I knew you were trouble
Abhay entered the Raichand mansion with blood on his clothes. Haseena looked at him questioningly and he explained it was the blood of werewolf who he found near the borders of the forest they lived in.
“They have been roaming since last year. Only if I could figure their alpha. They must be following his orders only.”
“We will find them. Don't be worried. Anything at college? What happened there?”
“Not much except this one family I have been hearing about. Girls were talking of this Khurana family who showed up last year. They threw grand party for everyone in town.”
“When did they come?”
“Shortly after that battle”
“They could be linked with the werewolf you killed that night?”
“I believe so. They all unanimously seemed to believe that the son has particular reason for picking this college. Even though he came to town a year ago he joined college only recently after certain someone arrived.”
Haseena raised her eyebrow, “who?”
“Piya”
“Piya?”
“He has seen hanging around her and with her. I would have been almost thankful to him for keeping her away from me if I had not had this doubt that he might be linked with those werewolves.”
“She is -following you - again?”
“Well she has been having memory relapses. And has been asking questions.”
“Did something happen Abhay? Between the two of you?”
“Uhh we got into the huge argument in class and after that I may have told her about my dead ex girlfriend”, said Abhay quoting in the air.
“And do you think it wise to mention anything of that sort?”
“I lost my cool. She was just berating me continuously and was going on and on about how I hurt her and I am a flirt and I just got tired.”
“She will poke around now. And flirt?”
“Piya thinks that I am flirting with those girls. She is jealous. But thats not my concern right now mom. Mom, Jeh is with Piya for some reason I am sure. There has to be. One of the girls overheard him asking her about the accident.”
“Piya’s involvement in this is my biggest concern. She is a human, she doesn't understand our ways and she could become the biggest liability of our side.”, said Chand.
“I know dad. I am trying best to not let her cross the barriers I created in her mind. But she is pushing harder everyday and its getting tougher”
“Or you are getting softer?!”, said Chand. It was not a question that Abhay got soft where Piya was involved.
“Remember Abhay, Piya is exposed to our world and she must not remember what happened.”
“I never wanted to drag her in all of this. I warned her many a times.”
“There is nothing you can do now. It was her decision and we just have to work around it. Anyway I and Chand are going to Kasol tomorrow. We have got a lead on that empath and the attacker. And umm Siddharth is here to talk to you.”, said Haseena apprehensively.
“I do not want to talk to him.”
“Abhay. He is your brother.”
“A brother who tried to kill me and would have if he had succeeded on anyone of those many occasions.”
“Abhay I told you he was under a spell himself. That day your attack on him freed him from that spell.”
Abhay didn't argue anymore and got up to go change his clothes. He saw Siddharth waiting for him as he got upstairs in his brother’s room.
“You look paler and colder than before. Even for you”, said Siddharth as his eyes fell on Abhay.
“Yeah well living in a block of ice for a year can do that to you.”, answered Abhay coldly. He saw concern in Siddharth’s eyes and he didn’t like that, “Are you coming back to live here?”
“Not yet no. It will raise many questions and besides Mom doesn't want me here until you forgive me.”
“Well then forget it because I am not forgiving you.”
“Abhay I honestly was not under any control of whatever happened. I swear”, pleaded Siddharth.
“Yeah So I have heard.”
Abhay didn't stop longer and started walking to his room.
“Can I make up for my actions and earn your forgiveness my little brother?”
“You lost the right to call me brother when you crossed all your boundaries and betrayed me.”
Abhay closed the doors of his room behind him. Siddharth sighed with disappointment and went to Haseena.
“Do you think he will ever forgive me?”
“Of course he will. Don't you know your brother. He can be as distant and as moody as possible but when it matters he will do anything for his beloved ones.”, consoled Haseena.
“I am not sure that he cares for me anymore.”
“Of course he does Siddharth. He is Abhay. He likes to walk around edges of love and you know it. Just give him some time and he will come around.”
