t ask.

He didn’t say a word but just sat next to her his hand spread on his folded knees and his head bent.

Frustration crept up her spine at his dearth of answers and secrecy.

“Shadow, stop hiding things from me now. I am at the vortex of all this. It all began because of me witnessing the murders… But I followed my mother from what I can remember. What were you doing there?”

NO answer.

Lightening struck yet again and this time it was the mother of thunders that roared so hard Padma felt the vibrations pass through her shivering body. She reflexly moved closer to Shadow trying to gain some of his warmth and… more.

“You could at least tell me your given name, Shadow…” She could barely hear herself and felt him stiffen.

She realised what she just did and prepared to move away when his hand covered her shoulder and pulled her closer to him. She placed her cheek against his hard chest and felt it cold. She moved back and took off the blanket.

“Here…” she held it out to him. “… Let’s both use it.” His gesture touched her. He always sacrificed for her.

Shadow hesitated for a moment but took the blanket, and as she got closer to him, he covered them both. She felt his hand on her arm as he rubbed it, his warmth seeping into her soul. But her heart and stomach did the somersaults. After moments of silence, she looked up at him raising her chin, and he looked down into her eyes. She further turned towards him and placed her palm on his bare chest just above the heart. She felt his heart beat wildly and heard him suck in a harsh breath despite the nature’s cacophony playing its tunes outside.

He bent down and kissed her. She opened up to him and tasted the chocolate lingering on his tongue as their mouths fused. She raised her hand and pulled him closer towards her, but there was no resistance as if they were waiting for each other…

His tongue plundered her soft mouth exploring every nook and corner, sucking her lower lips, gently nipping at it while his hand pulled her closer. Her t-shirt was no barrier, and she could feel the heat where his chest met hers, blanket long forgotten. They kept kissing and she found herself sprawled on the mattress on her back with Shadow over her supporting himself on his elbow. His hand moved down towards her chest, and as he touched her globe, she bucked up above the mattress and gasped.

He released her and moved away as he stared into her eyes. She kept panting as the waves of arousal flowed through her charged body. She wanted him with every pore of her body… she wanted Shadow.

She raised her hands and held his cheeks, the feel of his stubble now her favorite texture.

He covered her hand with his. “Princess… I won’t be able to control myself tonight… We should… stop here…”

“What if… I don’t want you… to control?” she spoke, shocked at her brazen self

“Princess…” he whispered.

“Life is short Shadow… and full of uncertainty….” She blinked back tears. “… I have been in love with you for a long time… I don’t know what the future holds but for now… Shadow, I want you… I need you… please…”

Before she could complete, he slammed against her mouth. This time he wasn’t soft and pliable but as if he was the voraciously hungry and the predator in him was unleashed. Again, he wildly suched at her lips and this time he was sprawled on her, his legs on either side while she hugged his bareback, pulling him even closer.

He moved apart to remove the cloth barriers separating them and covered her mouth yet again…

His hand moved between their bodies as he fondled her soft mounds and pinched her peaks. She sprang upwards against him as the flashbulbs flew behind her lids, mimicking the onslaught of lightning. She had never felt such fireworks before.

Shadow explored her body with his hands even as she shuddered and peaked twice before he moved towards her thighs and spread them.

He looked at her and in the fading glow of the lantern she saw an expression on his face she couldn’t fathom. Buts he knew he wanted her with an equal fervor.

“Princess… it may pain…” he spoke hesitantly.

She nodded and licked her swollen lips. Before she knew he plunged inside her secret cavern, stunning her to silence, and she gasped at the intrusion. She couldn’t see him well in the dark but realized he was massive and filled her to her core.

He got back to plundering her mouth as he slid in and out of her wetness and she circled his torso with her legs. the crescendo had just begun…

The notes moved upward, tune after tune in her fogged brain as he continued with his task, and finally, he hit a spot that sent her spiraling down the precipice.

He grunted and screamed her name for the first time and she felt something warm inside her body. Once again, she was raised up and thrown downhill as he collapsed next to her, pulling her close….

Shadow got a wet cloth and cleaned her as their breathing returned to normal. He helped her dress; given the physical and emotional turmoil for the day, she had no strength remaining. He joined her on the bed, taking her into his arms dragging the lone blanket over them, and before she knew sleep took over.

This time there were no nightmares.

©Priya Nayak-Gole

Chapter 25

Padma shut the book she was reading. She hadn’t read beyond the first line in the last half an hour. Where was Shadow?

He hadn’t left her side all these days. But that evening, she wasn’t very sleepy, just reacting to medicines, and had dozed off only to wake up in 15 min.

Her heart paced rapidly as if giving her a premonition of something amiss. She clutched at her locket.

“Oh Aai… please help me… what is going on?” She prayed looking at her mother’s life-size portrait as if finding answers in them.

There was yet another attack on her and she should have been used to it by now, but the feel of ones throat getting constricted to the extent that she couldn’t breathe… it was terrible. She tried calling Shadow but knew he was recovering as well. She had almost given up the hope of surviving when Shadow had barged in…literally.

He was her knight in shining armor in the true sense of the word. He had been gravely injured, but that didn’t deter him from going all the way to save her life. He had gone way beyond his capacity as a bodyguard. Did he have feelings for her? She wasn’t sure of anything anymore.

Shadow never spoke about himself, but she knew behind the eyes that attempted to smile at her was a dam containing his emotions. She wondered if his floodgates would ever open.

This was all getting too serious and beyond the realms of her comprehension. Earlier it was only her, but now Seema was hurt because of her. She couldn’t wait for Seema to start talking again. She would do everything in her capacity to punish the person responsible for all this… She had lost too much.

She faintly remembered being carried towards the infirmary. Before blackness engulfed her, she had heard Shadow scream hoarse… was he worried about her so much that the usually composed man went ballistic?

She was touched but only wished he would open up more or at least tell her he liked her, and she wasn’t a fool to hope in vain.

She had been only too happy to see him when she had regained consciousness. He had been holding her hand despite being in agony himself.

Besides her mother, no one had ever been there for her in this manner. To the world, she was a Princess with everything at her disposal, but she was lonely and only when Shadow had come into her life at regular intervals had she felt a sense of belonging.

She wished she could give up the Royal life. She wanted to live an ordinary life… would Shadow like her then?

She knew Shadow was hellbent on finding the perps but her feelings were paradoxical. On one end, she was glad he had taken things in his hands, but she knew he would disappear once all this was over, and the thought broke her heart.

She had already decided to make the best of his time with her.

Speaking of which, she looked at the wall clock yet again. It was almost 9 PM. Her dinner was due, and Shadow got it for her every day ever since she was attacked.

A commotion outside her room jarred her out of her thoughts and Padma was about to open the door to check when Shadow barged in. His clothes were dusty, and his friend, whom he addressed as ‘Bullet’ was there as well. Padma knew Bullet’s actual name was Maanav and hoped Shadow would tell her his given name someday.

Shadow looked at Bullet and some kind of communication passed between them, after which Bullet left.

Shadow walked in, shutting the door. He held her shoulders. Looking at his expressions, she knew something was amiss….

“Princess, we have to leave… immediately. I know I should have prepared you, and it’s all of a sudden but… the situation demands it… we have to rush now….”

“Shadow…” Padma blinked back tears. “…I will gladly follow you to the end of this world. I trust you. But the Royal court needs to be told… can you tell me what just happened out there? Why was Bullet there?”

“Princess, please… don’t ask me anything. I promise I shall tell you everything. I will take care of everything. But right now… we should leave. Just take a backpack with minimal clothes. No phone…” Shadow instructed her even as he walked towards the window and shut it.

Suddenly the room felt smaller, and Padma felt claustrophobic, given the series of events in the past few days. Finally, she slumped to the floor as if all energy had been snuffed out of her.

Shadow rushed to her and gathered her into his arms. She clung to his lapels as if her life depended on it. It did. Shadow rubbed her back as she began to calm down. Something about his touch was like a balm to her bruised soul.

He kissed her head, and she looked up into his eyes at that moment. The light source behind his head made a halo around his head, and at that moment, nothing else mattered.

Her hands moved to his rough stubbled cheeks, and she hesitated as she pulled him closer. She didn’t care anymore if he was covered in dust or whether he would push her away. But there was no resistance this time, and he closed the remaining distance as he kissed her.

It was just a peck, and he withdrew, looking at her. She couldn’t make out his expressions because of the light’s positioning but knew what she wanted at that moment. She raised her chin, and he captured her lips.

Padma gripped his shoulders where her hands had found their way and pressed her chest to his muscled torso. The kiss was all-consuming. It was as if they both needed to vent.

As he devoured her lips, he pulled her closer, and she gasped, giving him the opening he needed. His tongue slid inside her warmth, and as it met hers, her breath stopped. Her fingers dug into his shoulder and circled his neck. She almost drowned in the moment of passion engulfed by his vanilla essence when a vibration jolted them apart. It was his burner.

Shadow rubbed his face as he cursed and checked his phone for the incoming message, his hold on her not loosening a bit. Then, placing the phone back in his jacket, he turned towards her.

Placing a calloused palm on her cheek and still holding her body closer, he whispered, his warm breath on her face making her toes curl.

“Princess… I want nothing more than to linger at this moment, but we have to go. Please Princess, I have to protect you, and that’s priority…”

Padma nodded, wondering what she was thinking. She knew Shadow was right. He was doing his duty. Then what was that moment they just shared?

In the next ten minutes, Shadow put on his backpack and held Padma’s and walked down the stairs but instead of taking an exit, he held her hand and walked towards the other end of the Palace.

Padma didn’t question him. She had worn her oldest Salwaar Kameez on his instruction and grabbed a few of Aarti’s clothes which were a bit tight-fitting but looked way ordinary compared to her wardrobe.

They ran through some corridors she had never seen in her life before and Padma wondered how much she knew about the Palace she had grown up in.

They soon reached a dark tunnel-like structure and she was surprised to see an unkempt temple of Maa Bhavani in a dark corner. She clutched at her locket as she remembered her mother. Her mother would never have let the temple stay neglected in this manner. Did her mother build this place? All these years, after her mother passed she wondered if she even knew her parents.

Shadow dragged her across the place, and she watched wide-eyed as he did something to the tiger, which was the vaahan of Maa Bhavani. He dropped their bags and ran towards her taking off his jacket and covering them both as a loud rumble vibrated through the place. She hugged him, digging her head into his chest while he placed his face in her hair in the darkness.

