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."

Disappointment was evident with the way he was breathing rashly over the phone. "And which trouble did you end up in that you are crying?"

And for the next fifteen minutes, she narrated every tiny detail about Meera and the curse Aarush Chauhan had discussed with her. With every passing moment, she could sense Aryan's anger levels rise, for he was definitely irked with her, but he was also supremely concerned about her well-being and safety.

Slightly fearful he was after listening to the tale about the blood ritual. "You gotta get out of there. Right now!"

"I know." She swallowed her saliva harder than before. "I know." Gasping, she tried to stand up. "I gotta get out of here as soon as possible, but I am so scared of going out of my room. That prince... that man gave me until," she gulped, "dinner to consider his requests, but I can tell he is not requesting. He can do anything to," she sobbed, "to finish the blood ritual. I can tell he is hell-bent on finishing it irrespective of the price needed to pay. What if they kidnap me?" She yelled out of frustration. "What if they kill me, Aryan? I am not even sure which cult he follows."

"Sounds like a cult to me," he muttered. "Listen to me carefully. You stay in your room, pack your stuff, and be ready to come out. I will book a cab and come down to this Suryagarh place before dinner. I am going to get you out of there. How were the roads?"

"Decent."

"Good. Do not let anyone inside. Make any excuse, but don't open the door. I will be there soon, okay?"

She placed all her trust in her best friend. "Aryan, save me. Please..."

***

For the next four hours, Shreya kept to her room and evaded thinking too much about Aarush and his words. However, the more she tried to shun the discourse out of her mind, the more the unpropitious conversation floated in her mind, rendering her breathless and restless. She continued to impatiently tap her feet on the carpet, fiddle with the linen sheets, twiddle with her phone, and click her tongue way more often than deemed necessary.

The sultry heat of the afternoon paved the way for a cool evening as the sun began going down the horizon, but her restive heart was not at all calm and composed. The more the time ticked ahead, the more she felt like dissolving into a fit of sobs. Aryan had told her to wait and do so patiently as he was on his way to her, but she was so very fearful of the clock striking 8. She wasn't sure if she would be able to circumvent Aarush or his wagon of employees knocking at her doorstep and asking her to head over for dinner.

The thought of dinner troubled her, and she didn't wish to regurgitate all the food she had gobbled in the afternoon. Pacing the length of the room with as much angst as a human could possibly muster, she was contemplating calling her parents up and apologizing to them for breaking their trust and doing the very thing they had cautioned her against. Perhaps this was the reason they guarded her all their lives, for she was a complete idiot who couldn't take care of herself for even an afternoon. Rather she fell into a trap well orchestrated by the crowned prince.

Oh, how charming he came across the first moment they met. How silly of her to try to impress him! How ridiculous of her to admire his handsome features! He didn't care about the esteemed guest who sent them a ten-page-long email. He only cared about some random paranormal curse that affected the princesses of his family. Perhaps even those were lies. Utter lies propagated by the royal family to lure unsuspecting girls into their web so that they could carry out strange rituals under the garb of seeking help.

Oh, poor Shreya Awasthy. She was so dead. Either Aarush Chauhan would sacrifice her or Aryan would pick her up, rat out the truth in front of her parents, and the elderly couple would berate her and probably prohibit her from ever going anywhere by herself. Oh, how dead she was!

The ringing of her phone alerted her, and she instantly picked it up. "Are you here? Are you in Suryagarh?"

The haste and desperation in her intonation made him chuckle. "Yes, Shreya. I am in Suryagarh. Where are you exactly?"

"I will send you my location. I am in the-the largest resort next to the old palace premises. Near the new palace. Feed it in the GPS. Agni... Agni Bhawan. It will guide you."

"Good. Are you packed?"

"Yes."

"Check out and wait for me at the reception lounge or somewhere near the entrance of the resort. Do not, under any circumstances, go away from the public eye of the foyer."

He disconnected the call after issuing a bunch of instructions to her, and she didn't waste any time, stuffing her phone into her purse and rolling her bag behind her. The elevator took her down from the eleventh floor all over again, and she fiddled with her fingers throughout the time. She was cursing under her breath, for the ride seemed to take forever, and she could swear it was Aarush Chauhan's doing. He was the one slowing down the elevators in his resort so that she could be ensnared within the fort. But she had nothing to worry about. Her best friend was already at the doorstep, ready to rescue her from the clutches of absolute evil.