“Yeah I hope so. Is he okay though? He doesn't look like he used to be.”
“The spell has its side effects. But his body is fast it will heal itself. My concern is the trauma it has left on his mind. For him, twice his brother tried to kill him and on top of that Piya never believed him and it was much too easy to make her doubt than he had hoped.”
“Mom I didn't ..”
“I know son. But he has been hurt. He has been alone in that block for a year. His body was confined but not his mind. All it has done this one year is overthink things. Just be patient.”
“I think you forgot to teach us that very word”, smirked Sid and then asked, “Do you think you and dad will find information in Kasol?”
“Well thats the only lead we have so far. We have to try.”
“Whoever that person was, they were smart. None of us picked up on any hints possible and impersonating as Maithili. Hah! That sure ensured we were off our game.”
“Abhay mentioned something about this new family and werewolves. You think you can dig up some information on him?”
“Sure he can get one of his pets to tag and follow Jeh as one our teachers”, said Abhay as he walked down the stairs.
“Where are you going?”, asked Haseena.
“To pick up Piya. I don’t want her coming here on her own.”
“Piya is coming here?”
“Yeah well college assignment. You send me off to human college then it brings its own headaches. We have to write an essay together and submit by Monday.”
“Yeah but why does she need to come here for that?”
“Because I don't want to go over at hers. Mr Dobriyal is just as nosy if not more. And with Piya, I can at least use my charms to throw her off guard but he is well just .. i don't want to go there”, said Abhay shaking his face.
“Is it just the assignment or shall we set up the candle light dinner as well?”, teased Siddharth.
“Yeah I’ll make sure to say hello to Panchi.”, said Abhay showing him a finger as he walked out to his car.
“Mom is right here you uncouth, be civil.”, shouted Siddharth behind him.
*
Piya was pacing down her room. Abhay had told her that they would get started with their essay today itself at his place. Her heart was elated at the thought of working with him at his house. She kept checking her phone again and again. No message or call. She looked herself in the mirror again to ensure her hair was okay. She had picked out clothes very carefully, a pair of jeans and a top. Neither overdressed nor underdressed. She reminded herself that it was just an assignment and nothing more but somewhere deep down a ray of hope was stirring.
Misha came to her room. “So madam kkya baat he? Itna saj dhajkar kaha ja rahi ho?”
“What saj dhajkar? Do you think I am over dressed?”
“Well that depends on where you are going? Where are you going?”
“Just meeting Abhay for that assignment”
Misha raised her eyebrows at her and gave a smile. She understood perfectly well that why Piya was fussing over her looks. “You look fine.”, said Misha glancing over her phone, “and here he comes.”
Piya rushed to pick up her call, “yes okay I am coming.” She said bye to Misha and rushed outside. Misha looked at her entering his car from the window and mumbled, “pagal. Dono ke dono.”
*
Haseena greeted Piya as she walked in behind Abhay, “Piya! How are you?”
Abhay introduced his mom to Piya. “Oh yes I heard. I am sorry about your memory dear. How are you handling it?”
“I am fine thank you aunty but yeah its been difficult to not being able to remember any details”, she glanced at Abhay as she spoke who carefully avoided meeting her eyes.
“I am sure it has. Although forgive me Piya but at my age I wouldn't worry about losing one year of college you see. You are young and you have got your whole life ahead of you so I would suggest to just move on and fill that year with new memories.”
“Yes of course aunty. Mumma papa also says the same.”
“Ahh Madhu and mr dobriyal. How are they doing? I hope everything is well between you and them.”
“Yes Mumma i mean Madhu aunty has been most kind and accepting. I am all good.”
Haseena smiled and looked at Abhay, “i have to prepare for tomorrow’s journey I will be back late with Chand.”
“Are you going somewhere aunty?”
“Oh yes. We are going away for a couple of days. Some urgent work. But you make yourself comfortable and just ask if you need anything. Sitaram will take care of it.”
“Sure thank you”, said Piya graciously.
