Page 169 of Rudra Nandani: The Saga of Control And Seduction

He shook his head dejectedly.“No, Bhaisa. It’s only been a month… we can’t afford to lose the few soldiers we have left,”

I drew in a slow breath, trying to steady myself.

Abhinandan Mahabalesh… he had become our greatest enemy. His transformation in less than two months still shocked me. Once gentle, kind, and thoughtful, he now stood ruthless, cold, and merciless.

And to make matters worse, the old king, Surgami Dev Singh, had allied with him. That alliance alone had tilted the scale.

I had known about their union even before I left for Mahabaleshgarh during Holi. I told myself I was going to the festival, but truthfully, I went to see if his family knew. If they were aware of what their son had become.

To my surprise, they weren’t. They had no idea. Not even the slightest suspicion.

They knew nothing, but while I was there, I learned somethingfar more devastating—a truth about myself. Strangely, I was thankful because that truth helped me make the most important decision of my life.

To lose a war. Because that loss… was my redemption.

I had done terrible things, not just to Nandani and Abhinandan, but to their entire family. People who welcomed me, trusted me, and loved me despite knowing I was the son of their enemy. They let me into their homes and allowed me to befriend their children.

And what did I do?

I made their daughter fall in love with me… only to use her later for my narcissistic intentions. I earned the trust of their son, only to betray him when it suited me.

The guilt drowned me. It tore through every corner of my heart, and the pain of what I had done was unbearable. But now… no more.

I wouldn’t survive unless I let go or paid for what I had done.

My redemption would be a loss. A loss that had already been written into the lines of my fate. And if that was the price of my forgiveness, I was ready to pay it.

I had to do it for Nandani and Abhinandan.

“What should be our strategy, Bhaisa?” Ranvijay’s voice suddenly pulled me out of my thoughts. I turned toward him, blinking slowly.

“Our strategy?” I repeated quietly.

“Ji,” he nodded, eyes full of urgency.

“Nothing,” I stated flatly.

“What?”

“What? Why?”

“We have to do something!”

Their voices rose around me, echoing in the tense air.

“No,” I said, looking at each of them calmly.“We’ll not do anything. Let them come closer. Then we’ll request a meeting to express our intent. Mahabaleshgarh is our ally now. Raja Rajvardhan Mahabalesh is still the king, and Abhinandan is his son. If we retaliate now, we break the peace treaty. Do not worry about Surgami Dev Singh. He is already on his last breath… I will deal with him myself.”

Agastya furrowed his brows.“But Bhaisa, at least let us prepare the army,”

I shook my head.“No, Prince Agastya. This conflict is personal.Using the Kingdom’s resources would only escalate it into something far more dangerous. This is my war, and I must resolve it on my own,” I spelt it out clearly.

They exchanged glances, but eventually nodded.

The truth was, I wanted to lose this war with Abhinandan. I knew him, perhaps too well now. And I had wronged him in more ways than I could justify. One of those wrongs was deceiving both him and his sister. That would have devastated me, too, if someone had done it to my sister.

I couldn’t even bring myself to tell Nandani.

That, too, was part of the reason I had relinquished my celibacy.

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