| 𝔉𝔢𝔞𝔱𝔲𝔯𝔢𝔡 x 17 |
Book 1 in the SURYAGARH ROYALS series.
Suryagarh Fort.
In the heart of the desert state of Rajasthan, a 900-year-old fort, a 500-year-old family feud, a 300-year-old portrait, and the thirty-year-old crowned prince await t...
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She heard shuffling from the other side before Aryan's concerned and stern voice fell on her ears. "Why are you crying? Are you okay? Are you hurt? Tell me where you are."
She wiped her nose with the sleeve of her dress. "Aryan... I am so sorry... I am," she sobbed, "so terribly sorry."
He suspired. "Shreya, what happened? Are you okay?"
"N-no... I am n-not."
"Calm down. Breathe. Slowly."
His serene voice helped her respire properly, and she was able to rein in her uncontrollable sobs. Again wiping her tears, she licked her lips. "I need help, Aryan."
"Okay, good. You are better now. What help do you need?"
She let out a puff of air from her mouth and crossed her fingers, anticipating not only a loud reaction from his side but also a raging fury of her family that she needed to endure. "I am not in Mumbai. I am in... in..."
"In?"
"Suryagarh," she mumbled.
He remained silent for a moment. "Where is Suryagarh?"
"Two hundred kilometres from Udaipur."
He was again quiet for a very long time until he whisper-yelled at her, "Why the heck are you not in Mumbai? And how did you land up in this Suryagarh place? I dropped you off at the airport."
Panic trickled inside her heart again once she recounted the words of the prince. Facing Aryan's wrath, and probably her parent's anger, was much better than sacrificing her life over something she had no knowledge about. Gulping hard, she said, "You know how my parents are always so over-protective, don't you?" Once he let out a gruff grunt, she continued, "They never let me go anywhere by myself. If they can't accompany me, it's either you or your parents, or your sister. Someone or the other always needs to be by my side as if I am a toddler." She scoffed. "I am not, okay? I am a grown-up now, and I deserve to do everything I want."
He clicked his tongue in annoyance and impatience. "What are you talking about?"
She sighed and rubbed her forehead with her palms. "I have always wanted to travel solo."
Another grunt from his side affirmed that he was well aware of her interests.
"And so I did." She ended up crying again. "I did not catch the flight today because—"
"Because?"
"Because my flight from Udaipur to Mumbai is scheduled for five days later," she whispered. "Not for today. I lied to you, I lied to my parents, and I emotionally blackmailed my grandparents in Mumbai to lie to my parents." She sniffled. "They love me a bit too much. They agreed to be a part of my ruse."
He huffed. "What did you do, Shreya?"
"I requested them to lie to my parents and tell them that I am in Mumbai so that I could take these five days off for myself. Solo trip to Suryagarh because I was so captivated by the pictures of this place."