Haseena glared at Abhay and warned him telepathically to not flow in his emotions and have control over them as she smiled at Piya.
Abhay gave her assurances and showed Piya to the library.
Piya looked around the huge library of the raichand manner. She could spend days just combing through one section of it. It was bigger than his father’s library and almost as big as their college library minus the dust and cobwebs of course. She walked around a few shelves looking at the different books.
“Shall we get to it?”, asked Abhay pulling out an armchair near the study.
“Yeah. Your library is huge.”
“Hmm hmm thanks.”
As they sat down Piya felt a nervous energy knowing that she was going to be alone with him in entire house. She felt very conscious of this fact as both of them tried to gather material for their assignment. Her mind was divided between the two and as Abhay pulled out some old books for their research handing it over to her, she nearly dropped them.
“I am not going to bite you Piya, you don't have to be so nervous all the time”
“What? I didn't say anything.”
“You didn't have to. You are shaking with nervousness.”
“No i am not. I uh… I am just a little cold. I forgot the cardigan.”
Abhay looked at her and a smile spread in his mind as he read how much efforts Piya had put into the dress to ensure it looked as appropriate as possible. He had missed Piya’s nervous efforts that were meant solely for him. He got up and added more wood to the fireplace and said, “I will get you something warm to drink.” and left.
Piya found her smiling at his care but a chime on his phone broke that happiness. It was a text from Munni asking if he enjoyed their date. And then another text from Mehbooba confirming their date later that night.
“The jerk is still planning dates with these girls. And whats wrong with them? Why are they all crazy for him!”, cursed Piya. Her smile of joy has turned into upside down frown.
“Are you snooping on my phone again?”, asked Abhay walking in with sitaram who put the tray with warm coffee and some snacks on the nearby table and was dismissed by Abhay with a wave.
“No i am not. I just glanced at it as it was constantly buzzing with msgs. It was just instinctive”, said Piya defensively.
Abhay sat down opposite to her smirking. He poured her some coffee in mug and handed it over to her, “lets divide and conquer shall we?”
Piya nodded taking the coffee mug in her hand. Their fingers met. Piya felt a current run down her neck as an old memory of Abhay kissing her neck made its way through. In shock she got up dropping the mug. Abhay pulled her aside before the hot coffee spilt on her legs. “Whats wrong?”, asked Abhay looking at her. Her forehead sweating. Piya shook her head, “nothing i just.” Abhay combed through her thoughts and saw that she was thinking about their moments. “You sure you don't want to ask something?”, prompted Abhay as he felt Piya’s discomfort and shyness.
“You uh you said I crossed boundaries in our relationship? What”, piya took a deep breath as she continued her question, “what kind of boundary?”
“I told you nothing of the sort you are fearing”
“Did you ever .. did we.. i just had this memory flash that you were kissing my..”, piya trailed off as she touched the back of her neck.
There was a coy smile on Abhay’s face as he made her sit down. “If you are wondering whether we slept together or not the answer is no and whether we shared some moments the answer would be yes. Of course we had the moments. The moments shared between two consenting adults.”
A relief and redness spread on her face. “That memory startled me. And that is why I wish to know the details. So I am in the know and am not getting surprises.”
“Piya you cant really expect me to give you detailed account of everything that happened between us. We broke up remember. If you had it rough that doesn’t mean I had it easy.”
“Sure doesn’t seem that way judging by the messages on your phone.”
“You were snooping on my phone. Listen Piya what I do with my life is on me. What you choose to do with yours is on you.”
“Fine lets just get this assignment completed and then we will be done.”
“Sure. We have divided the task and books we can do our part independently at the end we would just need few hours to combine. So monday we have to submit, so how about sunday we finish the final paper?”
“Works for me. I’ll take your leave now.”
“Take my leave? I picked you up. How will you go?”
“With two miraculous limbs called my legs”, said Piya sarcastically.
“No i don't want you walking home. The forest could be dangerous at times. I will drop you.”
