Page 18 of Twisted Alliance

She recalled the last time she had been similarly summoned by her brother. But instead of telling her what she hoped, he made a shocking announcement.

“Sit down, Ishani. I need to discuss something important.”

Hoping it was about the tickets and the rest of the arrangements, Ishani sat on one of the chairs. Her brother remained standing, fidgeting slightly.

Wondering why he seemed nervous, she waited.

“You are getting married in a week,” he announced.

Ishani was stunned.

“W-what?”

“I know this is sudden, but I have no choice but to agree to this marriage. It is important, especially since it’s part of the clan agreement.”

“W-what agreement?” she asked in a shaken voice.

Her brother frowned. “The agreement made twenty years ago about doing everything possible to encourage unity and peace within the clans. Wedding alliances between the clans will ensure that.”

She shook her head. “But you promised to let me leave the Singoor land with Ma! Her treatment will—”

“Yes, I know. But this is an unexpected development. I had to agree to the alliance with the Thakvar clan.”

She was taken aback. “I have to marry Mihir Thakvar?” she asked. Mihir Thakvar used to be a close friend of her late father. He was nearly sixty years old.

“No. To his son.”

She was shocked. “B-but Mihir Thakvar has no sons.” She knew enough clan history to know that fact.

Ishani’s brother looked angry. “There is a man claiming to be Mihir Thakvar’s son. And Mihir Thakvar has accepted that imposter as his long-lost son and Thakvar heir as well.”

Fear gripped Ishani. “I-I can’t marry such a ruthless fraud.”

Her brother looked determined. “You have to marry him. There is no choice.”

Although she had no choice, she had hoped for a miracle to escape the unwanted alliance.

Although barely ten days had passed since that conversation, it felt like a lifetime with too much happening.

She got married to a ruthless stranger. And she had to betray him on their wedding night to escape the unwanted alliance.

She shuddered, recalling the moments after the man she married vowed to take revenge on her before falling dead.

“Is he dead?” Ishani asked in horror and guilt, looking at the tall, muscular-prone body of her husband lying on the tent floor.

Ishani’s brother shook his head. “No.”

The look on Devraj’s face made her realize that won’t be the case for long. “But you told me you’ll only threaten and warn him to leave!”

Her brother didn’t say anything.

“Devraj, please,” she begged. “We are on the holy lands of Singoor. You cannot kill anyone here!”

Her half-brother looked impatient. “Don’t meddle, Ishani. Just do as you are asked, and I will take care of the rest.”

That was three days ago. Ishani had no idea what happened next because she was taken home to the Gujjar mansion.

The people were told that her husband chose to leave the morning after the wedding night, and she had to return home. For the last three days, she had only gotten looks of pity, but she didn’t know how long that would last if the truth ever came out.

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