“I can’t turn back now,” I tell him. “There’s no chance of turning around safely. And I’m not driving blindly through this.”
Haider goes silent for a second. Then he says what we’re both already thinking.
“You need shelter.”
I look at the road again. I know these mountains well. There isn’t a single structure here. No hotel, no café, or no fuel station. My gaze shifts briefly towards Siya, who is watching me now.
“I think the Princess and I will be spending the night in the car.” I sigh.
Her head immediately snaps towards me. “What?”
I ignore her and speak to Haider again. “Keep monitoring the situation. The second the road opens, let me know.”
“I will. Stay put. Don’t try anything heroic.”
I almost smile. Before he can continue, I disconnect the call and lean back against the seat, staring at the wall of rain hammering against the windshield.
SIYA
The silence inside the vehicle lasts for exactly three seconds before I ask Raghav angrily.
“Did you just say we’re spending the night in the car?”
“Unless you’ve secretly learned how to stop a rainstorm, Princess...”
“I can’t believe this.” I glare at him. “That’s why one should always think and speak positively. You kept talking about landslides, danger, accidents, and getting stranded. And now look what happened.”
Raghav doesn’t look remotely interested in my talk. Instead, he gives me a flat look.
“Are you planning to give me this lecture for the entire night?” he asks. “Because I should warn you, I’m least interested.”
I scoff at his audacity. “As if I’m interested in spending the night trapped in a car with you.”
“Suit yourself.”
That’s all he says. Then, to my surprise, he opens the door and steps out into the rain. By the time he reaches the rear door, his grey sweater is already dotted with raindrops, but he doesn’t seem to notice. He opens the rear door and climbs into the back seat while I just stare at him.
“What are you doing?”
“The rear seats recline better,” he replies simply, adjusting his seat. “They’re more comfortable than the driver’s seat.”
Of course. Trust Raghav to think practically even while stranded on a mountain road in the middle of a storm. I watch him pull open one of the storage compartments built into the rear cabin. It has an emergency kit with first-aid supplies, flashlights, power banks, and even a cosy emergency blanket.
I shouldn’t be surprised. This is Raghav we’re talking about. The man probably has contingency plans for his contingency plans. I glance at the front passenger seat, then at the rear cabin, and back at him. The back seat is actually more comfortable. Spacious too. The vehicle is designed for long-distance travel, and the rear seats turn into loungers when fully reclined. But there’s no partition between the rear seats. Going back there means sharing the same space as him. And I’m so not doing that.
“Get back here,” he orders, patting the seat beside him.
“No thanks,” I tell him. “I’ll sleep right here.”
He shrugs as if he couldn’t care less, and stretches out comfortably against the leather seat.
A moment later, without even opening his eyes, he adds, “Stay wherever you like. Unless you want to wake up tomorrow as a block of ice with a broken back.”
I narrow my eyes at him. “Now who’s giving lectures?”
He doesn’t bother looking back. And somehow that annoys me even more.
****************