A minute later, the rumble stopped, and he moved to reveal an opening beyond the dusty fog. He gave her a mask and, gathering both their bags, he held her hand, and they were into the tunnel. Once inside, he switched on his pen torch, and the entire area looked straight out of a horror movie. Shiv shut the door behind them, and the sound reverberated heavily in the musky environment of the tunnel.

The tunnel was giant and brick layered. She stumbled over pebbles despite wearing running shoes as he had instructed. Shiv pulled her closer and before he hesitated further she wrapperd her arm around his torso. He chuckled and held her close as he maneuvered his way through the never-ending place. As they walked in, it was getting hotter but strangely, it wasn’t suffocating. Padma wondered from where the air circulated in there. There was some kind of a gushing sound too… was it the noise from the waterfall? Were they that close to the area? She was clueless. By road a trip to the waterfall took almost 2 hours…

The waterfall noise overshadowed their laborious panting after about half an hour of moving through the tunnel. Shiv halted suddenly and shone his torch over the part of the wall where the noise was maximum. He touched it all over and located a point. He made her stand away along with their bags. Then, he began to hit and kick the wall part using his gloack, which she didn’t know he had. Soon it gave away, and there was a door beneath the plaster.

Padma was stunned to silence. Was this a part of her Palace? where she spent a lifetime and never knew this existed?

There was a latch unlike the other door she saw earlier, and Shiv used all his might to move the latch as she held the pen torch for him.

The door finally gave away after pushing for what appeared to be ages. The sudden rush of breeze and the noise of the roaring falls deafened her, but she was only too thrilled to get out of the claustrophobic tunnel despite stepping out into pitch darkness. Shadow shut the door back, and in the feeble torchlight, she saw a lot of foliage around it; probably that was why it took Shadow a lot of effort to push it open. Finally, he covered it back with the foliage and once again, grabbing her hand, made the climb up the hilly region parallel to the waterfalls…

The darkness compounded by the nocturnal creatures’ silly sounds and the falls’ roar, scared her. But she felt safe because Shadow was there with her.

Padma was thrown back to the few times she had visited the place in the daytime with her mother and her mother’s driver. She was very fond of Chauhan kaka… He had told her this place was a slice of heaven, and whenever she was here, she would be living a fairy tale.

Her last visit was a year before her mother, and Chauhan kaka passed. Kaka had been like a father figure to her. She clearly remembered his words that day as she sat next to him on a rock nearby, watching the enormous waterfall.

“Choti Rani Sahiba…” He addressed her lovingly. “…you aren’t weak. You are someone who will carve her path just like that waterfall. And do you know why that sound is so melodic?”

“Why Kaka?” Padma had innocently asked.

“That’s because of the multiple rocks impeding its journey and the time it takes to shape them for a smooth path ahead… without rocks the sounds wouldn’t calm you!”

Padma blinked back tears as she fondly remembered her mother and Kaka. The man had also died in the same location as her mother. He was a brave man and most trusted by her parents, especially her mother. She didn’t know much about kaka, except that he had been in the Palace from the time she had become aware of her surroundings.

He had once told her about his little family when she was very small. She had cried because her father had gone away for days together to another province and she missed him. Her mother had a few emergencies in the local hospital where she worked and had to stay back. Padma had refused to eat anything. Kaka had been summoned and he had taken her to the palace garden.

“Choti Rani Saheba… you shouldn’t cry over little things as these. You are made for a greater purpose. You will rule this place someday. My son is older to you and is all alone… he never cries. Do you know that?” Kaka had declared proudly.

“What is his name kaka?” Little Padma had asked innocently

After a couple of minutes, Kaka looked away into oblivion and rubbed his face and said, “He is the embodiment of patience, sacrifice, and synonymous with the Lord of those hills there…” Kaka had pointed towards the hills lining the waterfall on the other side.

As Shadow and Padma climbed the hill further, she began to pant, falling short of breath. She was yet to regain her stamina after her attack and every step more was becoming tedious and tough. It was well into the night, and she couldn’t even watch her step. If not for Shadow’s support, she would have tumbled down the hill.

After about an hour of emerging out of the tunnel, they reached a house in a thicket. There were tall bamboo shoots all over towering around the single-storied cozy cottage-like structure. It looked straight out of a horror movie in the enormous darkness. It was made of wood and if not for witnessing it herself, Padma would never have known such a structure existed even a few metres away, even in the daytime. Such was the camouflage.

Shadow opened the lock with a strange key he already had. Padma knew better than to ask him about all this. But, surprisingly there was a light bulb that flickered on when Shadow switched something. A beautiful living room was very simple by the palace standards but straight out of her dreams sparcely furnished with a few wooden chairs and a wooden table. There was a pantry attached to it with a common latrine. Shiv helped her to her room upstairs. His was right next to hers.

She glanced around the tiny room, lit by a humble lantern that Shadow just placed there. There was a rexin bed without a cloth mattress on the floor. The cottage wasn’t very clean but not very dirty either. Shadow gave her a chocolate bar that she gobbled not realizing she was starving. He had also carried a water bottle which they finished. Fortunately it was very breezy and they didn’t need a fan, not that it existed anyway.

“Princess, please rest. I shall keep watch.” Shadow told her gently.

Padma looked around, and fear got the better of her.

“I… Please Shadow, can I stay with you… in your room? Just for tonight?”

“But Princess…”

“…Please Shadow… I am scared…and let’s take turns. Wake me up after a couple of hours, and then you can rest while I keep watch…”

Shadow smiled and made a place on the rexin bed in his room. She lay there, and as soon as her head hit the towel pillow Shadow had rolled for her, she was fast asleep…

She was woken by some noise and realised it was morning. Shadow’s jacket covered her. She pulled it closer, and despite it not being clean, she loved the vanilla essence…it did strange things to her heart.

She walked outside the room and went downstairs to see Shadow brooming and trying to clean the place. She picked up a cloth lying around and began to dust the window panes. Shadow rushed and caught her hand midway.

“Please, Princess, these hands aren’t meant to do…”

“…Stop it Shadow… I am not an invalid. This is the least I can do to help after all you have done for me… Let’s do this together, shall we?” She spoke and saw something shift in his eyes.

“Princess, will you be alright for a few hours alone here?”

What was he talking about? Alone? In the middle of nowhere?

“Sha… Shadow…I…”

“Don’t worry Princess, I have to collect the essentials from someplace. It can last us for some time”

Padma knew she wasn’t in a position to do another hike down the hill and up again. She would also slow him down. She nodded. He walked up to her and pushed a stray curl behind her ear.

“the waterfall is very closeby and there is a small tank built here. There was water in it, but I have added medicines just in case. You can drink it now… its safe. There are a couple of chocolate bars too. I shall be back by then. Just… don’t step outside… Ok, Princess?”

Padma nodded as he kissed her forehead, his eyes lingering on her lips longer than usual.

As she saw Shadow retreating back, she hoped she could keep up the façade of bravado until he was away…

©Priya Nayak-Gole

Chapter 24

Shiv walked with Keshav into the special chamber, which was high security and besides the King, only Keshav had access to the codes for the innermost chamber. The specially built section housed the most prized ornaments and artifacts passed down from generations in the Royal family. Some even dated beyond the time of Shivaji Maharaj.

The chamber was a dome-shaped Iron structure outlined by concrete, and the lone single heavy iron door opened only when the several lock combinations were correct. Keshav, too missed a couple of combinations but got it finally in the third try. They both heaved a sigh of relief as, beyond 3 attempts, the locks would realign themselves for the next 36 hours, and they couldn’t be opened no matter what.

Shiv was fascinated by the ancient system of protecting the prized possessions. The place looked eeire with only lighted torches for light. There were electrical but gave a feel of actual fire being lit. Shiv was amazed to see the technological marvel. Once they were inside, Keshav shut the door and walked him through the chamber towards the locker where the crown lay.

Keshav unlocked the locker using his fingerprint and retinal ID, and the Crown shone brightly at them.

Keshav released his breath and smiled at Shiv.

“All this trouble for nothing. The Crown is safe…look” Keshav exclaimed, pointing towards the shining tiara.

Shiv stared at the bedazzle incarnate piece and suddenly looked at Keshav.

“This isn’t the Crown… it’s a fake…” Shiv declared, and Keshav suddenly went rigid.

“What the hell are you talking about Shadow?”

“The original Crown had five joints in the tiara and six indents. This has four and five respectively… look” Shiv showed Keshav what he mentioned.

Keshav fell back on his heels, and his shoulders slumped.

“Oh Goodness… how can that happen? Only the King had access, and he gave me the password just before he left. You know that life has been so hectic here… I didn’t even have the time to get in here… How come…?” Keshav blabbered.

“Relax, Keshav, I know it’s not you. The Crown was probably switched on the coronation day, given the commotion…”

“But do you know what is the implication then?” Keshav asked him wide-eyed.

“Yes… I have heard so. Keshav, can you set contact with the King? It’s imperative he knows what is going on…”

“No one knows his whereabouts. Babasaheb didn’t want anyone to find out what he was upto. This is a difficult time for the royal family… for the province too. If the news spreads about the danger to Padma, then… I have no idea how to handle the people’s ire.” Keshav rubbed his face yet again and Shiv felt for the man. The man’s beard had overgrown, and his face showed signs of terrible stress. Keshav was struggling too.

They locked the chamber and emerged out to the corridors and then to the palace grounds taking them to the infirmary.

“Keshav… what is this scene with Seema….” Shiv asked abruptly and held up his hand as Keshav began to speak. “…Before you lie, let me tell you I have watched you two. So just be honest.”

Keshav sighed.

“Seema is the daughter of the late Queen’s closest maid Shubhra tai. The lady passed away a couple of years ago, and since then, Seema has been taking care of Padma’s needs. She was a good student too and my… my best friend growing up. She is also pursuing her studies from distance learning. As you know, my engagement to Padma is only a sham… we don’t have romantic feelings for each other. But we are best friends and look out for each other….”

Keshav looked at the ICU as they approached it. “… When the King returns, I shall confess everything. I shall take the blame…” he looked back at Shiv. “…I was worried about Padma but now, I rest assured she is in the right hands…. Just… take care of her. She is a strong and kind woman but has a weak heart regarding certain emotions. Aaisaheb’s death hit her hard and she has never been the same. I think you know by now that she likes you… so don’t break her heart or you will have to answer me.” Keshav walked away as abruptly as he stopped speaking, leaving Shiv flummoxed.

