Page 178 of Rudra Nandani: The Saga of Control And Seduction

He raised an eyebrow and grinned darkly.“Of course. A bastard son of a sex worker,”

His words sent a wave of rage through me, but wait.

How did he know?

There was only one way. Surgami Dev Singh.

Instead of exploding, I let out a short laugh.“Ahh, yes. That I am,”

His irritation deepened. Without warning, he punched me across the face. A group of soldiers rushed in at his signal.

“Unlock his chains,” he ordered.“The Prince wants to peel his skin off himself.”

I took a deep breath and waited as they freed me. Their swords pressed close against my neck, my chest, anywhere they could threaten.

“Come with us,” the man growled.

I rolled my eyes and followed them. My wrists ached from the heavy shackles still hanging from them.

As we walked through the narrow dungeon corridor, I scanned around—the shadows, the cracks, the path to the exit.

Sunlight struck my face as we stepped out, and I looked around at the ruined fort and the labourers working on its reconstruction.

The man with the grotesque face sneered.“What did you do to the Prince to make him want you dead so bad?”

I sighed.“That depends. Who’s your Prince?”

He rolled his eyes.“Keep your attitude in check, boy.”

I smirked.“I’m not a boy like you. There’s a difference between a man and a boy.”

His jaw tensed, and he slapped the back of my head.“What did you say?”

He asked, gritting his teeth. I clenched my fists, barely holding myself back from tearing him in two with a single finger. But I needed to stay composed, I had to find out where I was, and more importantly, who this so-called Prince was.

I forced a foolish smile and walked with them until we reached an open space. My gaze landed on a tent, and just then, loud moans and sharp cries pierced the air.

“Aaahhh... Prince!” Another scream followed, and I froze. Who was this girl? And who was the Prince? I wondered.

The sounds only grew more intense, and I walked a few steps closer, despite my churning insides.

“Wait here until the Prince finishes his business,” the guard ordered.

I gulped. The thought that this might be Abhinandan shook me to the core.

If that was him… I couldn't believe how much he had changed.

As the cries died, I took a deep breath, bracing myself. The tent’s curtain shifted a moment later, and a tall, half-naked man stepped out. His fingers raked through his hair as he adjusted the low-hanging dhoti on his waist, revealing the carved muscles of his abs and chest.

I squinted against the sunlight, trying to focus on his face, and when I did, the ground swept beneath me.

It was Abhinandan Mahabalesh.

He walked to a nearby vessel and splashed water on his face. Drying it with a cloth, he strode to a wooden bench and sprawled across it with his arms resting wide, one foot propped up over his knee.

“Aao, aao Rudra. Tumhara hi prateeksha thi,”(Welcome, Rudra. I was just waiting for you.)he said casually, with a mocking grin.

The soldiers shoved me forward.

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