Page 106 of Twisted Sins

“Rudra…”

His fingers threaded into her wet hair, and she felt the knife slicing through the hair. He pulled back and held a long lock of her hair in his hand.

Her heart thudded when she met his stormy grey eyes.

“W-what are you going to do with my hair?” she asked.

He didn’t reply. His eyes slowly swept over her naked body, leaving a trail of fire.

She had been naked whenever she had tried to seduce him, but she had never been naked in bright sunlight. His eyes fell on her breasts.

Even as her face burned in embarrassment, her stomach quivered in arousal.

When he raised his eyes, his jaw was clenched. He turned away with a loud splash and then walked out of the pond. He passed by Rumi and Uma and left the pond area.

She stood there frozen, aroused, and confused.

A few moments later, there were sounds of horses while the demon and his men once again left the encampment.

Why did he return?

And why did he take a lock of my hair?

Snapping out of her trance and sucking in a breath, she waded out of the water and quickly wrapped the bath sheet around her.

Rumi and Uma came to help her dress. Once she wore her clothes, Rumi applied soothing cream on her hand over the burns.

“You shouldn’t have gone into a burning hut,” Rumi scolded. “Skandamai told us how you brought her prayer tray while her tent was burning.”

“I’m fine,” Nandini murmured, recalling the demon’s angry reaction early that morning when he saw the burn injuries on her hands. He had threatened to tie her up in the tent if she broke his order.

Arrogant demon.

“Why did Rudra take a lock of my hair?” she asked.

She expected to be told it was for some kind of custom or tradition, but Uma and Rumi looked uncomfortable as they exchanged looks.

“You can ask Rudra when he returns,” Rumi replied.

Nandini frowned, not wanting to wait until then. But knowing she wouldn’t get an answer from them, she nodded.

Soon, they returned to her tent.

“I’ll have my meal outside,” she said. “I want to check on Skandamai.”

Rumi shook her head. “Skandamai is fine. She is resting. You should rest too. We’ll bring your meal here—”

Nandini shook her head. “No. All of us are tired and need rest. Not just me. And I want to just check if everyone is doing fine.”

Rumi and Uma looked at each other. But since she was insistent, they had no choice but to let her join them.

The clan people looked surprised seeing her. Smiling at them, she joined everyone for the meal. Her greeting was met with nods.

The women’s eyes fell on her hands where Rumi had applied the pale green healing cream for burn injuries.

“How could they risk their own!” one of the women whispered.

“They are known for doing anything to gain power,” another replied in a whisper. “It’s not the first time. Twenty years ago—”

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