Rags To Royals (Royal #1: Book 1) | ✔

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After realising Shourya is not the mystery man, I grow more than determined to see the real him behind that mask. Call it stubbornness or stupidity, but he has got me absolutely mental because of the mystery surrounding him. Three months of knowing him and his enigmatic existence traps me in like a labyrinth. He's like an indelible paint on the Canvas that cannot be washed off or replaced with a darker color. There's only one way to obliterate his memory completely from my life, and that is to uncover him and all of his secrets. I've put up with his shenanigans for longer than my patience could run. I've also tried to get out of the mess he has pulled me in, but either the string of fate, or those hauntingly beautiful pair of ebony eyes keeps drawing me in like a moth to the flame.

That night, he had no right to call me. I'm not his nurse, neither an accomplice, heck he doesn't even see me important enough to reveal his name. I should have just hung up on him and let him bleed there overnight. It would have all ended with him gone.

But the fact that he called me and not Yuvraaj, who, if not a friend, is a confederate, sent a different kind of warmth to my heart. Then he blatantly dismissed me like a maid after getting what he wanted. It pinched me in the chest.

It's time to face the truth. I'm hopelessly crushing on a man I haven't even seen yet, let alone know his name, and that's enough reason for me to seek professional help.

I agree with my brothers. At my age, I'm better off not getting into meaningless relationships. If I can crush on a man I know nothing about, there's something wrong with my head. I should be happy I'm not put on a leash for having such controversial, indecent thoughts about a criminal. At this point, it's not even hopelessly romantic, I'm just insane.

"Tara," I startle and retract my foot, facing to where the voice came from. Yuvaan closes the door of his art room and walks up to me, his brows pulled together in a questionable expression. Understandable, it's one in the midnight. One has to be high on the crack to roam the huge palace in the middle of the night. "Shouldn't you be in your room right now?"

I suck in my lower lip under my canines, buying time to answer his question by appearing sheepish.

"Well?" He probes with a thick arc of his brow.

"I was thirsty," comes my poor excuse.

"Weren't you assigned a personal maid? What's her name again?"

"Juyi," I answer immediately.

"That's right. Why not call her?" He interrogates.

Silence weighs me down hearing his question. Now what do I say to that? I'm wandering the palace hoping to see the mystery man again? Because he only ever exposes himself in the night, like a bloodsucking vampire.

"I thought she must be asleep. I didn't want to disturb her." I lie feebly.

"She's here for your convenience, Tara." He implies.

"Yeah," I murmur. "I guess, I haven't gotten used to the royal treatment yet."

He nods slowly, believing me if not pretending to. I clasp my hands on my back, avoiding his penetrating gaze by looking around the walls, noticing the eye-pleasing patterns for the first time.

"Come, I'll accompany you to the kitchen." He motions forward, the ruby in his gold ring sparkling under the dim light. I force myself to look grateful, and let him take the lead as I walk downstairs alongside him. We don't exchange anymore words, we don't even glance each other's way. It's a stifling feeling, to be in the company of one my brothers and still feeling like I need to be on the constant lookout for my safety.