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AS soon as the dark blue small Camry screeched to a halt in front of ‘the house’, two guards approached it immediately.
They walked to the booth, and bundled out two groaning men, tied and handcuffed. They were actually the guys who had tried escaping with bullet injuries, but as planned, The boss and Raghav, had captured them.
Raghav couldn’t get to wait for The boss or any other guard to open the door, he opened it himself and alighted, then rushed into the building, heading for the torture room.
“Take them to the sickbay and call in the family nurse”, The boss said to the two guards as they dragged the groaning men along.
“They have to get well, before taken to the torture room”, he added and walked away.
“Okay boss”, the guards replied in unison.
Inside the room, all the gang boys were already tied, blindfolded and being flogged. They were all groaning as well. Raghav went round inspecting as the torture went on.
Suddenly, he raised his left hand and the flogging ceased.
“Who amongst you is Amaya?”, he asked. There was no response.
This got him so pissed, and he fumed in great anger.
“I do not like repeating myself you fellas”, he said and then in a flash, grabbed the whip from the guard standing close to him, and briskly walked up to one of the guys tied at the far end of the room.
He got to him and with the might he could muster, brought down the whip on the back of the guy, twice, then forcefully removed his blindfold, almost breaking his neck. It was Amaya.
“You fool!”, he spat on his blood and sweat filled face. Amaya weakly raised up his head to look at him.
So, finally, they have been caught.
Raghav’s face broke into a smile, as he discerned his thoughts.
“But why the hell did you think, you could come into the palace, mess around with the royal family, and flee?”, he asked, his voice so low like a whisper.
Amaya kept mute, he was too weak to talk. Infact, he now felt like a wounded lion.
“You know, I used to think that you weren’t a good cousin, I felt it, I always did, I remember telling mama about it, but she has never for once, believed me. I guess you will be so happy to meet her”, he laughed sarcastically.
He brought his mouth closer to his ears and said, “you so gonna pay for this beloved cousin, you gonna confess to her, and make her know that you aren’t that beloved nephew she thought you are”, and he walked away from him.
“I’m sure you know Davida has been in our custody, you don’t need to worry about her, she is being taken care of”, he smiled.
“Remove their blindfolds”, he commanded, handling the whip he was holding to no one in particular, a guard took it.
“I need to see their faces before leaving”, he added.NôvelDrama.Org © 2024.
Their blindfolds were removed, and he walked up to them one by one, studying their faces.
When he walked up to Dylan, he stopped and gazed at him for about three minutes, saying nothing.
Then he finally broke the silence.
“I had gotten a chip and placed on your uniform”, his cold voice said, sending chills down Dylan’s spines.
“From it, we listened to all your conversations and plans”.
Jeez! Dylan’s eyeballs widened in shock. Raghav nodded, like saying yes.
“You don’t mess around with me”, and he walked away.
He took a step back and looked at them again, they were eight in all, including the ones taken to the sickbay. Spider had figured they added three more men incase.
“Continue with it”, Raghav said and walked out of the room. The guards obeyed.
***
Selena took the glass cup from the nurse who had come over to check on Rina. She had passed out on their way after the rescue, and the nurse had said it was as a result of shock, that she gonna be fine.
“So you mean my daughter is going to be awake soon?”, Selena asked the nurse.
“Very soon”, she nodded. “It was just shock ma’am, she will be fine”, she smoothened her hair.
“I will like to take my leave now, incase of any emergency, I’m at the sickbay”, the nurse said, and turned to leave.
Selena sighed.
“Okay nurse, thank you so much”, she said and turned to Rina, fear and pity for her daughter filled her eyes.
She had already been informed of the attempted kidnap, and had immediately rushed down to the palace where Rina was taken to by the guard who had rescued her.
This was the first time of Selena visiting the palace, and on a normal, wouldn’t have visited, if it weren’t for a case of emergency.
Rina needed someone by her side after the attack, and Zaina wasn’t in town, she was at Kuru where she now attends college.
As soon as the nurse left, she dropped the glass cup on the bedside table and sat on the bed, caressing her daughter on the cheek.
Soon, her eyes flickered open and she yawned.
“Oh my God! You are awake Rin”, Selena said, moving closer to her.
“Ye… yes mom. Where am I? What are you doing here?”, she asked and looked around, trying very much to sit up.
“Where am I? What happened to me?”, she kept on reeling questions.
Selena sighed deeply, and helped her sit up.
“Calm down daughter, you are fine”, she assured.
“Jeez! What happened?”, she asked and placed her palms on her eyes, trying to recall anything.
“Dear, it was just a little attack that you were involved in”, she replied.
Instantly, as if stung by a bee, Rina removed her palms from her eyes and turned to her mother, as it just dawned on her.
“My gee! I was almost kidnapped, yes, that was it. God!”, she exclaimed.
Then as if she just remembered something, she paused, and looked around. It then dawned on her that she was in the palace, in Raghav’s chamber to be precised.
“Where is Raghav?”, she asked, then turned to her mother, “you are in the palace mom, how did you about the attack, who told you?”, she asked.
Selena looked at her for a long time, before she finally replied her.
“You were rescued by a guard who brought you straight here. You had passed out on your way here. We invited one of the nurses at the sickbay, she said it was just as a result of shock”.
Rina looked on, like a maroon, keeping mute. Selena continued.
“Raghav, I probably think he is on his way. Calm down Rina, you really need rest”.
“Oh!”, she said and yanked off the duvet, “Mom I’m fine”, she got off the bed.
Selena watched her as she walked up to the window and began looking out, like she was expecting someone. Actually, yes, she was. She was expecting Raghav, he alone could put her to rest.
Silence stretched for a while as Rina kept in looking out the window, and her mother kept on watching her.
Suddenly, something struck her, and a small smile played on her lips.
