Page 108 of Twisted Sins

Uma looked torn. “We are not supposed to discuss anything of the past. Rudra passed an order—”

“I won’t tell anyone, Uma. You can trust me. I have the right to know. Skandamai told me about the past but not about the attack on the Kabali clan by the Thakvars.”

Uma looked uncertain. But looking at her, she slowly nodded.

“As you know, after goddess Shakti's statue was stolen, there has been a curse in Singoor, which killed most of the clan heirs…”

Nandini nodded. She knew that her father’s brother and sister had died in an accident, and her brothers’ wives, who were the heiresses of Singoor clans, also lost their parents in freak accidents during their childhood. Rudra’s parents had also died when he was young.

Even though she didn’t believe in curses, the sheer number of people who had died didn’t seem like a coincidence.

“Nearly all the clan heirs died, including your aunt and uncle,” Uma stated. “But before their deaths, they were held responsible for killing Rudra’s parents.”

Nandini was stunned.

“What? Why would the Kabali clan think that?”

“I don’t know exactly,” Uma replied. “But I heard from my husband and some Kabali elders that your uncle and aunt called Rudra’s parents for a meeting. Your aunt and uncle didn’t show up… and Rudra’s parents were killed brutally by assassins… and the assassins were supposed to kill Rudra too.”

Nandini shook her head. “No. That’s not right. There is no way my uncle or aunt would do that!”

From whatever she had heard of her uncle and aunt, they would never order anyone to be killed, let alone an innocent child. The demon must have been a child twenty years ago.

Uma’s eyes lowered. “It is one of the main reasons why many in the Kabali clan didn’t want Rudra to marry you… and people were hostile towards you…”

Uma raised her eyes and sighed with a faraway look. “We hoped that with Rudra marrying you, everything would be fine soon. That I and many others in Singoor will soon be able to visit our families without any fear of clashes. But last night’s fire attack has shaken our belief—”

Uma broke off where there was a sound of horses and birds.

The demon and his men were back at the encampment.

Uma shook her head. “I need to leave,” she said. “I will talk to you tomorrow.”

Nandini wanted to know much more. But she didn’t want Uma to get into trouble, especially since the demon had ordered his people not to talk about the past. She would have to speak with Skandamai about it.

“Thank you, Uma,” she said. “I really appreciate you telling me about it.”

Uma nodded and left.

Nandini was too shocked that the Kabali clan not only blamed her family for killing Rudra’s parents but also for the previous night’s fire attack.

It can’t be them.

There was no way her brothers would attack in the dead of the night. Even if, under the worst circumstances, they did resort to such tactics, the attack was pointless as there had been no attempt to rescue her.

It was someone else who had attacked.

Who?

Whichever clan it was, it made the Kabali clan think more poorly of the Thakvars. Another thought sent a chill through her.

My God.

Her heart thudded sickly as she paced the tent, waiting for the demon. As soon as she saw his tall form near the entrance, she ran to him.

“Did you send the lock of my hair to my family as a threat!” she demanded.

His grey eyes flashed, confirming her worst fear.

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