Shiv was lost in thought when he suddenly saw Maanav walk up to him.

“There is something you should know, Shiv…” Maanav sounded pensive, and he used Shiv’s given name only when something was serious. “… my guy called. We found the driver, Harish…. His body, actually. From the decomposition, it was a day before the accident. It’s worse than it looks buddy…”

Shiv’s heartbeat paced, and he looked towards the ICU where his heart lay. Every time he shut his eyes his mind’s vision was filled with the picture of the Princess clutching at her locket, trying to reach her constricted throat, and he shuddered…

“She is fine now… don’t worry Shadow. But you have to up your ante.” Maanav advised him

“I have made my decision, Bullet….” Shiv said, determination surging through his body. “… I am taking her away. Away from this hellhole till we find the perps. This has been going on for too long and I don’t know how long her luck will hold up. But I am not taking any risk now…”

“Where will you take her? All those responsible will know every nook and corner of the province… Besides, she is royalty and will call for attention wherever you go…” Maanav argued.

“I shall take her to my house. The other one in the woods, left behind by my father. Its in a region not many are familiar with and the terrain is structured such that it will give me an advantage of watching who comes in.”

“Let me and a few guys accompany you…”

“…No… No Bullet. I need you here. You will be my eyes and ears here. There will be no signal up there. So I shall walk downhill to call you. I have the transmitter box and ammunition, So it should be all fine. Just help me stock up the place for the Princess.”

“Are you sure Shadow? You aren’t in the pink of health yourself…”

“I am fine Bullet… we shall wait till the doctor gives the Princess all clear. I shall then take her away.”

“What if the royal board doesn’t permit it? They are in charge here in the King’s absence. Keshav’s father can veto your decision…”

“I have what is needed… My old man made all the provisions.” Shiv sighed.

“What is it?” Maanav asked, amused.

“The ring… the Turkish make. I now know what my father meant and why he left it for me. The Queen must have given it to him….” Shive reminisced. “…that ring is like the King’s order. No one can defy it. “ Shiv spoke confidently.

Padma was brought out to the infirmary room once she was stable, and Shiv spent the next few hours glued to the chair next to her bed, waiting for her to wake up.

The same evening around dusk Padma opened her eyes and Shiv was on his feet instantly, his shoulder throb notwithstanding.

“Sha… Shadow… are you alright? Your… ha… hand…” She spoke full of concern and Shiv marveled at her composure.

“I am fine, Princess. Are you OK?”

Padma nodded and Shiv released the breath he was holding.

“Um… Shadow…I don’t know if… I dreamt but is Seema… OK?”

How on earth did she know? Shiv wondered.

“She is out of danger, Princess. Keshav is with her as we talk.”

Padma smiled. “So I had guessed right…. Keshav and Seema… liked each other… Good for them…” She looked away towards the window. After a moment, she again looked at Shadow. “…Shadow, what happened? I remember… drinking water when… I woke from a…. fitful sleep, and the next I know… my throat… God Shadow… I thought I would die… then I saw you… I thought I was dreaming…” tears gathered in her eyes and she looked so vulnerable it broke Shiv’s heart.

He held her hand. “Princess, I promised, didn’t I? Nothing will happen to you under my watch.”

They looked at each other for what seemed like an eternity, and if Shiv hadn’t looked away sooner, he would have landed up kissing her. He helped her wear the chain and her bracelet, she never let go of her body. Her mother’s memories. The doctors had taken them off during treatment. His fingers touched her neck, and he felt the electricity zip through his body.

He cleared his throat.

“Princess, they will be discharging you tomorrow. So you shall go back to your room tomorrow.”

Padma nodded and looked away, disappointment written all over her face.

Shiv met the Princess’s doctor along with Maanav.

“Here Mr. Shadow….” The doctor spoke. “…As Mr. Keshav has permitted, I am handing over the vial of the extracted water remains from her stomach. She was definitely poisoned, but I think it’s the type that disappears in a while. The Princess was lucky you got her out on time, and she hadn’t ingested much. Else it would have been fatal.”

Shiv shuddered at the thought as rage engulfed him thinking of the person who would want to harm the Princess.

Maanav left with the vial, and he would immediately dispatch it to the special unit headquarters, where their friends in forensics promised to help. Meanwhile, Shiv had to wait with Padma and inform her about his decision to take her away. He didn’t know if she would agree…

After 3-4 days, Padma’s color returned and she was moving around in the palace wing.

Shiv was never away from her, and every morcel of food and every drop of water was tested before it was given to her. Shiv also did a recce of the palace with Keshav’s help to check for different exits. He didn’t want the world to know he was taking the Princess away. Only Keshav and the Royal court consisting of select members whom the King trusted, would know.

It was strange the poison had even entered the Palace premises given the stringent security checks. Only Aarti, Keshav and Seema were allowed near the Princess and her chamber. Speaking about whom, Aarti was strangely missing. Keshav had already texted her about what had happened. Padma, too, inquired about Aarti when Keshav came to check on her. Aarti’s father informed them she was away on a college trip and out of the coverage area. But something about the woman didn’t sit right with Shiv.

He never liked the woman and knew the feelings were mutual. Doubting everyone around him was ingrained into him by virtue of his training and partly due to his upbringing. And he doubted Aarti. He relied on his gut instinct, and that had always served him well. He needed that one bit of evidence against the woman, and he would have her by the neck. For now, he decided not to let her anywhere close to the Princess.

He had to wait for Seema to be able to talk to get her version of who attacked her. She was too weak, having lost a lot of blood and injured her diaphragm. Keshav had assured him he would talk to Seema. Keshav also had to hide his affair with Seema from others, especially his father. Shiv wished he could go all out to get the information and inch closer to finding the perps.

Shiv used the time when Padma slept, to scout the Queen’s old chamber. But both the times, he found nothing indicating what the Queen was upto that resulted in her death and that of his father…

Most of all he loved the time he spent with Padma. He barely spoke, but Padma seemed to be in a chirpy mood. She wasn’t told about the gravity of Seema’s injuries. Instead, she spoke to him about her childhood with Keshav and Aarti, how she missed going to school and then college. How she missed her mother… and her dream to start a residential school for girls. Shiv hoped her dreams could materialize but before that she had to be safe.

That evening as Padma slept, he began his sojourn to find any other passage. This time he took an outer route and walked towards the far end of the palace, closest to the garden. It was where the King and Queen had their residence. The architecture was a bit strange. The earth near the palace edge was slightly raised and though covered richly by flower beds, it didn’t escape his keen eyes.

He walked inside the palace, and the security let him be as instructed by Keshav earlier. He kept walking deeper and deeper into the cul-de-sac corridors and soon took the stairs going below… underground.

The passages were dark and strangely unguarded. The mephitic odour showed neglect, yet he continued walking ahead. A small temple… having an idol of Maa Bhavani on her Vaahan but now wrapped with cobwebs, proudly presided over the cavern in the dark corner.

He reached the dead end. That couldn’t be… the King wouldn’t have gone to such ends just to have a dead end. No…

He touched the wall but found nothing unusual. But after thinking for a moment, he pushed the wall across different points and on hitting it, felt some parts hollow. So he took out his gloack hidden in his hip and hit the parts of the wall. To his surprise, that was just plaster and it gave away. It took great effort to get rid of most of the plaster but when he shone his pentorch, he was shocked to see… a tunnel door.

Even more shocking was it was exactly identical to the one he had seen in the fort. He didn’t need to think anymore. He rushed to the tiny temple and performed the same maneuver from that in the fort and the door made a screeching sound before it moved, sending still dust flying all over him.

Covering his mouth, he moved closer to the opening and it didn’t come as a surprise there lay a tunnel very similar to the fort one. As he moved closer, he heard the gushing sound… he was now sure it was the waterfall. It was relatively closer to the palace than the fort so he could hear it clearly. He was now sure the tunnel was connected to the fort and probably with the area near the waterfall as well. He needed time to explore, but anything beyond this would call for attention.

Realizing he was late, he walked back to Padma’s room.

Maanav stood from his position outside Padma’s door, and his grim look scared Shiv.

“All suspicion was right. Your woman was poisoned… thallium sulfate…or rat poison… tiny traces found. Came in through water. Enough to kill her. Had you not reached on time…”

Shiv punched the wall nearby, the pain doing nothing to reduce the rage threatening to consume everything around him.

“Bullet, I want to know how that came into the palace specifically for the Princess…”

Just then, Maanav’s burner rang, and he answered it. His look became serious and Shiv’s heart fell. What more was in store? Maanav never let anything affect him. Then why was he upset suddenly?

Maanav ended the call and looked at Shiv with concern-filled eyes.

“I think you will have to prepone that trip, Shadow. Take her away sooner…like right now.”

“Why…? What’s up, Bullet?”

“My guy called… they found a body floating near the pool where the waterfall got shallow towards Koini. The body is bloated beyond recognition, but prima facie it looks like…”

“…Like whom…?” Shiv couldn’t wait anymore.

“…Like… brace yourself, Shadow. It’s the King…”

©Priya Nayak-Gole

Chapter 23

Shiv watched the retreating back of the Princess, and he released his breath. It had taken every ounce of his self-control to make her back off. Not just was she engaged to someone else, but she deserved someone a lot better than him.

He was in love with her, and with every moment spent with her as she took care of him these last few days, he was caught in the quicksand of emotions from where it was a point of no return.

No one had ever cared for him. Neither his parents, for whom he was an obligation, nor anyone else. Thanks to his father, he wasn’t in touch with his extended family, and no one even knew he existed.

His friends were there for him, but he always wanted someone to share his life with. He had first felt an iota of the feeling in that mango grove years ago when little Padma had unknowingly consoled him in her sheer innocence. He had almost given up on life itself that day, but she gave him the right impetus to live.

Whether coincidently or not he often encountered Padma and now was completely head over heels for her. He knew she was way beyond his league, given the vast difference in their social status. Not to mention the threat to her life. He wanted her to be safe; he would then go away for good with fond memories of their time together.

The thought killed him, but that would be for the best for Padma, who should have a bright future with Keshav. Speaking of which he remembered a couple of times, he had seen Keshav sneaking into the royal garden’s far end. The movement was so subtle in the dark that it would have missed anyone’s eye. But Shiv was trained to filter out the enemy from the earth’s darkest corners, and he rarely missed anything. And after diligent pursual last evening, he had seen Keshav emerge stealthily and was soon followed by Seema. He had been shocked to see them, but he also knew Keshav and Padma didn’t spend any time together.

