It was just before midnight when Darsh knocked on the priest's door. The chill in the air had increased. Tiny goosebumps covered his body as water dripped from his clothes, courtesy of Ms. Sharma. His trousers were wet by wading in that pool, and then she had dripped all over him when he carried her back. As of now, she was lying peacefully on the floor of his room covered with a blanket that was already sodden wet.

His plan had worked as expected. It had also delivered a result. It was just a totally unexpected result, one that he hadn't imagined in his wildest dreams. His luck had been throwing him curveballs ever since he landed in Palampur. And tonight as well, it had caught him by surprise. He didn't know what to think. He didn't know how to react.

Shaking his head, he knocked again impatiently. He heard a shuffle of feet on the floor. The door opened a tiny fraction and the priest peeked out squinting his eyes groggily.

"It's me." Darsh raised his lantern so the priest could see his face. "I need your help. Come to my room."

Turning back he returned to his room as the priest followed him in confusion. His jaw dropped to the floor the moment he laid his eyes on her.

"Aditi Bitia! What happened to her? Is she dead?" The priest exclaimed in panic, his heart nearly jumping into his mouth. It seemed to him the whole of Chote Malik's family had decided to die around his temple. Next he knew, Bade Malik will raze this darned temple to the ground and him with it.

"She is alive," Darsh replied with an amused expression. "I think she got affected by the cannabis in the offering. I found her lying unconscious in one of the caves." He gave the bare minimum facts watching the priest's wizened face. He needed an alibi to vouch for his good behavior in case it was needed later, someone to attest to his good intentions. It might come in handy for some other purpose as well, but he didn't want to think that far ahead just yet.

"Is there any woman around here who could help change Aditi's clothes? She fell in a pool and we can't leave her in wet clothes." He carefully delivered the lines he'd rutted on the way back from the caves. Women, there were none; of that he was sure. And he wasn't going to let any man near her, priest or not. It would have to be him. He just had to be careful how he went about it.

The priest gulped uneasily, then shook his head. "No Sahib. There are no women around. There are some tribals that live in these jungles. But it's impossible to contact them at this hour."

Darsh nodded his head. This was just as he expected. "So I think you would have to change her clothes." He said matter of factly and started rummaging through her backpack to find a clean set to change into. From the corner of his eyes, he saw the priest fidgeting nervously. His lips twitched. It was unlikely the priest would take his offer, being the pious man that he was. Yet he had to offer even just for appearance's sake.

"I am sorry, Sahib." the priest stuttered, shuffling to the door. "You are with her. You do it, Sahib. I'll see if I can get some more blankets and dry clothes."

He was out of the door in a blink of an eye. Darsh smiled in derision and turned to her. Lifting her gently off the floor he placed her on the bed and gazed at her beautiful face. Devoid of its dazzling smile, stripped off any guile that he might accuse her of, he had to agree it looked achingly innocent. Her doe eyes, once shut, showed dark shadows around them. Her pink lips, up this close, looked cracked with a constant fake smile.

He always knew it was a charade. He always knew she was hiding something. He just hadn't considered this possibility. He hadn't imagined she could be the victim.

He wished he could talk to the boys again. His satphone was long since dead and there was no other communication channel in this place. It'd have to wait until he was back at the cottage.

But they will never agree, the little voice inside his head said quietly. Nobody ever agreed to such a ghastly deed. Neither would she, once she was back to her senses. He had but one option. And he had to take it while she was still unconscious.

His eyes traveled the length of her body; pristine, cold, perfectly still like a marble statue. Her wet clothes clung to her body revealing every exquisite curve. Sighing heavily he set about his task. This certainly was not a job for a pious priest. This was a job for a sinner like him.

*****

Aditi stirred from her slumber to the chirping sounds of birds and chiming of temple bells. It was early morning. The air was infused with the fragrance of fresh flowers and incense sticks. She was snug and warm, huddled inside a fluffy blanket in the soft bed of the Sarai. Probably her Ma had tucked her in last night. The image of her parents sitting in the moonlit pool, smiling at her lovingly still hovered in her mind. They had come for her at last, she could still feel their gentle touch on her skin.

Smiling serenely, she pushed the blanket and swung her legs to the floor. A sharp pain shot from her thigh and a whimper escaped her mouth.

"Aditi Bitia! Are you alright?" the priest's worried voice sounded from the doorway. She turned her head to see him tottering in eagerly, carrying a small tray of breakfast in his hands. He was closely followed by the stranger, carrying her medical kit, looking as grim as ever.

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Dropping the kit by the door he stuffed his hands in his pockets and stood by the doorway, effectively blocking all the sunlight out. She ignored him and smiled brightly at the priest.