Once the elevator halted at the ground floor, chimed twice, and the panes opened up, she sighed in relief and rushed off. It was only a few hours ago that she was marvelling over the resort's resplendent architecture, but every semi-precious jewel and each crystal on the chandelier was repulsive to her at the moment. She just wanted to leave the place and never think about Suryagarh in her entire life.

"Mistake," she muttered to herself as she saw the receptionist from the afternoon typing away on the computer behind the counter. "This was a fucking mistake." Halting in front of the reception and keeping her eyes trained on her sandals, sliding the keyfob across the ornate wooden counter, she mumbled, "I want to check out."

Esha was startled at her sudden request. "Ma'am, are you okay?"

"I wanna check out," Shreya said, raising her voice slightly.

Esha accepted the keycard and looked at the room number inscribed on the back. Casting a furtive glance at the distraught girl, she said, "Are you sure you want to check out, ma'am? You are booked until the 25th. That's five days away. We have a no refund policy once you check in."

"I don't want any refund. I just wanna go."

The roughness in Shreya's cadence prompted Esha to bob her head. "Sure, ma'am. If you wish to check out early," she smiled, "we can definitely do that. Please give me a moment while I print the receipt for you."

Shreya huffed but remained rooted to her spot, mindlessly scrolling through her phone. The faint sounds of a printer in action fell on her ears.

Esha cautiously peeked at Shreya before typing out an urgent email. Her fingers hovered over the keyboard for a moment before she pressed the enter button and allowed the mail to be sent out of her mailbox. The receipt was already printed, and she snatched the sheets before handing those over to the girl. "Ma'am, I will require your signature on this paper for early check-out. Just want to ensure there is no confusion later on."

Shreya clicked her tongue at the delay. Aryan's text indicated he was already driving past the old palace. Grabbing a pen from the stand on the counter, she carelessly scribbled her initials at the spot the receptionist was tapping at. "Can I go now?"

Esha rolled her lips inward, her kohl-laden eyes going back to her computer screen. "I... I am afraid so."

"What?" Shreya snapped.

"I mean... ma'am," Esha beamed, "was there any issue with our hospitality that you wish to check out early?"

Shreya was too exasperated with the conversation. "Nothing is wrong. Thank you so much. Goodbye!" She whirled around and nearly collided with someone, for they were standing barely two steps behind her. "Sorry, so sorry," she muttered. Her gaze went up to see who she had nearly run into, but she regretted not leaving sooner, for the charming prince was once again in front of her.

A sad smile appeared on his lips when he saw the bag in her hands. "And here I thought you liked the company."

She blinked furiously and tucked her hair behind her ears, not daring to look at him in the eye. "I need to leave."

"Are you sure you have to leave, Princess?"

A murmur full of pleading, imploring, beseeching, and Shreya wasn't sure why someone of his stature would nearly beg in front of her. There could be numerous other girls he could sacrifice in the blood ritual, but somehow, she had become his prime target. She was supremely discomfited with the mere idea, and she yearned to break into a run and cross the entirety of the lounge. However, something held her back. Perhaps it was the flicker of hope that arose and died in his eyes every time she breathed. Licking her lips, she fidgeted with her phone. "I have to go, Mr. Chauhan. My friend is already here to pick me up. Don't even think of kidnapping me or holding me hostage. He knows everything. I have told him everything."

For the first time since she came across him, she was flabbergasted to see how taken aback he was. His lips parted in surprise, and he stepped away from her. "Do you think I would kidnap you or hold you hostage to get what I want?"

She rubbed her palms against her arms and stared at the opposite wall, ignoring the incredulity in his voice.

Considering her silence to be her affirmation, he scoffed lightly. "I can never do that to you," he whispered.

When she found the courage to peer into his eyes, she gasped due to the mixture of despair and disbelief crossing those attractive pair of orbs. Almost as if he couldn't believe she could think so low of him. But how could she not? He was nothing but a stranger to her who spoke about blood rituals and reincarnations within an hour of meeting her.

"I will never do that to you, Princess."

"If so, you should have no qualms in letting me go. I need to leave. I cannot be a part of the blood ritual or any of this paranormal, supernatural stuff you told me about. I have my friend picking me up, and I would rather go back home."

"Back to the US?"

"Yeah."

He deliberated for a moment before stepping aside. "If you have made up your mind," his shoulders drooped, "I don't think I can convince you."

"I don't think that either," she muttered, letting the bag roll behind her.