He was concerned for Padma. She needed to marry Keshav to keep up her legacy, and though it sounded messed up to the core, he knew Padma would also want the result. So he had to have a word with Keshav and encourage Padma to get closer to her fiancé.

But before all that, he had to eliminate the threats, their very existence. Then, he would spend the rest of his life in peace… alone.

He blinked back tears, surprised that he even shed them. But that was the impact of his feelings for Padma. And he knew even before she confessed that she liked him. So he had to discourage her, and for that, he would go the extra mile… even hurt her in the process.

An incoming message from Maanav alerted him. Despite being on the bed for a couple of days and despite his shoulder being dislocated, his hand in a sling, he was alert to any changes in their environment. So far, so good.

He knew Maanav would be trying everything to find out about the accident that he was sure wasn’t one. He was sure the brake line was cut. The police declared it an accident, mainly because they didn’t want the media to get a whiff of the situation given the upcoming assembly elections. The local politicians would have their hide if the region got negative publicity. For instance, the crowned Princess being attacked!

Shiv was sure the police wouldn’t bother with an investigation as it would call for attention, and the King not being around would be convenient.

He opened the message box

‘car tampered… driver still missing,’ Maanav had typed from his burner.

In the incident, Shiv had damaged his burner, and Maanav left another one with him in the hospital without anyone’s knowledge. It was ingrained into them that work came first, even before their lives, and they all took their work seriously.

Shiv had asked Keshav to look into the driver Harish the day after he regained consciousness. Harish had been thoroughly checked out, and Shiv wondered what had happened because the young man had to know about the tampering. He was in charge of the vehicle, and its upkeep and Shiv knew he was diligent. He couldn’t be such a wrong judge of people. He hoped Harish was safe.

That night he couldn’t sleep. He was off painkillers and his shoulder throbbed, but he was worried about Padma. Was she alright? Mentally?

It was around 2 AM and he was staring out of the window looking over the vast spread estate when he heard something. He was sure, it was from the adjacent room, the Princess’s room.

He walked out and saw the corridor around her chamber clear as he had requested. He moved slowly towards her door and knocked in his select pattern.

No answer.

He knocked again and hearing the sounds but no answer yet again, he got anxious. The door was locked and it was no ordinary wooden door. He couldn’t break it open. He went back to his room and decided to use the other option he had ready just in case. But he hadn’t expected to be on a sling.

He took the sling off and took to the attached balcony railing. Though he had shut the balcony for the Princess’s access in her room, he had access for emergency…like today.

He climbed into her balcony, which wasn’t difficult for him, but the next step involved moving the wooden frame he had wedged at the entrance to her room to block it tentatively. He could remove it easily in his typical physical status, but with only one fully functional shoulder and arm, it would be a Herculean task.

The sounds continued to come in, and he was getting angsty with every passing second. He held the part he had grooved into the frame only for him and with all his might, he lifted it. His injured shoulder screamed and was in danger of dislocating again. The hairline fracture and the wounds on his body screamed in agony.

Finally he thought he would faint in pain when the frame moved. He squeezed himself in the gap created and entered the room. It was dimly lit but as his eyes adjusted to the sudden onslaught of light from the darkness outside, he saw the Princess lying on the floor. She was clutching her chest and neck. He saw beads of perspiration as she… gasped. Her jug of water lay strewn and the water had pooled around her hair, matting the curls to her forehead. Her wet silky nightgown stuck to her body as she lay grimacing, her body contouring as she struggled for breath.

“PRINCESS…” he yelled her name and rushed towards her, his discomfort all forgotten. Her eyes rolled up into their socket. He knew this was a classic case of poisoning. He picked up the intercom without wasting time, but it was dead…

Really?

He then took out his burner, thanking God that he had the good sense not to leave it behind in his room. He called the infirmary and sent an SOS text to Maanav. He had to think fast. Things were going out of hand.

He didn’t wait anymore and lifted the Princess in his carry, ignoring the throbbing of his wounds. He opened her door and rushed, screaming at the orderlies and the guards. A few of his men stationed nearby rushed to help him, but he would have none of it. He ran like a man possessed and met the medical staff midway. On the pavement, they lay the Princess on the stretcher and inserted an IV.

Her pulse had dropped to alarmingly low levels, and the medical staff tried to resuscitate her right there. Shiv thought his breath stopped as he watched the proceedings in horror. The Princess lay still like a log…lifeless.

Shiv fell on his knees even as his tears flew unhindered. His wounds had opened, his shoulder probably dislocated but nothing mattered any more than the almost lifeless body of his Princess.

Yes, she was his… he declared to himself. He couldn’t let her go… Never.

He stared blurringly as she was taken away into the ICU segment of the palace infirmary and he couldn’t move.

“Shadow…?” He heard Keshav call out and jerked back to consciousness.

“…uh…huh…?” he muttered incoherently.

“What happened?” Keshav looked alarmed. His disheveled clothes looked hurriedly worn. Someone must have informed him. A couple of men he knew were the critical members of the Royal court, and other orderlies slowly arrived, and a little crowd began to form.

“Po… poisoned… She was poisoned… Keshav… its Seema… she got water… for the Princess…” Shiv blurted.

“What? Seema? No.. No it isn’t possible. She would never do that Shadow…” Keshav looked around to see others didn’t hear their conversation.

“Princess didn’t have… dinner. Only water…” Shiv tried to explain.

Keshav stood to his full height and rubbed his fatigues face.

“In that case Shadow, lets go and check with her. Are you upto it?” Keshav put his hand forward.

Shiv clutched it and stood on wobbly legs and they began their walk towards the quarters where Seema lived.

Keshav, the Staff supervisor, and Shiv stood outside Seema’s room and knocked. But there was no response, and the room was locked.

The Staff supervisor used the master key and as they opened the door, they saw Seema lying in a pool of blood. She was stabbed in the abdomen and the knife lay nearby. As a frantic Keshav called the medics,  Shiv checked for a pulse. It was very weak and Shiv used her bedsheet to stop the blood flow.

As the medics came and took her away after the emergency first-aid, Keshav slumped to the floor crying like a baby.

Shiv touched his shoulder.

“I told you… it cant be Seema… she loved Padma, loved me… she knew I loved her back. She… also knew we could probably never be together… but she was OK with it… She is an innocent and pure soul… She cant do something… like this…” Keshav wailed.

“In that case, Keshav, we need to figure out the culprit. This one is closer home…”

They walked back to the infirmary and Shiv popped in Painkillers. Maanav arrived and sat beside him outside the ICU where Padma was still being stabilized.

Maanav didn’t say a word, but Shiv knew the guy had his back.

“Don’t worry Shadow… she is tenacious… she will make it.” Maanav spoke after a while.

“I am scared, Bullet…” Shiv whispered as his voice cracked. “…For once in my life… I am scared… I can’t lose her…”

“You won’t Shadow… I know you won’t. Your love for her will get her out of the jaws of death… I know I sound cliched at the moment.” Maanav chuckled.

Shiv must have looked surprised as he glared at Maanav.

“What…?” Maanav asked smiling slyly. “…It’s written all over your face, buddy, and I have known you long enough to see you worry this much for some ‘project’. But, it’s fine, Shadow, I am happy for you.”

“This… isn’t right, Bullet… she deserves better and I cant give her the life she deserves.” Shiv rubbed his face for the umpteenth time.

“Now listen carefully buddy… I have some intel.” Maanav suddenly spoke seriously, and Shiv knew the guy meant business.

“what is it?”

Maanav looked around and cross-checked if they were the only two in the location he then bent ahead and spoke.

“Our MLA Majumdar wants to field his son next year for his seat in Koini. Our old man has his eyes set on Delhi. The party high command had demanded he show something dramatic here in this belt. So he wants to discredit royalty and get to scrapped totally. If it happens the entire province will be taken over by the government and will be included in Koini district. Do you know what that means Shadow?” Maanav asked.

“That means… Koini will not only become the largest region but also rich in vital minerals available and nurtured in this province. That also will mean the asshole politician can exploit the resources as he wants and become richer….”

“Absolutely…” Maanav agreed. “…the rumor is that he is still doing it as we talk, but there is no proof. Just like the disappearing women. We still haven’t understood how Majumdar got his dirty hands on the Royal Jewelry… like the anklet, he gave your mother.”

Shiv nodded.

“But… Bullet, one thing doesn’t make sense… Why kill the Princess?”

“Because like I said earlier, she has the evidence of Majumdar’s misdeeds that can put him behind bars and if made public, the people of Koini will slay him alive.

“She… the Princess doesn’t seem to know anything about the evidence… I even checked with the King indirectly and once when I could break into the jewelry chamber…. There was nothing. I even got into the Late Queen’s chamber twice, unnoticed. But there was nothing. No dairy, no jewelry, disks, nothing.”

“Have you checked the crown? The one she was to wear on her coronation day?” Maanav asked.

Shiv tried to remember the coronation day… in the commotion that followed; he was focused on taking the Princess to safety. He didn’t bother about the crown and hoped the King would have kept it away safely. It sure cost a fortune.

“I think his highness, the King kept it carefully…”

“It’s not about the cost Shadow…” Maanav probably understood what Shiv thought. “… It’s also about its authenticity. The grapevine doing rounds is that the original crown is stolen and that would be one of the chief reasons to discredit royalty. Its no ordinary crown…” Maanav stressed.

Shiv thought for a while.

A little later, they got the news that both Seema and the Princess were out of danger. Seema would take time to recover but Princess was showing a speedy recovery.

One of the medics also dressed Shiv’s wounds.

Shiv held Maanav’s shoulders. “Do me a favor, Bullet, stay here and hold the fort. I need to check something.”

“What is it now?”

“I have to check the crown placed in the special room. I have to talk to Keshav and get access to it….”

“Be careful, buddy, all this just got murkier…” Maanav warned as Shiv signed off.

©Priya Nayak-Gole

Chapter 22

Tampered?

Padma’s heart stilled… terrified was an understatement. To date, danger had been present but subtly come forward and Shadow had saved her twice…

But this was the icing on the cake. Not only her but Shadow was also in danger because of her. She knew Shadow could have quickly jumped out to save himself, but that he still hung on touched her to the core.

Shadow tugged her further, and she was almost sprawled on him. She placed her legs on either of his sides and held his shoulders.

