Page 97 of Twisted Sins

Rumi frowned. “You shouldn’t exert yourself at the stables or near the cooking area. You aren’t used to the heat.”

“I’m fine, Rumi,” Nandini said. “And I did take rest today.”

The Kabali woman didn’t seem convinced. “You can do something else. I’ll ask Pushpa to lend you the sewing kit. You can remain in the tent and help her with the sewing.”

Nandini nodded, not wanting to argue right then.

As soon as they left the tent, Nandini began pacing.

Her mind continued to remain in shock.

Curses. Marriage alliances. Goddess Shakti statue commissioning.

Her family had withheld a lot of information from her. They didn’t tell her many of the critical events that took place in Singoor in the past three decades. They didn’t tell her about the Goddess Shakti statue getting stolen from the Singoor temple, the supposed curse that befell killing all the heirs of clans. They didn’t tell her that the temple ceremony wasn’t just a peace prayer but a statue commissioning done after alliance marriages.

What happened to the original statue that was stolen?

She knew her brothers would have definitely tried to look for it. Either they hadn’t found it yet, or they had proof that the original statue was destroyed somehow, or even worse, that it had been dismantled and sold in parts to different people.

It was the only reason her father and brothers decided to commission the new statue.

She knew her family withheld information from her out of love, to protect her, and not have her involved in any of it.

But it was too late. She was quite involved. Whether or not she or her family wanted, the demon kidnapped and forcibly married her, putting her right in the center of the conflict.

“Rudra married you to bring back Goddess Shakti to Singoor.”

Her head spun with the implications.

The demon didn’t marry her to gain her inheritance, as she thought. The marriage was strategic and was done to complete the commissioning of the statue.

The marriage between Rudra Kabali and her formed an alliance between the east and north clans of Singoor, which would contribute a critical and the last part of the goddess statue, which was a lotus made of pink diamonds.

If it was so important, and the peace of the Singoor region was based on it, why did her family try to get her out of the marriage? Why did they plan to come to her rescue to take her away? They shot at Rudra, knowing it would impact everything her father had been working towards for years.

The demon’s death would have caused chaos. But luckily, the demon survived the attack.

She was lost in her thoughts when she felt the air inside the tent change.

She turned and saw the demon stepping inside. Their eyes met, and she immediately felt a charged awareness.

Ignoring the pull, she looked at him.

His handsome face was unreadable, as usual. Watching her, he sat down near the table where their meal was arranged.

“Come and eat,” he commanded. “You can wear down the rugs tomorrow with your constant pacing.”

Jerk.

Although she now knew the importance of the alliance between the Kabali and Thakvar clans, she wondered if there was another choice. He could have picked another clan heiress to make the alliance needed to commission the pink lotus flower jewel.

Controlling herself and inhaling a deep breath, she joined and sat opposite to him. He had served food into two plates, one of which he pushed towards her.

She took a few bites and then began speaking.

“I know why you married me,” she said. “It isn’t just for stealing my inheritance. It’s also because of the commissioning of the goddess Shakti statue. Our alliance is for the pink diamond lotus that will adorn the goddess. I also know about how my aunt was expected to marry your father, but that didn’t happen, and so now, with our marriage, our clans are united.”

His grey eyes bore into her.

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