“No thank you I can manage. I don't need your concern.”
“Piya we decided to not interfere with each other, not be enemies. We can still be civil.”, said Abhay opening the door for her and Piya obliged.
*
Abhay smiled and curled his finger in Mehbooba’s hair and said, “you know what, I like you. You are much easy going then others. They are all just so insecure with Piya that it spoils the whole mood.”
“Well I think it was because of the way Jeh just went after her, you know and Well I do think that you are partly at fault as well. You never gave anyone else a chance last year.”
“Wait a minute now. How is it my fault if girls can’t resist me?”, asked he sounding innocent with touch of smugness.
“Yeah well but Piya had ensured to put her stamp all over you.”
“And now jeh is it?”
“Yess. Oh you should see Jeh going after Piya. You’d think he is some paltu kutta.”
“Tumhe to sab khabar rheti he. You are the true gossip queen of the mount college not T”
Mehbooba raised her collars in pride and Abhay knew he had chosen the perfect girl. She was so self involved and short sighted but in the know of things that it was a perfect combination for Abhay to get her to speak. He pestered further, “So tell me about it how is their relationship. You must know the details no one else does.”
“Lets see, What else?! Jeh keeps asking her about where she was this one year and how the accident occurred. You know her memory loss accident. She so blames it on you. The nerve of her. She just has this knack for attracting problems wherever she goes.”
“Don't I know it.”
“I know right. I mean why does she have to do such things. Now see that day she went on a date with Jeh to pandher palace.”
“Why the hell would Jeh and Piya go their?”, wondered Abhay aloud, his eyes not pleased to hear this.
“I know right. She says it was Jeh’s idea. Who knows. Thats where they dug up the whole story of the last princess of pandher”
“The one she argued with me in class.”
“Thats the one. The two apparently roamed about the place and found an old security guard or someone; he seemed to recognise Piya or something she said. I don't know the details. But get this. Piya said she heard a voice in the forest and when she followed it she found this block of ice and inside was a man buried. Can you believe it?”
“A man buried in the ice. Hah what a story. She was always good at making stories.”
“I know right. And oh my god there was whole drama. She kept insisting on bringing him back and Jeh , oh god you’d think he had some sense but he seemed to encourage her. He was like Piya may be we should try breaking the ice and see what is there and oh god. What a tool.”
This was more than what Abhay had been expecting. He paid little attention to what she said afterwards and soon asked the waiter for a cheque, “let me drop you home. I think its getting late. And i have got to do something.”
“So soon? It is only 8.”
“Its ten darling”
He used his hypnotism to maker her see the time as 10 and made her move.
After dropping her, he rushed off to Pandher palace. As he stepped outside the car and towards the palace, the events from his life flashed in his mind. He pushed the memories aside with significant work, “now is not the time.” He went inside and looked for the portrait. It wasn't there. He breathed a relief that the portrait of Maithili had been removed. His steps took him to yet another chamber. Maithili’s chambers. He felt as if he could still smell her there. He walked near the dresser and pulled open one of the drawers. He opened the faux bottom from underneath and found the pictures of them, drawn by Maithili. He took one of them in his hands and the memories overpowered. He dropped the paper to turn and leave but Something amber shone in the corner asking for his attention. A stone he had never seen before. It was dark and tinted. As he touched the stone, it glowed and he pocketed it before leaving.
*
Jeh was pacing the Khurana house. Deepanita was angry.
“She is useless that girl. I don't know why your father insisted on keeping her. She is shame in the name of a werewolf. She will bring our downfall.”
“I don't know what to tell you mom. We tried. But that Abhay Raichand walked in the palace and we had to leave as quickly as possible.”
“What was he doing there in that ruins?”
“I don't know. May be nostalgia.”
“Nostalgia. Hah. A nostalgic vampire”, said Deepanita scornfully.
A voice echoed in her ears, “you fool. He is much sharper then you are. He is playing games and he is much closer to you then you think.”