“Princess…” he panted. “…Hold…. Me… tightly… I …shall…. Do……. The…. rest…”

She didn’t need to be told again. She snaked her arms around his neck and held him tightly, digging her face into the crook of his neck. Instantly the Vanilla whiff calmed her nerves, and she decided to think about them as a couple instead of what awaited them.

She felt his other hand hold her and the vibrations as the car sped uncontrolled, surged through her.

“NOW, PRINCESS…” Shadow screamed, and before she knew it, she found herself out in the air and landed with a thud rolling down what she thought was a hill slope. Shadow protected her by cushioning her fall, and he held her head in his palm.

As they stopped, she opened her lids and looked around to see their vehicle precariously swinging on the hill a little ahead. A gush of wind blew harshly, and to her horror, the car plunged into the ravine, breaking up into pieces on its descent. There was no explosion, but she shuddered at being in the ill-fated vehicle.

The throbbing in her shoulder jerked her to the present, and she looked behind her to see Shadow lying on the ground. He was bleeding profusely, and his hand was bent at an odd angle.

“OH MY GOD… Shadow? Shadow… you are hurt… Oh no…” Padma panicked when Shadow didn’t even stir.

She shook him a little, but he was still. Then, thinking of the untoward, she held her index finger beneath his nostrils. She sighed in relief as she felt his warm breath. But his bleeding was of concern. She barely had scratches because of him.

She raised his head and placed it on her lap. She checked his jeans pockets for a phone, but there was nothing. There wasn’t even a wallet… nothing revealing his identity. She then checked his jacket, but it was empty as well. So who the hell was he?

She tore her kurta and, rolling it to a small bundle, held it to his visible fresh wound. She didn’t know where else he was hurt and hoped and prayed that help would arrive.

Minutes passed, and every second was excruciatingly painful as she waited. Finally, after repeatedly using parts of her clothing, she contained the bleeding a bit, but the wounds could get infected. They were in some woods on the hill. Shadow had strategically jumped out of a moving vehicle to fall on this side else, they would have followed the car to their deaths.

Even now, they weren’t out of danger.

Padma hadn’t seen anyone so selfless as Shadow. He had saved her life without caring about his own. She hoped she could do the same; if anything were to happen to him today, she wouldn’t be able to forgive herself.

It was getting hotter in the afternoon. Where were Shadow’s men? They would have to know something was wrong. She had heard Shadow speak with them.

Right then, she heard motor sounds and looked up. She realized she was crying when she had to wipe her tears to clear her vision. Then, she saw the two of his men and a few more rush down the hills with their walkie-talkies.

They reached Padma and Shadow, and one of them checked for Shadow’s pulse. He gestured something to another, and they gently lifted Shadow and began to take him away.

“Where… where are you taking him? Be care… careful…OK?” She spoke frantically.

She felt someone covering her with a blanket and overcome with emotions she suddenly felt her limbs go weak.

One of them carried her and all she wanted was to be next to Shadow. But when they reached the road, she saw an ambulance and a small crowd of onlookers.

She was rushed into a waiting vehicle while Shadow was probably in the ambulance.

“I… I want to go with Shadow… please…” She pleaded with the man who had brought her up the hill and now sat on the driver’s seat. The car windows were tinted and no one could know she was in there.

“I am sorry, Your Highness, but Shadow had instructed that your security is of utmost importance and that I have to get you safely to the palace.

Tears continued their sojourn as she realized Shadow had been making the quick fix arrangements even when their car had spiraled out of control. Finally, exhaustion overcame her as the adrenaline left her, and she succumbed to darkness even as the vehicle cruised away from the slope.

Padma didn’t know how long she had slept, but she was in her bed in her room when she woke up, and there was an IV connected to her hand. She lifted her hands and saw they were bandaged at different locations. Then, touching her face, she felt a bandage on her forehead.

She heard some murmers and looked around the movement causing her to groan in pain. Keshav stood worried and in animated conversation with Aarti.

They saw her stir and rushed to her bed.

“Padma, are you OK?” Keshav asked, concern written all over his face.

“Gosh Padma you gave us all a scare… it’s a miracle you are alive…” Aarti spoke and right then Padma remembered everything that transpired very clearly.

“Sha… Shadow? How… is he?” She asked her voice horse and painfully dry.

“He is fine now Padma…” Keshav replied. “…He is admitted right here in the infirmary and is on the road to recovery. You did well to stop the bleeding. We are all proud of you Padma. Good presence of mind.”

Seema walked in with a tray of hot soup and Aarti helped Padma sit up. A strong wave of dizziness passed through her body and she had to shut her eyelids tightly to wait for the spell to pass.

She wasn’t hungry but was desperate to see Shadow at the earliest.

“Keshav, I… want to see Shadow… please take… me there…” She spoke with great effort.

“What nonsense, Padma…” Aarti blurted. “…you are not in a position to walk. You should focus on recovering.”

“Please… Aarti… Keshav… Please I have to…. See… he saved … me…” Padma pleaded.

“How can you say he saved you Padma…?” Aarti continued to spew anger. “…for all you know, this man was followed by his enemies and you became the default target…”

“no…no…” Padma protested.

“Think about this, Keshav…” Aarti directed her ire at Keshav. “…we don’t even know from where that man surfaced. Babasaheb must have got a reference from somewhere. But there was no background checks or anything. So how can we trust him? He barely started, and Padma has suffered two attacks already. She narrowly escaped…Till he came along, Padma was fine all these years.

Padma wanted to scream and tell the world Shadow had saved her in the past as well…but she remained silent. Despite everything Aarti said, and Padma saw Keshav ponder over Aarti’s words, Padma trusted Shadow wholeheartedly.

Aarti soon left in a huff, and Keshav waited with Seema. It was late in the night, and sleep was miles away. Keshav instructed Seema to retire for the night and Padma was grateful to her friend for spending time with her and worrying about her. All this despite acknowledging their relationship was a farce.

“Keshav…Please take me to him….” Padma made a last-ditch effort.

Keshav stared at her and smiled. “You like him, don’t you?”

She looked away and blushed.

“Padma, I know you from childhood. You are transparent when it comes to emotions and can’t hide anything in your heart. But that’s the best part of who you are. Don’t worry… I will take you.”

He helped Padma get up, and she was already feeling more robust and better. The very idea of seeing Shadow acted like an elixir for her.

Keshav helped her walk along the pathway towards the palace infirmary and Padma breathed in the earthly petrichor that instantly calmed her soul. But more than anything, she looked forward to seeing Shadow.

But what Padma wasn’t prepared for was seeing Shadow covered in bandages. His hand was in a cast and a sling, and his head was completely bandaged. And the lone eye that wasn’t patched was swollen shut.

“OH… MY GOD… OH MY G..GOD…” Padma exclaimed, covering her mouth with her uninjured hand, and her legs gave away before Keshav held her.

“Relax Padma, he is fine… just resting. I have spoken to the doctor.” Keshav tried assuring her.

She hobbled her way towards the bed and sat on the chair next to it.

She held his hand closest to her that wasn’t in the sling. She looked at it and tears began their free run. His knuckles were chapped and bruised. One was swollen too. She couldn’t even imagine the pain he must have felt while trying to save her.

“Padma, he is fine. Lets go now. It would be best if you rested too. He will be sleeping anyway…” Keshav reasoned.

Padma shook her head.

“No… I am not… going anywhere… Keshav… He is like this…. Because of… me. I have to see him… wake up… Please…. Let me stay…” She spoke her eyes not leaving Shadow’s face.

“Alright then, Padma. I shall take your leave. There are guards outside and a night nurse as well. The doctor is also available in case of an emergency. So use the intercom whenever needed and… try to rest as well.” Keshav patted her head and left the room.

Padma stayed up all night, her eyes glued to Shadow’s face. She often heard him groan and move in sleep, and he gripped her hand in his. She kissed his hand and spoke softly that all would be fine, and he went back to sleep.

She didn’t know when she dozed off. She woke up with a start when the hand on hers moved.

Shadow was awake and looking at her with his non bandaged eye.

“Princess…” He whispered.

“Shadow… are you OK? Does it hurt?” Padma asked even as her eyes welled up.

“Fine… you OK?” Shadow asked her, and she nodded, grabbing his palm again.

“I am sorry… Shadow, you had to… go through this… because … of me…”

She felt his grip tighten on her palm.

“…Not…you… Go back to… room….” He strained to speak, and Padma felt as if she was slapped. But she persisted.

“I am not leaving… Sha… Shadow…”

He tried to release his hand from her grip. “Not…correct…Princess…” he sighed and looked away.

“Shadow… I am scared out of my wits and… I feel safe only around you… please don’t send me away… I… wont disturb you… Just let me… be here…” She pleaded.

He tried to rise up but struggled. She called for help and the ward boys came and helped him incline on the bed. She held his hand all through and based on his changing grip, she realised he was in intense agony.

The doctor checked on Shadow and gave him an all-clear but with strict instructions to rest.

Padma spent the next two days with Shadow in the infirmary room and cared for him though he wasn’t happy about it. Keshav checked on them and gave the specially arranged bodyguards instructions, while Aarti didn’t visit because of her ongoing exams. Padma skipped her classes too.

Finally, he was moved back to his room next to Padma’s on the third day. Padma helped him settle and was glad to see colour return to his rugged face. That evening as she peeled oranges for him, he held her hand.

“Stop this, Princess. I am alright. I thank you for everything but… you should now go back to your room. You should also resume your classes, and Maanav, who rescued you on the slope, will be your bodyguard tentatively.”

“I am not going anywhere and I don’t need another bodyguard. I shall wait till you are healed Shadow…” Padma spoke, blinking back tears.

“Then… please don’t visit me anymore, Princess…” he said softly but the words pierced her soul.

“Wh…why? Why do you say that?”

“Because Princess… its inappropriate. You are engaged to another man and I don’t want gossip to malign your name.”

“So what if I am engaged…?” Padma stood instantly. “…I don’t care about anything else…I…”

“…Princess, please… don’t make it more difficult…” he got off the bed and walked towards the window.

“…What is so difficult about it…? Shadow… do you have someone waiting for you…?”

“What?” he seemed startled.

“I mean… a girlfriend or… a fiancé or… wife…”

She waited with bated breath and he only chuckled shaking his head.

“Whats so funny Shadow?”

“Nothing Princess. You are so naïve but that’s endearing about you…” he shifted and stood slanted against the window sill and the evening rays built an aura around his head.

