Page 73 of Twisted Sins

She recalled her mother’s words in the letter.

Kindness and acceptance can melt any kind of darkness away.

Maybe that’s the key to melting the darkness of the demon. She would make him empathize with her. And she would get him to take her home to her family.

***

Later that evening, she waited with her heart thudding to see the demon getting up from his seat across the fire and coming towards her.

He picked her up and began carrying her towards their tent.

Her eyes fell on his face while he looked ahead. She once again wondered why he applied ash during the night when the rest of the Kabali men applied only during the day when they went out of the encampment.

“It’s a part of their warrior attire.”

Uma had mentioned that the Kabali clan applied ash as a part of their warrior attire.

Did the demon think he was going to war spending the night with her?

Their nights always seemed like constant war.

It is a war, she reminded herself.

And the demon was her enemy whom she needed to defeat by any means to gain her freedom. And right now, the mode of weapon had to be empathy.

Watching his face as he carried her, she placed a hand on his chest.

“Rudra…” she called out softly.

Grey eyes lowered to her face. At his steely expression, a chill passed her despite the heat from his body.

“I… heard about your parents,” she said. “I’m sorry that you lost both of them at a young age.”

There was no change in his expression. He looked up again and continued to carry her.

Irritation flared inside her at his indifference.

Drawing in a breath, she continued to talk to him.

“The seer told me that your mother was from outside Singoor. Was she from London?”

He bent his head and entered their tent and then lowered her on the bedding. He straightened and went to the low table to continue preparing for the night.

What the hell is wrong with the savage? Doesn’t he feel anything?

Tamping down further irritation and anger, she continued to speak softly.

“I heard your mother was kind and gentle. Your father fell in love with her and married her.”

His back was turned towards her as he took out the arm bracelets.

“Did they meet in Singoor?” she asked.

A part of her wondered if the demon’s father had also kidnapped and forcibly married a woman while she was visiting Singoor. But if that were the case, the demon’s mother wouldn’t have been kind or accepting of her circumstances.

The demon didn’t respond.

Irritation turned into anger.

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