“Do you still do that? I mean, recently?” I asked, blinking nervously.
He shook his head again.“That was almost three years ago, when I was searching for important information. I sent a woman from a brothel to a king to gather it, and she developed feelings for me, asking me to please her in return. But when I refused, she insisted. So I showed her another way,” he explained, lowering his gaze as he spoke slowly.
“Okay, that sounds dangerous. And, to protect them from you, I’m taking this dagger away,” I suggested in a low voice, pulling it from his hand.
He smiled and leaned closer.“I already gave it to you,” he said, drawing near my cheek and whispering,“As in, you own Agastya Dev Singh, half-wife.”
I closed my eyes, feeling his soft lips on my cheek for a moment, which made me smile.
“Agastya!” Suddenly, Ranaji's voice echoed in the chamber, and my eyes almost bulged out of their sockets.
“Fuck!” Kunwar-sa’s eyes widened in shock, and I felt like I was going to die right then.
A wave of panic surged through my nerves.“Ranaji,” I muttered in shock, but he quickly covered my mouth with his hand. I could hear his footsteps drawing closer as he scanned the room.
“Hide,” he urged, and I glanced toward the edge of the bed. However, Ranaji would’ve noticed the curtain moving. I gulped, filled with fear and anxiety.
And suddenly, Kunwar-sa lifted my legs and wrapped his hand around my waist, pulling me closer and making me lie on the bed. I couldn’t believe how effortlessly he lifted me like a leaf. My heart pounded in my mouth.
“Shh…” he hushed me, and I clenched my fists in fear.“Calm down,” he said.
I met his gaze and gulped nervously. Then he wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me down until my head rested against his chest. A wave of fear washed over me.
“Agastya, are you awake?” Ranaji asked again. I could sense that he was very close.
We are both dead.
“Stay quiet,” Kunwar-sa muttered softly, tucking me under the comforter. He then turned to the side, using his body as a shield and resting his head on his elbow, hiding me behind him.
I felt my heart racing when he spoke,“Ji Bhai-sa.” His voice was calm, yet tinged with the hoarseness of sickness.
I shifted even closer to him, my chest pressing against his back. The moment he took my hand, wrapping it around his torso and covering it with the comforter, I felt a knot in my stomach.
I heard Ranaji draw the curtains open.
“It’s afternoon. What’re you doing in bed?” he asked, and I heard Kunwar-sa sniff lightly.
“Ugh… Bhai-sa, I slept outside last night, and this cold…” he spoke, sniffing, like he had a cold, really.“My nose and head hurt. Oh my God!”
I could feel the bed dipping at the edge, meaning Ranaji sat on the bed.
Oh my God! Such an actor!
“What? Why did you sleep outside?” Ranaji asked, and he suddenly sneezed, obviously fake.
I quickly shut my eyes, unsure of what he was doing.
“Oh, it looks terrible,” Ranaji remarked, then quickly added,“Try to avoid coming near the baby and Nandani.”
Kunwar-sa sniffed again.“Of course, Bhai-sa. By the way, what happened?” he asked innocently, as if there was no woman in his bed, as if he wasn’t naked, and as if that woman wasn’t hiding behind him under his comforter.
He was so insane.
I couldn’t resist pressing my forehead against his back. It felt warm, and my fingers could sense his tight abs beneath them.
His cologne overwhelmed me, making me forget everything again.
“Ah, nothing. Princess Rashmika has arrived with the head commander of Mehrangarh. I hope you can meet them. But right now, please take care of yourself and get well soon. Do you have a fever as well?” Ranaji asked, and Kunwar-sa stiffened.