She was not certain why her steps felt so heavy or why she couldn't walk any further than the mini-fountain spurting water, gurgling, and sending the chilly droplets her way. His fallen expressions were tearing her apart, and she knew it would haunt her for the rest of her life. Her feet wavered before she could stride away, and she found herself rushing back to confront the man.

Halting in front of him, she slumped her shoulders. "You are mistaken, Mr. Chauhan. I am not Meera. I don't have any spirit, essence, whatever of the princess. I don't even live in India. I am just travelling and... and that's pretty much it. I am not her."

He managed to muster a weak smile.

She clicked her tongue. "Won't you say anything?"

He shrugged. "Nothing I can do if you don't believe in me."

She opened and closed her mouth a few times, unable to come up with a response for the nth time that day. Clearing her throat, she stepped away. "Have a good life, Mr. Chauhan. I indeed had a wonderful company this afternoon, but that's... that's all I can do for you."

He tipped his head and rolled his lips inward.

"Shreya? Shall we leave?"

She craned her neck to her left, and another bout of relief coursed through her senses upon seeing Aryan standing near the fountain.

However, she absolutely missed the expression of shock and fury on Aarush's features. The wrath in his countenance enhanced more when he whirled around to take a look at the owner of the voice. His eyes widened in disbelief. Never, in his wildest dreams, did he expect to see this face ever again in his life. The same features, the same gait, the same pair of eyes he despised so much. Aarush Chauhan had never loathed anyone else as much as he abhorred this face. Resemblance was one thing, but this man was the identical and spitting image of someone he once knew. Could his fate be this cruel? All over again?

"Oh, thank God, Aryan." Shreya ran up to her friend and hugged him, wrapping her arms around his waist.

Aarush's lips parted in surprise at the sudden action by the girl. He had to clench his fists to get over the infuriation coursing through his veins. The way the girl was embracing the lad, and he was reciprocating the gesture by patting her back, allowing his fingers to sift through the velvety locks of the girl, touching her waist, grazing his palms against her hips... Aarush had to breathe deeply to control himself and to calm down the raging inferno of hatred in his heart. Had it been up to him, he would've surely decapitated the boy with the nearest sword he could lay his hands on. But he had always been advised to keep his calm, bide his time. He had waited twenty years for this moment. He couldn't let it slide because of one misjudgment on his part.

"Thank you. Thank you so much, Aryan," Shreya murmured in his ears, repeatedly kissing his stubble-ridden cheeks and dampening his grey t-shirt with her briny tears. "I was so scared."

"I am right here," he whispered, kissing the top of her hair as many times as he could. "Let's go."

Aarush had to shut his eyes and look away, breathing deeply and evenly to control the building wrath. He forced himself to ponder over only the positive things in his life.

Only positive things. Adya. Choti Maa. Shraddha. Preeti. Only positive things.

Once when he was certain he wouldn't actually be murdering someone, he allowed his fists to unclench, and he turned to see what the young couple was up to. 

He watched them as the boy—Aryan was his name—took the girl's bag and commenced rolling it down the hall without casting a glance behind him. He also saw how the girl was vacillating between walking to him and leaving with her friend. Something primal reared its head inside his heart, and he did the very thing he had never done in his life before. "Please, Shreya. I beg of you."

She couldn't go out any further. The way her name rolled on his tongue, glided on his lips, she was surely not misconstruing the electricity zipping down her spine. She desisted from taking any further action.

"Let's go, Shreya," Aryan said with insistence creeping up his tone.

But she waited to hear more from the crowned prince.

"She will die, Princess." Aarush's voice reverberated in the empty hall. "She will turn 21 in a few months, and without your help, I will not be able to save her. She will die."

The agonized whisper ripped her heart, and she busied herself with tucking her hair behind her ears.

It took Aryan a moment to peer at the man behind Shreya, for the murmur emanating from his mouth was so unlike the aura of dominance and chivalry he exuded. Nevertheless, he gently held Shreya's wrist when he noticed her inability to walk away from the situation. Passing an affable smile at her, he shook her head. "You don't have to listen to anybody. Let's go."

She didn't move an inch from her spot. Neither did she turn around. "Who are you talking about, Mr. Chauhan?" She shut her eyes, hoping against hope Aarush wouldn't say anything that would prevent her from steeling her heart and leaving. She didn't want to hear any more dejection and disappointment in his voice. She didn't wish to see the defeated demeanour or hear the stark melancholy in his tone.

However, much to her chagrin, he spoke up a second later.

"My sister. She will die. And only you can save her."

***

Author's Note:

IDK why I had stopped writing this story. I love it a bit too much!

Thoughts?