She couldn’t make out the look on his face as she couldn’t see him clearly against the twilight. She looked down at her clasped hands.

“I… I like you Shadow… a lot… for a long time now.” She said softly and turned around to leave the room.

“Princess…” he called out to her and she stopped in her tracks. “…Don’t like me Princess… you don’t know me at all…I am here to protect you, so let me do my job…”

She held up her hand her back still towards him.

“I didn’t ask you… to like me back…” Saying she stormed out of the room.

©Priya Nayak-Gole

Chapter 21

A week after she was shot, Padma was up and going. The wound still throbbed, but she was to start her fieldwork for the BEd course, and though she would have got exceptions given her influence, Padma didn’t go for it. She wanted to experience everything firsthand. She wanted to become a teacher and fulfill her and her mother’s dream of opening a residential school for the underprivileged, particularly girls.

She didn’t know if it would ever happen, but teaching was something she would do at any cost. She was determined. Today she had to visit a government primary school in Koini. Shadow and his small team of 2 other guys would be accompanying her so that they didn’t call for attention.

Shadow had been with her throughout the week, but true to his nickname, he wasn’t close enough for her to feel him, but she knew he was around. Something about him being there made her feel confident. She felt safe after a long time.

She watched him take a run every day early morning on the track around the garden surrounding the fountain outside the window. She saw he was overly cautious as he ran an eye around every time he completed a round.

Every time he stretched, his muscles bulging was a treat for her sore eyes. Her traitorous heart beat at a record-breaking rate whenever she saw him go completely taut as he held his plank. It further spiked whenever he took a break to drink water, and with every bounce of his Adam’s apple, she thought she would die right there. He caught her staring unabashedly quite a few times, but she couldn’t help it.

Padma didn’t know what was happening to her whenever she saw him. She didn’t know whether it was plain lust or whether she had deeper feelings for this stranger who felt like anyone but that.

Shadow didn’t allow anyone inside her wing without scrutiny. Poor Seema was scrutinized every day, but the young woman didn’t complain. Aarti, however, didn’t like Shadow and resented his methods.

Keshav and Aarti knew about the arrangement by now.

“Are you sure, Padma? You want to do this?” Aarti asked her that morning as Seema helped her get her injured side into her outfit.

“Yes, Aarti, I would have it no other way. I won’t let anyone scare me into hibernating in my shell.” Padma spoke at her reflection, staring back at her with a determined look.

After Seema left, Aarti helped Padma pack her backpack.

“I don’t like him…” Aarti spoke.

“Whom?”

“That new bodyguard. Something about him doesn’t sit right.”

“Why Aarti? Why do you think so?”

“He unnerves me… the way he looks at me. It’s very unsettling.”

“Aarti, he can be intense at times. But, that’s his job, dear….” Padma tried to defend Shadow.

“Be careful, Padma… I don’t trust anyone. I would have come along if not for my upcoming exams.”

“It’s fine Aarti; you would be bored there.”

Shadow knocked, indicating it was time. Padma hadn’t been out of the palace premises for ages. And given her injury, she was a bit hesitant. But one look at Shadow, and his confident stride, she straightened her spine with aplomb.

Aarti left before them, and Padma sat in her car. Shadow sat next to the driver in the front seat. She knew the young driver as Harish, and she was sure Shiv wouldn’t have allowed him without making him go through the grind.

They reached the school in an hour, and watching everyone, Padma felt like a fish out of water. Every other trainee teacher stood clear of her as if they were vary of her. But, she didn’t blame them as they knew who she was.

The headmistress welcomed her, and all the trainees were assigned classes to observe. Padma was assigned grade 3 children, and she spent the next couple of hours observing the teacher and taking notes to complete her journal. Shadow stood outside the classroom, and Padma’s residual worries dissipated all the time. He had made Harish keep the car ready strategically just in case…

Finally, it was time to leave at the end of the working hours, and Padma tried to mingle with everyone but in vain. Finally, disappointed, she walked back to her car.

On reaching the palace, she rushed into her room and shut the door, giving way to the tears she had managed to keep at bay. Then, after about five minutes, there was a knock, and by the standard pattern, she knew who it was.

Shadow walked in with a glass of juice.

“Seema was on her way, and I just pitched in. Princess, please have this.”

She sat up and wiped away her tears. She didn’t say a word but just walked towards the window and stared out of the lone opening to the world.

“Princess… juice…”

“…I don’t want anything, Shadow. Please leave me alone.” She said firmly, her voice crackling.

Shadow placed the tray on the nightstand, and she felt him move closer behind her. Padma folded her hands close to her chest. Tears rolled freely down her cheeks.

“Princess…” He spoke right behind her. “…I understand what you are going through, but this shall pass too. They will take time to know you, but given the situation, you can’t get too close…”

“… I DON’T CARE ANYMORE… OKAY…?” She turned and interrupted him and was surprised to find herself screaming. She had never yelled at any person in her life! This guy brought out the worst in her.

She immediately realized her folly. It wasn’t Shadow’s fault. He was doing his duty. “…I am sorry, Shadow. Really sorry… but I don’t think anyone understands what it is to be alone without friends, without the independence to do as you please, just because you have certain blood flowing through your veins… It is suffocating.” She sighed and bent forward as a new rush of emotional onslaught engulfed her.

The Vanilla essence whiffed through her senses before she felt him closer, and he patted her head. “I totally understand you, Princess… I know what it is to be lonely. Don’t cry… Once this is over, I promise you can get to your desired life. You are a strong woman and can fight this as well.”

She looked up, unmindful of her smudged light make-up. The twilight had set in, and she had yet to switch on the lights in her room. Yet, in the fragile dusk, she saw the shadows on his face as he looked at her, and she was further drawn toward him. What was his story? She was eager to know. Why did she have a special kinship with this man?

She didn’t know if her emotions had the upper hand or, if the fading evening light did it to her, or the vanilla assault on her mind and senses… she closed the distance between them. She hesitated, but Shadow didn’t move. The intensity of his gaze as he stared into her eyes threatened to burn her to ashes, but at that moment, she didn’t care.

For the first time in her life, she felt brave enough to make a move. She raised a hesitating palm to cup his face. The gruff beard tickled her soft palm, but it was one of the best sensations in recent times. Shadow stood still, and she felt his warm breath on her forehead as she went closer, and they almost touched.

“Shadow…” She whispered. “…tell me it was you those years ago…”

It was as if a thunderbolt hit him; he held her wrist. “Princess, you need to rest and…”

Padma refused to back off. She knew this was the moment. She wouldn’t get another chance again.

“Shadow, please… it was you…”

He looked away, but he was breathing heavily. Was he as affected as she was? Then why was he not accepting?

“Shadow, I have never pleaded before anyone or openly cried before anyone except my mother. You have seen me at my most vulnerable moments, and I think I deserve to know that much… so tell me…”

“It doesn’t make any difference Princess… I am bound by duty….”

“…It was you…”

“…Princess, I have to protect you. The situation outside is…”

“…It…was… you…” She persisted.

“…Princess… it’s a dangerous situation…”

“…you…” She placed a hand on his heart.

“GODDAMN YES… it was ME… are you happy now?” he grasped her hand and panted, looking into her eyes.

The dam broke, and she crashed into his chest, digging her head into the firmness as she sobbed. She thought he would move her away and was prepared. But he didn’t.

After a moment, he rubbed a hand on her back and patted her head with another. She could feel him holding back.

“Princess…” he said softly; the soft vibration of his baritone sent shivers down her spine. He gently held her away. Not leaving her shoulders, he stared into her eyes and continued. “…Your life is of utmost importance to this province. Please don’t ask me why and how. Just… please trust me, Princess… I am committed to serving you and the Royal family. Follow my instructions to the T, till this phase passes….”

“…Will this ever be over, Shadow?” She spoke, tears continuing to flow, and she didn’t bother to wipe them away. To her utmost disappointment, she saw him lift his hand to touch her face and back out last minute.

“I promise you, Princess, this will all be over soon. I won’t rest until it’s done.”

She held his hands in hers, and he didn’t pull away this time.

“Promise me one more thing, Shadow.”

“What is it, Princess?”

“You will be careful about yourself as well…” she looked into his eyes and saw the emotions change for a second, and he swallowed before he nodded slightly and got back to his neutral stance.

The following morning Shadow led the way towards the car parked at the entrance. Padma wanted the extra walk through the palace lawns, and Shadow obliged. The morning breeze caressed her soul and gave her immense peace. As they reached the car, she saw Harish was missing. She looked questioningly at Shadow.

“He called in sick, and I don’t trust anyone else. So I will be driving you today, and we will be followed by two of my men on their bikes like yesterday.”

She nodded and sat on the back passenger seat though she would have given up anything to join Shadow in the front. But she didn’t want to corner him and put him off or put him in an uncomfortable position. She also didn’t want to antagonize him…

She knew last evening something unsaid had passed between them, albeit momentary, and she was curious to see where it led. She barely knew anything about Shadow, but he seemed to know a lot about her. She was lost in her thoughts as they cruised along their route when she felt a jerk, and it jolted her back to the present.

She realized the car was speeding abnormally. She had the seatbelt on, but still, she was thrown along the side, and the belt bit into her wound, making her groan in pain. She was nauseous and controlled the bile rising in her throat. All she could see were the trees speeding in a blur along the road, and they were moving at an alarmingly fast rate down the slope.

She looked at Shadow, and he was an epitome of concentration. He had his hands free and she heard bits and pieces of some communication, probably with his team. She didn’t want to disturb him but knew something was drastically wrong.

“PRINCESS…” Shadow yelled. “…Grip the handle above and release the seatbelt…”

“WHAT…?” Did he lose his mind? For all her bravado, she was terrified.

“PRINCES… DO… AS… I… SAY…” He screamed hoarsely, and she knew he was dead serious.

Padma held the handle above her side of the passenger window even as the momentum resulted in the seatbelt biting into her wound. Then, with the other trembling hand, she released the seatbelt. Shadow shot his hand at the back through the gap between the front seats.

“Hold on, Princess, I will pull you up here.” She said his eyes were still on the road; she realized they had gone off track and were somewhere she didn’t know.

She was panting in fear and grasped his hand. She let go of the handle and before she knew he had pulled her through the gap between the front seats. She landed on her shoulder awkwardly, which sent a shooting pain throughout her body; her legs following along hit him in the face. But he dragged her further, and she quickly tried to straighten herself. She had worn a sky blue salwar kameez. The top got entangled in the gear stick, and she almost banged her head to the window when the car swerved right, and Shadow avoided colliding with an incoming truck.

