Page 123 of Twisted Sins

She was walking back to her tent with sick worry churning in her stomach when she heard someone calling her.

“Nandini…”

She turned to see one of the Kabali women. Nandini had spoken to her before. Maya was originally from another northern clan who had married a Kabali warrior.

“Hello, Maya,” she greeted, trying not to look upset.

Maya looked slightly nervous.

“Do you want to escape?” Maya asked. “I can take you to Thakvar land.”

Nandini was stunned.

She no longer wanted to escape. But at the same time, she realized that if she could go and speak with her family, things would get better. The sick fear she felt would disappear.

Her mother and father would be at peace that she wasn’t being ill-treated. And her brothers wouldn’t bay for Rudra’s blood.

“Why do you want to help me escape?” she asked Maya. The Kabalis were loyal to Rudra. Even though Maya and a few other women like Uma weren’t originally from the Kabali clan, they respected Rudra and his word.

“The Thakvars set fire to the tents,” Maya said with slight anger. “As long as you are here, they will keep trying to attack us.”

Nandini wanted to argue, saying it wasn’t her family who had set fire to the tents. But she knew there wasn’t any proof that it was done by someone else. The only way the Kabalis would believe was if the Thakvar clan turned into an ally, which would only happen if she were to speak with her father and brothers.

Sucking in a deep breath, she nodded.

“Yes, I want to go to my family,” she said.

Maya stared at her for a moment and nodded.

Hoping it wasn’t some kind of test by the Kabali clan, Nandini followed the woman. They went into a tent where she changed her clothes into simpler ones worn by the rest of the Kabali women. She then put on a veil and wrapped it around her face.

“How are we going to leave without anyone noticing?” she asked Maya.

“I know the way.”

With her heart thudding, she followed Maya who took her to the pond area. And next to the hill, there was a narrow opening in the hill.

“Follow me,” Maya said, slipping into the opening.

Nandini sucked in a breath and followed the other woman.

They walked in the narrow path for quite some time. Just when she thought the path would lead them to a dead end, the opening brought them to desert.

Two horses were waiting at a distance. Nandini could see the saddlebags with leather pouches that most likely held water and food.

Although she felt a strange heaviness inside her stomach, she got on to the horse and held the reins.

“Let’s go,” she said.

Taking a deep breath, she accompanied the woman and rode away from the Kabali clan.

***

The heaviness in Nandini’s stomach grew even more. They had ridden for quite some time and had just crossed the mountains.

“We will be nearing the holy lands,” Maya said. “The Thakvar clan is on the east side.”

Nandini’s heart beat faster, knowing she was getting closer to home and that she would see her mother after many months. But the heaviness in her stomach had spread to her heart.

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