Page 55 of Twisted Sins

Uma translated the words, and Rumi’s face softened before nodding with a small smile.

Nandini smiled at the other women and thanked them as well. And then, sucking in a deep breath, she stepped out of the large tent.

The sounds of the drums and conch shells increased in tempo while the women took her to the center of the encampment.

There was an air of celebration with primitive shouts and chants.

Nandini’s smile and steps faltered when she reached the middle of the encampment and saw Rudra Kabali waiting for her while seated on top of his black horse.

With the horns headpiece, ash-smeared on face and body, and storm-cloud grey eyes that nearly blended with the ash, he looked like a demon about to drag her into hell.

A shudder ran through her.

He is dressed the same way as at the wedding ceremony.

Ignoring her demon husband’s fierce look, she focused on the upcoming journey.

She was led towards the goddess statue, where the seer stood with a tray filled with ash.

Nandini sought the goddess's blessings before the seer stepped closer and put a dot of ash on Nandini’s forehead.

“Mahadeva Shiva aur maathe Shakti asis tam chapko Kabali vel.”

Nandini didn’t need the translation to know what the old woman was saying. Joining her palms together, she bowed her head in front of the seer thanking her.

Nandini knew the seer must have played a major role in convincing the demon to follow the Singoor tradition to have the wedding night and acceptance in the holy land.

Thank you.

Soon, she was led back towards the demon. She stifled a gasp when the demon’s arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her easily on top of his horse.

More primitive cries went up in the air.

She couldn’t see the demon’s face, but she felt the heat of his body and heard his guttural war cry as he lifted his spear with the three-prong weapon.

Amidst the deafening primitive cheers of his people, the demon carried her away on his horse out of the Kabali encampment.

***

Nandini shivered slightly as a cool mountain breeze blew over her face while she watched the sun setting below in the desert.

The demon and she were still riding up a mountain to the holy land. The demon’s eagle soared high in the sky, guiding them and keeping a watch from above.

When Uma said that they needed to get started in the morning to be able to reach the holy land by sunset, Nandini thought it was a bit of an exaggeration. Especially since the demon’s horse was fast and the stretches of desert sand passed by in a blur.

But once they began to ride up the mountain, she realized how high the Singoor mountains were. They nearly appeared to reach the sky.

The demon only stopped a couple of times for her to take quick bio and meal breaks.

Just when she thought they would never reach their destination on time, the demon’s eagle landed on a rock in front of them. And the demon’s horse began slowing down before coming to a stop.

It took her a few moments in the setting sun to notice there was a tent set up in the front. The color of the fabric matched the terrain, blending seamlessly, just like the tents in the Kabali encampment.

She looked around and noticed that the mountain was steep, and there wasn’t much flat ground available around the tent. On one side, the terrain was rocky, filled with several caves. On the other side was a steep valley overlooking the endless Singoor desert.

The view was intimidating yet hauntingly beautiful.

Under normal circumstances, she would have soaked in the beautiful view, but right then, her heart was beating anxiously.

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