Deceiving Veils

Chapter-60 {Warrior princess and a knight}

First installment of compensation for all the time I have been away. I hope it makes up-to for all the delay. 🙏

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Murmurs tried to warm the chilly weather as morning started on a dull note. Last night was futile.
Manik who had returned back to dorm early morning with an utterly distressed Nandini looked around as he tried to map the colony. Nandini's father couldn't be brought there as they had thought. Surveillance was tight in wee hours and Mr Murthy wasn't much cooperative.  Nandini had hard time leaving him in forest for one more day.

Manik knew how all of it wasn't going anywhere. They couldn't stay like that.  He had come out to know the area so that he could solve the mystery of Man from North soon. He knew it could be Aabid. He cared for only man he admired but his priority was Nandini's safety. And for that he needed to shush her intuitive mind. He was sure he would get it done by evening and after that they all would leave from there.

"You did good yesterday," A shaky voice brought Manik out of his thought train.

He turned around to find an old man whose face was nothing less than minutes of life. Manik didn't mean to stare but lines on his face were amusing.

"I didn't mean to annoy you," That old man read Manik's plain face as hint and tried to leave.

"You didn't," Manik replied and that weak old lad stopped with a smile.

"The way you beat that goon yesterday, you did good," That man said again and Manik simply nodded.

"You aren't going to take Michael's proposal, right?" Old man asked unsure.

"Michael who?" Manik asked carelessly not paying much heed to old man's words.

"The leader who asked you to join his gang yesterday," Old man replied.

Manik didn't care to reply to that old man and keep observing the surroundings. Place stunk to death. People were living for sake of it.

"I am around if you need anything," That man said not getting any word out of tough guy. The way Manik fought yesterday had given clear idea to people how he wasn't one of them. That man knew how to fight. Old man thought it was plain foolish to think how Manik would side with the weak. 

Manik looked at his retreating figure and then clicked his lips before he called him to stop.

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Aashi who was feeling better after a good night sleep and some medicines walked to the small window and smiled looking at chimneys who was exhaling the burning wood.  Nandini had gone to meet someone after Manik left. She had promised Aashi how she would return before Manik comes back. It was a hidden affair, Aashi guessed.

Door flung open and Aashi jumped in her place. It was Jas who was literally about to drop the food plates any moment.

"You scared me, Jas," Aashi said reaching him.

"I thought Manik has returned," She added helping him with plates.

"What's there to get scared even if it was him?" Jas mocked while stealing a piece of bread from one of plates.

"You have no idea how I have managed to get this food. Queue was never-ending. I literally had to display my special skills to get all of it," Jas kept blabbering while munching on piece of bread. Aashi rolled her eyes not knowing how to bear the young adult.

"By the way, where's Nandini?" Jas asked and Aashi didn't know what to tell.

"She is with Manik," She lied while Jas frowned.