Page 32 of A Royal Deception

“Zarna? It’s me, babe.”

“Di? Where are you? Rani Sa took the bag of money away, and she locked me in our room. She keeps saying she’s going to turn me over to the police. But I haven’t done anything wrong, I swear to God! I don’t understand what’s going on.”

A wave of fury shot through me at their audacity. How dare they lock Zarna up like an animal?

“I’m coming to get you, Zarna,” I said fiercely. “Don’t worry. I’m leaving right now.”

“I’m frightened, Di. Kavya Baisa was screaming at me, and I even thought she was going to hit me. But Diggi Mausi took me away and hid me in the kitchen until Rani Sa ordered her to lock me in our room. She even snuck me some food and juice.”

Thank God for Diggi Mausi, I thought fervently. She was the only kind soul in that palace. I had to find a way to escape because my sister needed me.

“I’m coming back, sweetie. They can’t keep me away from you. I’ll come to you tonight even if I have to fly there,” I promised.

“I hardly think so…sweetie,” said His Highness in a low growl from behind me before he plucked the phone right out of my hand. “You’re not going anywhere. Not even if you try to fly out on a broomstick.”

CHAPTER 13

RANVIJAY

Ma held her tongue until Sannata and Kaki Sa led Shivina upstairs, but then she dismissed the rest of the staff who had gathered to welcome my bride before she turned on me angrily.

“Are you out of your mind, Ranvijay? Or have the vigilante games you’ve been playing with your friends gone to your head? You cannot kidnap a woman and bring her home as your wife,” she said furiously.

“I did not kidnap anyone, Ma,” I argued. “Shivina took those pheras willingly. She married me willingly. And a wife’s place is with her husband.”

My mother stared at me, aghast.

“What is wrong with you, beta? She didn’t agree to be your wife. She merely agreed to stand in for Kavya at the wedding. I know what she did was heinous, but that does not give you the right to kidnap her. I’ve raised you to be better than that, Ranvijay.”

Her words stung me because I thought my mother knew me better than to believe I’d kidnap a woman.

“And what was I supposed to do, Ma? Go along with their plan and bring Kavya home even after she deceived me?”

“No! But you could have left Shivina alone,” she said.

“And what do you think would have happened to her in that palace?” I asked slowly.

Ma was taken aback.

“What do you mean?”

“Shivina was the only one who knew about the deception. And she failed them when they needed her the most. What do you think they would have done to her if I’d left her there?”

“Does it matter?” asked my mother.

Of course, it mattered! For some reason, Shivina mattered. Way more than Kavya. And I couldn’t explain why.

“We don’t know why Kavya wasn’t at the mandap on time or what she was doing, Ma. And if the truth is really sordid, what’s to stop them from killing Shivina to ensure her silence? The Dodiyas are the kind of people who will do whatever it takes to get their way.”

My mother sighed heavily.

“Even if you did it with the best intentions, I can’t condone what you’re doing now, beta. You cannot keep her here against her will. Let Shivina go home.”

“I told you, Ma. If I let her go now, they’ll come after her. Shivina is only safe as long as she’s under my protection. And I’m not letting her go until I find out exactly what Kavya was doing when she was supposed to be marrying me. Once I have that information, I’ll have something with which to negotiate Shivina’s safety. Only then can we put this disaster behind us.”

“Fine! At least tell her that. Put her mind to ease, beta. She must be terrified right now.”

“She deserves it,” I said darkly. “I’m not telling her anything until I have to.”

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