Page 101 of Twisted Sins

She helped the men untie the animals. The poor animals began panicking, making loud noises and shifting restlessly. But since some of the horses were used to seeing her each day in the stables, they recognized her smell and touch and allowed her to lead them out.

The eagles flew out and began circling the sky as the fire blazed on.

She turned and looked at the encampment, where the Kabalis were busy putting out the fires in the tents. Many belongings were removed from the tents and kept at a safe distance.

She was about to run and join them when her eyes fell on the corner of the tent, which was slightly away from the rest of the tents. It was the seer’s tent. A flare fell from the sky on the tent, making it catch fire.

My God.

It couldn’t be seen by the people in the middle of the encampment or near the stables, who were busy putting out fire.

She saw the shadowy outline of a hunched woman standing in front of the blazing tent.

Skandamai!

She recalled seeing the seer in the middle of the encampment a while ago.

Then why did she return to her tent?

She ran towards the seer.

“Jaavam,” Nandini said, urging the old woman to move away from the burning tent and to go to the middle of the encampment.

But the seer shook her head.

“I need to get my prayer tray out,” the old woman said in a desperate voice, trying to return to the blazing tent. “I have to finish my twenty-one-day prayer.”

Realizing that the seer would not leave without the prayer tray, Nandini held her hand.

“Tell me where is it?” she asked urgently. “Is it towards the back of the tent?”

“It is on the northeast corner,” the seer said. “It had Lord Shiva and Goddess Shakti molds made of sandalwood.”

“I’ll bring it out.”

Sucking in a deep breath and holding her breath, Nandini ran into the burning tent. The inside was filled with thick smoke. Her eyes began watering, but she managed to go to the northeast corner and saw a wooden tray with the gods’ figurines.

She carefully placed the prayer tray on a blanket, bundled the blanket, and carried it out of the tent. Despite holding her breath and the veil covering her nose and mouth, the smoke had entered her lungs.

She coughed loudly and gave the prayer tray to the seer. While the seer held it, she wrapped the blanket around the old woman’s hunched shoulders.

“Let’s go, Skandamai,” she said, leading the old woman towards the middle of the encampment where it was safer.

“I’m doing the twenty-one-day prayer to ward off the danger from you,” the seer said. “The evil is getting closer to you. He has even set fire to the tents.”

A chill passed through Nandini. Something shook her even though she didn’t understand or believe the seer’s words.

She had seen the flares of fire falling from the sky, and they didn’t seem natural.

Someone was responsible.

Was it another clan who attacked the Kabalis?

But the demon had united all the north Singoor clans who were his allies.

Unless some clan is breaking that pact tonight.

She knew the demon would find out who was responsible and not spare them.

---