Shadow pulled her towards him in the nick of time, and she fell on his body. She tried to move as the gear stick dug painfully into her hips. But he held her tightly against him even as he maneuvered the car. Didn’t he need the gear stick? Or his hand free to drive?

As if answering her thoughts, Shadow said between rapid breaths, “Hold on.. Princess… as you have… seen… the brakes have… failed… your car has been… tampered with…”

©Priya Nayak-Gole

Chapter 20

Padma sipped the tender coconut water as Seema helped her adjust her aching back on the infirmary bed. Her wound throbbed every passing minute, and she didn’t want any more pain medicine as they would dull her senses. She didn’t want to miss anything happening around her. She seemed to be in the dark concerning everything.

Aarti updated her a while ago and gushed about the man in charge of security who sat outside unmoving from his post. Padma’s heart raced at the thought of the stranger, who she was sure she had encountered in the past. She knew he was the one who had saved her life twice before. But, who was he, and how was he present at the right place at the right time?

Seema switched off the lights and left her room on her insistence. The young woman had tirelessly been there for her for the last couple of years, ever since her mother, a royal housemaid, passed away. Since Aarti was absent because of her studies and given the pandemic restrictions, Padma was glad she got a new friend in Seema.

She stared vacantly at the shadows cast by the fan blades on the pristine ceiling; she thought about the man outside. Sleep was miles away, given her body pain that felt like she had just been run over.

His deep baritone sent shivers down her spine and set off the butterflies in her stomach. According to her father, ‘Shadow’ would be around her. How could she avoid her attraction toward the enigmatic rugged man? It wasn’t a recently acquired emotion. The man had haunted her subconscious for years. She was never drawn to anyone else like she was to him. She wished she could talk to the man and get done with her feelings…  it was going to be a challenge for her to retain her sanity with him around.

Sleep claimed her late into the night.

She raced through the dilapidated moss-laden cavern. Surprisingly, the darkness didn’t scare her, but her heart was pacing for unknown reasons. She had followed someone here. There was only the gush of petrichor breeze hitting her face along with the drops of cold moisture. Unfortunately, the drops meant to soothe her were mercilessly scalding her, and she yelped in agony.. She realized she was crying too…

Suddenly she was at a dead end, and she panted in fear as she turned around. There was no one, nothing but an eternal abyss of darkness. She was sure she had heard footsteps. But where were they? Who were they?

A  window opened in the wall next to her, and she saw pixelled images and blurred movements. The only clear visual was the ancient brass temple bell that rang violently as if protesting what was happening. She saw her white gown, her favorite one smeared with red liquid… Gosh, not just any liquid but blood. Just then, someone screamed and then there was silence. The only sound she heard was of her heart threatening to race out of the confines of her chest. She felt her fingers wet and in the tiny glow of the moonlight, she realised she had touched blood.

Whose blood was it? She couldn’t move as she was stuck to the hard ground. The walls began to close around her and her scream logged in her throat.

She wanted to call her mother…. Her Aai… Yes, the scream belonged to her aai…

“Aai… aaaai… aaaai…”

“wake up, princess…”

“aaii… aaai…” She continued to wail

“Wake up…” someone shook her.

“Aaai… come… please…”she tried to reach into the darkness.

“WAKE up, Princess…” she felt hard but comforting hands on her arms.

Her shoulder throbbed and she opened her lids. Goodness, she had been dreaming. These dreams had often come and gone but this time she was surprised by the intensity of the emotions evoked in her. And why did it seem like her mother’s voice? The surge of the residual feelings from her nightmare surfaced upwards, and she began to sob. She missed her mother terribly. Her birthday marked her mother’s fifth death anniversary…

She didn’t know how and when, but she was held against a taught body in a warm embrace. It wasn’t rocket science to know who he was. Shadow or whatever his name was, held her close and rubbed her back. She felt her fear dissipate and placed her forehead against his chest. The soft vanilla essence that gave her wet dreams piqued her olfactors and she snuggled closer.

He held her hands and moved her away to her utmost disappointment. She was sure she had felt his heartbeat rapidly as well. She wasn’t a good judge of people but their encounter in the temple when he saved her life was still fresh in her memory. She had read his eyes in the staccato of the lightning. They were brimming with emotion as he looked at her. She couldn’t have gotten it wrong.

“Princess, are you alright? Was it a bad dream? Are you in pain?” He asked softly in rapid succession. Every word felt like a feather touching her face before darting into her aura.

She nodded and moved away but the action caused her shoulder to throb and she winced in agony.

He held her affected sidearm and helped her lie on the bed. Then, he placed the additional pillow so that the injured part was elevated, and after about five minutes, she felt the pain subside a bit.

“Tha… thank you, Sh… Shadow” She uttered.

He nodded and covered her with the soft blanket. The rain Gods decided to shower right then and she heard the rains lash on their land. The harsh rain hitting the outer parapet send a shudder through her body. Not to mention the rumble of the clouds banging into one another as their fleed heavily pregnant with rain.

She knew she wouldn’t be able to sleep anymore and didn’t want to stay alone.

“Um… I mean… um Shadow… Can you call Seema please? I don’t want to be alone… I mean…” She felt embarrassed. She had never spoken about her fears to anyone in the palace in the last five years. But Shadow had seen it all…

“It’s late for her to come over, Princess. The distance is quite a bit from the palace wing and she will have to traverse the slush. I am here, Princess, to help out, and the night nurse can be called if you need anything. So don’t be scared, alright?”

The gentleness in his tone soared her blood pressure, and the feelings she didn’t know existed in her began to announce their presence. Her traitorous heart continued to race, and she knew she was a goner. She looked away and shut her eyes.

On one end, she was thrilled to have him here, but on the other end, he was still a stranger for whom she had developed strong feelings. For all she knew, he had a wife or a girlfriend waiting for him after this job… yes, she was a ‘job’ for him and nothing more. She shut her lids tightly to prevent the gathered tears from escaping. She couldn’t propagate her vulnerability to him.

She felt him move around and drag the chair closer to her bed, and though she couldn’t sleep, she liked the feeling that he was in there. She felt secure.

The following morning after breakfast, she was transferred to her room. She noticed a few modifications, though. First, the windows were sealed shut except for her favorite one overlooking the fountain. The balcony attached to her room was also locked. That was her favorite place in the world, and she loved to watch the sun setting behind the hills she could see fading into the distance.

As Seema left the room, Shadow walked in.

“Princess, I will be right next door… anytime you feel you are in danger or something you feel isn’t right just press the tiny red button on your watch. I can monitor you anywhere. Also…”

She held up her hand to pause him mid-sentence.

“…Shadow, I appreciate your dedication to this job. However, I value my privacy and nothing… no bullet or threat can deter me from doing what I want to do…” She folded her hands against her chest, and the movement caused a pull in her stiched. She grimaced, and he rushed close.

Holding her hand, he took her to the bed and helped her lie on it. The pain spasms were intense, and she gripped his palm with all her might, waiting for the pain to pass. He offered a pain killer, but she refused. As she shut her lids, she felt his hand caress her head, and she only wanted to snuggle into that comforting chest.

A little while later, she felt him move away, and a sense of loneliness began its descent into her heart. The next moment the doors opened and she saw, Keshav enter along with his father and another member of the royal court.

Shadow stood into the corner, and if not for his unnerving sense of presence in her heart, she wouldn’t have known at all. She had to give it to him. He was the perfect Shadow!

Keshav’s father and the other person checked on her health and updated her about the Royal court’s affairs since her father had left earlier day.

Padma stayed up through the motions trying to control the emotional onslaught at everything transpiring around her. She hated the feeling of helplessness. As soon as they left the room followed by Shadow, she turned towards the unaffected side and dug her head into her pillow as the dams burst. She sobbed and didn’t realise when the door clicked open and someone walked in.

The door shut again but she didn’t turn to look. Desperation set in as she realized how futile everything around her was.

“Princess?” Shadow called her.

She didn’t care to look anymore and continued to sob. Finally, she felt his come closer and felt his touch on her other arm.

“Princess… are you hurting? Should I call the  doctor…?” Shadow seemed worried.

Not bothering about her tear-streaked face, she turned and struggled to sit up. She held up her hand as he came closer to help her.

“Please stay in the Shadows. That’s what you are hired for, aren’t you? The rest of me is not of your concern….” Then, in her vision blurring with tears, she saw him flinch momentarily as if she had slapped him.

“Princess, I am responsible for your safety and you also know how things are dangerous. Till we find the perp responsible for all tahts happened so far….”

“…So it was you, wasn’t it?” She abruptly spoke.

Shadow looked taken aback. “Princess, your safety…”

“…It was you in that nightclub and then in the temple who saved my life…” this time she declared.

“Princess… its important that…”

“…tell me… Shadow… it was you, wasn’t it?” she didn’t know what got into her but she felt she had to know. She was going crazy with her emotions scattered all over, and she had to find some stability.

“Please, Princess, you have to rest…” She saw him pleading and her resolve only strengthened.

“…It was you…” She softly said, and he finally looked into her eyes after avoiding eye contact for the last few hours.

“No…” He said. “…you have mistaken Princess… Now please rest…”

“…I am not mistaken…” She got down her bed on wobbly legs and took a couple of steps forward. Weakness got the better of her, and she almost fell but not before he caught her. She looked into his eyes, full of mystery and unknown emotions. She knew it was him. gripping his shirt lapels she wailed. “…it was you Shadow, I am sure. Why are you doing this to me? Who are you and how did you…”

“…I am not the one, princess” He spoke firmly splintering her heart into a thousand pieces.

She cried unabashedly. “…Don’t… I don’t expect anything from you Shadow. It just that… I am so lost with everything that’s happened. Please…” She tightened her grip. “…Tell me…it was you. I only want to thank you fopr saving my life. You don’t have to tell me anything else…. But it was you… that night…”

He held her hands and took them in his. “Princess, listen to me carefully. I am not the one. So let it go, alright? You need to rest up…”

She jerked her hands away, the pain only causing her anger to rise. “…to hell with you, Shadow. I am not a porcelain doll that shall break with a tiny shove….” The pain became unbearable and her tears took precedence. “…I don’t want anyone around me in this room at least…”

He came close and she saw concern etched on his face. “Princess… i…”

“…just go…” pain numbed her and she stumbled before blackness overcame her. She felt him lift her and lay her on the bed.