The voice scared both Jeh and Deepanita. She said in timid voice, “master what do you mean?”
“He knows what Jeh has been up to. They are on guard.”
“What? How?”
“Doesn't matter how now. Use your daughter. She will protect Jeh from him.”
“Master she cant do a thing. She is useless. What protection will that scrawny girl do?”
The voice laughed at their argument. “You understand not the ways of their kind. You do not understand the powers she has. Use her.”
That was the last thing they heard.
*
“Did you remove Maithili’s portrait from palace?”, asked Abhay as he sat down with Chand.
Chand nodded, “Haseena would not be happy to know you were back at the palace. Why did you go there?”
“I wanted to see if the portrait was still present.”
“We moved it soon after that incident. We didn't think it was safe for anyone to know what or how similar Maithili looked to someone living. But what i don't understand is why sudden concern about that now?”
“Jeh took Piya to palace after she came back here.”
Chand slammed the book close and looked at him, “did he now?”
“He took Piya back to the place where I was buried. I don't trust him. Something is very shady about his character. I have checked with others. Everyone shares one common belief that he has been lingering in and around Piya and I don't like that. He has taken her to the rappelling point, the highway out the border of our territory, the forest across the river, pandher, …”
“All the places you saved Piya from some or other dangers. He has been causing the relapses in her mind.”, said Chand thinking deeply.
Abhay nodded and said, “he could have found out many things from other college students.”
“Even then it seems very unlikely that he is acting alone. Somebody must be helping him.”
“The attacker?”
Chand looked at him and said, “hmm possibly. We cant be certain at this stage though. Haseena has asked Siddharth to dig into their history ever since you mentioned it to her first. Soon we shall know what he is and what does he want. I suggest you wait till then before you make any move. ”
“Why does Piya has to be involved in all this?”
“She became part of our world the day she accepted you.”
“But she walked away.”, said Abhay desperately.
“My dear son, you should know better that humans have the right to walk in to our world not out of it. They don't get to decide when they can go back”
“Then I should let her remember whatever happened. At least she will on her guard.”
“Don't be a fool. That will only attract more dangerous creatures, in search of that power, to her. The less she knows about the power she is harbouring the better it is.”
Abhay nodded and left to leave and remembering something he turned and pulled out the stone from his pocket and showed to Chand, “do you know what this is? ”
Chand looked at the stone and snatched it from abhay, “where did you get this?”
“Maithili’s chambers. What is it?”
“Its a necromancers stone. Used to call for the spirits of dead people. Why did you take it?”
“It was glowing when i found it.”
Chand raised his eyebrows in suspicion. He dismissed Abhay and sat there examining stone. He knew who could answer his questions. He went his room and showed the stone to Haseena. “Abhay found it. In the palace. In maithali’s chambers.”
Haseena looked at him with disbelief and touched the stone trembling. It glowed for a moment and someone’s garbling sound started to fill the room. “… Coming … my sons… save … princess… coming”. The power of the stone seemed to take control of Haseena and she was swung in the air. Chand closed the door quickly and called out Haseena’s name, “haseena, my darling you can control it. You do not have to use your powers. Just drop it. You are stronger than you think. Listen to my voice, follow it and come back to me. Let go of the stone. Let go of the stone Haseena.” And Haseena did.
Chand came closer to her and held in his arms. “Its okay. You are okay.”
After a moment Haseena gathered herself and spoke, “it was Abhay and Siddharth’s birth mother. I could not understand everything, the connection was very unstable but i could sense her fears. It was a warning. I think they are in danger. Chand my sons are in danger. We have got to do something. Save them Chand. I don't want to lose any one of them again”, cried Haseena. She may not have given birth to them but she loved them as her own sons. For a mother’s heart knows no bound.
“We will. We will save them. We are going tomorrow. We will find who it was that attacked them. We will get to the bottom of it. Okay? Relax now”
Haseena nodded trying to compose herself.
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