“Mom?”, she called.
“Yes dear”, Selena replied, still sitting on the bed.
“What if… what if… what if Raghav should propose to me?”, she licked her thin lips, then turned away from the window, facing her mother, her arms folded.
Selena just looked on, waiting for her to finish up.
“You know, it probably would put an end to all these madness, yes”, she nodded, giggling.
Ahhh, Selena splayed her palm on her forehead. Kids, what do they know. Then she looked at her.
“You just spoke like the kid you are dear, you are still a kid”, she said, and got up, then walked up to her. The giggles on Rina’s face disappeared.
“Look dear, there is more to marriage than we imagine”, she took her hands in hers, “love isn’t just enough for marriage, there are things needed to put in place which probably could take months, or even years”.
Rina swallowed hard.
“Besides, you know he’s going through a lot now, through puzzles which he needs to solve before anything marriage becomes his agenda. He is the heir to the throne, he has responsibilities, his dad is there, still in coma, his mom as well, standing against you two, then his cousins and enemies to the royal family. So dear, you just need to leave him take his time, and get things done gradually, okay?”.
Rina wasn’t satisfied, she slowly removed her hands from her mother’s and walked back to the bed. It wasn’t enough. Selena followed her.
“Mummy, we love each other. Aren’t you seeing this the way I am, if we eventually get married, all these problems gonna stop. I know it, can’t you see mom?”, she cried out in distress.
Selena chuckled.
“It’s not so daughter, chill okay? Relax, the Prince is all yours if that’s what you are afraid of”, she assured.
“Come here”, she said and drew her for a hug.
They were still in a hug when the door opened, revealing Raghav at the door. He stood there and watched them.
They unlocked from the hug as soon as they heard the sound of the door. They both looked towards it and saw it was the Prince.
“Oh my!”, Rina squeaked and ran to him, wrapping her arms around him so tight. He smiled weakly and hugged her back.
“Sunshine?”, he called in a whisper. “I’m so sorry about that”, he added.
Rina said nothing, she just held him so tight in a hug. Raghav shrugged and continued.
“I’m sorry baby, look I’m really sorry”, he pulled her up to look into her face, and she pouted. It melted him to the bones.
“I’m fine now”, she said and he planted a kiss on her forehead, and they walked away from the door.
Selena got up as soon as he got to them.
“Good evening your Grace”, she bowed.
He turned to her.
“Good evening ma’am, I’m sorry for the occurrence”, he apologized.
She sighed.
“It’s okay. At least, she is fine now”, she said, then turned to Rina.
“Okay Rin, I’ll be going to the guest bedroom now, I will be leaving later in the day”, she said and made to leave.
“You can leave tomorrow morning mom, it’s alright”, she said.
Selena smiled and nodded knowingly, then walked out of the room.
Raghav immediately went into the bathroom to freshen up, while Rina picked up her phone. There was a message notification from Zaina, like two hours ago.
??: Hey princess, I just heard what happened and I’m so sorry about that, it all gonna be over soon. I’m actually in class now and can’t talk, talk to you once I’m done. Cheers?.
She sighed and dropped the phone, then laid down on the bed. Zaina. Zaina was now attending a college in Kuru, Prince Zashil had taken care of that. She was so happy for her friend, but now, she needed rest.
Soon the bathroom door opened and Raghav came out, dripping wet. He walked to the dressing table which was just adjacent where Rina laid, and jeez, she couldn’t help drooling.
She swallowed hard and tried looking away, but no, the urge and temptation for her to stare was so strong to overcome. So she stared. After all, it was her man, or wasn’t it?
He was only tying a white towel on his waist, his chest and body was bare. She swallowed hard again.
She watched him dress up completely in light wears and then turned to join her in bed. As soon as he turned, she immediately closed her ears, and pretended to be dozing.
He got to the bed and kissed her thin lips. She couldn’t hold herself back, she smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck.
“Sit up”, he said and without hesitating, she sat up.
“How did you know about Dylan?”, she abruptly asked.
He scoffed.
“I just know. You need not be asking me that, I expect you to know the kind of person you have as your man by now”, he said.
She rolled her eyes.
“You are right anyway. But… the way…”, she stuttered, lost for words.
He opted to help her out.
“I read minds, so I had discerned his thoughts and knew exactly his mission here. He was sent by Amaya, the cousin of a wizard to get hold of you, and then use you as bait to get me. They were beaten in their own game baby, I had instead used you as bait to get them”, he winked.
“What! Wait, so you mean to tell me he is in your custody now?”, her eyelids blinked.
“All of them, together with his gang”, he replied.
“Jeez!”, she mouthed as her mouth fell wide open in astonishment, she was gobsmacked. She didn’t even know what to say.
Raghav chuckled and kissed her mouth to close. He was about saying something, when his phone on the dressing table, buzzed.
“Shit!”, he cussed and got up. Rina watched him walk to the table and pick up the phone.
He looked into the phone, it was his mother. Wow, what a coincidence, he was actually planning on calling her soon, following the capture of Amaya, so he could confess to her.
He answered the call.
“Hello mom”, he said. Rina cringed and turned to him.
“Hey son, I been calling for ages, where you kept your damn phone?”, she asked.
“Jeez!”, he mouthed and removed the phone from his ears then looked into it, there was a notification of twenty missed calls from her. Holy moly! When?
Then it hit him, he had put all his phones on silent since the operation. But what exactly does she wanna say, that she had to call a hell twenty times?
“I’m so sorry mom, I had been so busy, my phones has been on silent”, he said, and she sighed.
“Alright son, I just wanted to tell you one thing”, she said, enthusiastically.
“Oh! What’s that?”.
“Your dad is awake from coma”, she spilled the beans.
“What!”, he exclaimed.