She didn’t know if she was still dreaming later that night. Her hand was in his and she heard slight snores. Then, finally, she opened her eyes and saw him seated on the chair next to her bed, holding her hand and he was asleep too.

“Whatever you say, big man…” she smiled and whispered. “… I know… it was you…”

©Priya Nayak-Gole

Chapter 19

Engulfed in the throes of emotions burgeoning from the past

He spiraled out of control as evidence made him aghast

Shiv found it challenging to control the upsurge of emotions that threatened to shake the very foundations of his endurance. He wasn’t attached to his mother. In fact, for the last two years of her life, they barely spoke, and besides the occasional nightmares where he saw he hanging, he didn’t even remember her.

But what was her anklet doing in that godforsaken dungeon? He had touched the anklet so many times to get his memory revived but had failed. He knew the design was unique and there was no way his mother could have got it for herself. It had to be a gift from her paramour.

The man who used his mother and ditched her, eventually leading her to take her life, was politically well connected and the last he heard he was a sitting MLA from Koini. Shiv had followed the guy during his search years ago and had realised Rajendra Majumdar’s wealth had grown by leaps and bounds. So not only was he feared in Koini but also in the neighboring provinces. Moreover, there was a rumor that Majumdar had the law in his pockets.

Despite everything, this piece of jewelry was of royal make, which wasn’t available from local jewelers. Customizing it would cost a fortune and call for attention, and Majumdar wasn’t an idiot. He wouldn’t do something like this for a keep. So then, how did the piece of jewelry reach his mother? And the million-dollar question, what was it doing in that fort? When did his mother go there?

The music change as the princess made her entry towards the dias, brought him back to the present. Padma’s beauty spellbound him even as he stared wide-eyed at her bedazzling poise. Then, he saw her family, her fiancé Keshav and friend Aarti walk behind her, and gradually, amidst the flowery rain, she took her seat on the special throne.

He had checked out the area around the throne before the event began. As per his request, the King had promised not to let anyone know he was the bodyguard. He observed the princess, and as of he had known her for ages, he felt Padma wasn’t happy. Something told him she didn’t like the turn of events. But this was her legacy, and whether she liked it or not, she would have to go through the motions.

He had done his background check on Keshav and found the guys were clean. Whether he loved the princess was a different story, but Keshav meant well. For the moment, that was a solace. It would be difficult to handle danger from Keshav…

What he saw also made him realize he was no match for the princess and that his feelings had to be nipped in the bud. But it was all easier said than done. He had been in love with Padma for years, probably when they were kids.

But the fact remained. Padma was the crowned princess, the future queen, and Shiv was an ordinary man. The princess was in danger, and that very thought made him alert. He berated himself for losing himself in his train of thoughts.

He scanned the audience that was swelling every minute. He wanted nothing more than to stand as a human shield before the princes, but that would call for attention and look odd. Then, before he could register, he saw movement. Not the regular shifting of people but a cautious stance like he did whenever… he wanted to aim and shoot.

Goddamn… someone was aiming towards the princess. How could he get a gun inside? The man was too far to recognize, but Shiv knew he was hired. But how did he get in? There was a wolf in sheep’s clothing for sure in the palace.

He rushed towards the princess. However, he wasn’t fast enough, and he saw the princess being hit. He reached the dais before she collapsed and gathered her in his arms. Without bothering about the chaos in the background, he rushed outside. He didn’t wait for the guards and ran like a man possessed. His heart was in his throat as he felt the warm blood on his hands near the princess’s shoulder.

No… he couldn’t lose her. The very thought was unacceptable. He ran to the infirmary. Everything else could wait. Treating the princess was of utmost importance. As the princess was rushed into surgery, with trembling hands stained with royal blood, Shiv called Maanav to arrange for reinforcement that was kept ready. The immediate security detail for the princess would comprise of his selectmen. The King had already approved of the same.

He paced outside the surgical unit, his entire body tight with tension as he awaited the news of Padma’s safety. Time and again, his eyes filled as he thought of anything untoward…

The King walked in with a stride, just like a commoner. At that moment, with just two of his trusted men by his side, he was just a worried father. Rubbing his exhausted face, the King gestured to someone, and one of the men stepped forward with a ziplocked pouch. It contained a strange letter.

“Mr. Chouhan, this… came in sometime back. It was left on the throne…” the King spoke, his voice hoarse. “…I thought you should see it before the police take it away.

‘THE NEXT BULLET WILL NOT MISS THE HEART. GIVE UP THE CROWN.’

Shiv was furious. How dare someone threatens Padma? That too brazenly before a crowd. The palace exits were sealed, and the police were questioning every visitor. It wasn’t easy because there were special royal guests too.

The King sighed, and Shiv could see the man struggling between his duty as a father and the province’s King.

“You know Mr. Chouhan? Padma isn’t interested in royalty. I know it from the start. She is just like her late mother. She is very kind and simple in her way of life. She is different from all other royal princesses in the country because we didn’t let her experience life outside the palace walls….” The King stared at the doors closing the surgical unit and continued. “…But she is bound by duty because of the blood in her veins and she has to keep up. Else all this will be lost to the hungry vultures who lie in wait for the palace. They have political clout and only the ordinance that the princess is the living heir, has kept all this from going into their hands…” the King rubbed his face yet again. “… Mr. Chouhan, I don’t know for how long I can keep protecting my daughter. At times I want to let her be… But this is all not just mine. It’s come down from my ancestors and Padma deserves it all. So…” The King held Shiv’s hands in his. “…Promise me Mr. Chouhan, you will protect her. Keep her safe. I will be… gone for a while. I have to find out the traitor in our midst and the perps. I have to know who killed my wife and her bodyguard five years ago…That threat is still looming over our heads….”

Shiv bowed before the King. “Your highness, I promise you, nothing… Absolutely NOTHING untoward will befall the princess so long as I breathe.”

The King nodded, and they waited.

The princess was soon wheeled out. She was out of danger but needed time to recuperate. On Shiv’s advice, her room was converted into a recovery chamber, and Shiv took up residence in the room adjoining the princess’s. He had it checked thoroughly and felt at ease knowing he finally had control of Padma’s safety.

He only was unsure of one element… his heart.

The princess was out of surgery for over three hours, and though the doctors had given her all clear, Shiv was tensed. He would remain so till she regained consciousness.

His prayers were answered and the King walked in a while after Padma regained consciousness. Her fiancé, Keshav, her best friend Aarti, and her attendant Seema were with the princess, and they were quickly sent outside. Only the three of them were aware of Shiv’s role besides the King.

Behind closed doors, Shiv knew the King was probably updating the princess. He was soon ushered in, and as he crossed the room’s threshold, one look at the princess, and he knew she had recognized him. Her glare as she stared into his eyes felt like a blow to his solar plexus. Despite being dressed in the infirmary outfit, with tubes running through her veins, Padma was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. His heart raced, and he hoped he didn’t do anything stupid to jeopardize his role as her bodyguard.

The King introduced him as ‘Shadow,’ and the princess only stared. Shiv wished he could read the look in her eyes. But instead, he handed over her phone in which he had already placed the tracker and a sensor from his kit. He instructed the princess about the plan to move into her chamber the next day, and he struggled to hide the tremor in his voice.

As she continued to glare at him. he feigned ignorance even as the surge of emotions cumulatively reached its peak.

He rushed out of the room before the raging volcano in his heart gushed out and burnt them both together.

Shiv sighed as he stood up outside her infirmary room and walked towards the window. His burner buzzed with an incoming text. It was Maanav.

Need to talk—news time. Home is where the heart is!

Shiv knew he had to visit his old home. At 9 PM that night when the local TV channel played the news.

Padma was sleeping when he last checked and asked his selectmen to keep a watch. Shiv rushed to visit his home. It was a good two-hour drive, but he made it just in time.

Manav was unrecognizable in his attire but Shiv was proud of his friend and glad the guy had his back.

“Hey Shadow… back into the lair?” Maanav chuckled a rare one.

“Cut it Bullet… what’s up?”

“I got the news. Hold your breath, it’s shocking….” Maanav moved closer to where Shiv sat on the stone stairs. “… there was a time when the Shiv temple in the fort was a front for the Devdasi tradition. The Natraj form of the lord was worshipped. To end the tradition, Shivaji Maharaj had installed Maa Bhavani after reclaiming the fort. But guess what? Till a few years ago the tradition was ‘kept alive’”

“What the hell? How could anyone do it? And you mean the fort?”

“Yup… ‘devdasi’ tradition has to be a front. I think we can link the missing girls to this sinister ploy. No guesses where these girls were transported to…”

Shiv’s blood boiled. “Who… do you think is behind this horrific practice?”

“There is no evidence, and anyone who has a clue is scared shit. It took many glasses of hootch to get some of them to spill the beans. But the biggest guess is… our friend the MLA…”

“But the MLA was into politics for ages. So why would he do something to jeapordize it all?”

“Money my dear friend… money is the root of all evils….” Maanav sighed. “…Its never enough. The more you get, the more you yearn. In fact the police once raided the fort as well on receiving a tip-off. They were forced to act because the complainant was also influential but there was nothing found in the fort. It was clean as ever…”

“The tip-off must have gone from the Queen…” Shiv deduced.

“bingo… some say she had gathered evidence and was to present it to the police commissioner directly but…”

“…but she was killed. The evidence must have been destroyed along with her.”

“I think…” Maanav continued. “…The Queen was too perceptive and a brilliant lady from the talks around. She wouldn’t have left things without a backup. So Shadow, you have to find it. It must be somewhere in the palace…”

Shiv nodded. That piece of evidence would be crucial in putting an end to all the fiasco.

“What else did you have for me?” he asked Maanav

Maanav drew out what looked like a map. “Here is the other property left for you. You wanted the location. I asked around. No one knew so I think its more like a hideout. The place is on a hill covered by dense forest, close to the waterfall. Your father wouldn’t have got it without influence, and why would he buy it in such a place with no amenities around. Not even electricity… not to mention the few wild animals on the prowl.

But Shiv understood it … there was a link between that waterfall he had heard in that cavity in the fort and the property his father had got. Something told him, he would find out soon…

He rode his newly acquired bike on his way back to the palace and all he wanted to take a look at was the sole woman who had stolen his heart for good before he retired for the night.

©Priya Nayak-Gole