"I am fine Baba. Nothing to worry about." She again made a valiant effort and managed to stand up without wincing, but the priest didn't look convinced.

"You don't look well." He came closer and set the tray on the bed to scan her carefully. His wrinkled hand touched her forehead, then her cheek, before patting her shoulder lightly. "We were so worried last night. You were cold and unconscious when Sahib carried you here."

Aditi bunched her brows. He carried her here?

"Why...what happened last night?"

"He found you lying in a pool. God bless Sahib, he was there to help you. Or I don't know how I would have faced Bade Malik..." His voice caught as he gulped uneasily.

Aditi stared. He was there in the cave! Did he hear her talking to her parents? What did she say? What did he hear? Doubts clamored her half-numb brain. Unknown dread swamped her as she slumped back on the bed. Her stomach roiled, the leftover water from last night threatening to spurt out.

The priest patted her head lightly and shook his head. "Eat up, Bitia. Then go home safely. Bade Malik must be worried."

Shooting a wary glance at the stranger the priest hobbled away. Aditi waited for him to go out of earshot before turning to the stranger. He'd moved to the window and was now leaning against it, his dark eyes pinned on her intently. There were questions in those eyes; uncomfortable, unanswerable ones. It was best to forestall them, divert him somehow.

"Thanks for your help." She tried to smile. "I'm sorry about last night. I see I haven't been a very good guide. Your holiday is ruined. I'll find you another guide..."

"Don't worry about my holiday, Ms. Sharma. What's done is done." He replied curtly. "Let's talk about last night. Who are..."

"I said I am sorry. "She interrupted hastily. "I'll arrange another guide for you. You can..."

He raised a large hand, silencing her with a single gesture. "Who are Vicki and Sam? You spoke about them last night. You said you called for help, but no one came. What happened?"

Her face went white. She seemed to have blurted a lot in her stupor last night. It had obviously piqued his interest. She needed to avoid it. She needed to escape. Bending her head she licked her parched lips, then looked up to face him again. "I don't know what you are talking about. I don't remember anything. And I think I have dawdled here long enough. I need to get going."

"You are not going anywhere until you answer me, Ms. Sharma." He said nonchalantly. "And I saved your life. Twice. I think you owe me an explanation."

"I owe you nothing." She snapped in irritation. "Thanks again for helping me, but you are just a tourist. I'll find you a new guide and you can be on your way."

"How did you get that wound?" he continued as if she had not spoken.

Her face paled. He knew about the wound. Which meant...he had seen it? Her chest suddenly felt laden. "How do you..?"

"I saw it last night when I changed your clothes," he answered with utter calm. "It is open. The sutures have come off."

Aditi choked. Invisible hands gripped her neck, tightening around her windpipe, constricting it precariously. She struggled to breathe, her mouth involuntarily opening to suck much-needed air. Here she was again, making the same stupid mistake, being as gullible as ever. When was she going to learn not to trust strangers? Hadn't she learned her lesson? Hadn't she been punished enough? Tears sprung to her eyes as she gasped for air. He made an involuntary move forward to help, but she shrank further away.

"How dare you! You have no right..! her voice was bizarrely strangled.

"The priest asked me. You can check with him." He said, watching her carefully. "And now back to my question, how did you get that wound?"

Aditi closed her eyes. She had to calm herself down. Nothing had happened. He wouldn't be here if anything happened. He was here, and the priest was there too. Which meant she was safe. She braced herself and tried to control her panic. "It's nothing serious. Just a graze from a bush while riding one morning,"

"It's not a graze from a bush, Ms. Sharma," he was getting angry. "It looks more like a stab from a broken glass bottle."

Broken glass bottle? Was that what it was? She couldn't remember. It was so dark that night, so very dark and scary.

It was dark when she finally managed to drag herself on Aron and ride home. It was still dark when she had finally climbed up the vines to her bedroom. She had lain in her bathtub half-dead in darkness as cold water poured down her body. Later she had sat on the bathroom floor sewing the wound shut, wondering if anyone had heard her racket. She had barely glanced at the wound. She barely had any strength to look at herself in the mirror.

Her shaking fingers clutched the side of the bed as her legs clamped shut. She sat on the bed, ramrod straight, trying to hold on, trying to get a grip. Whatever it was, it was a thing of the past. A past she had no wish to remember. It had to stay buried for the sake of her Dadaji and her family. This stranger had no right to dig it out.

*****

Darsh watched as she sat on that bed trembling like a leaf. She was close to losing it, he could see it clearly. Her face looked deathly pale, he had successfully managed to extinguish her serene morning smile. Her skin was blotchy red and her eyes were filled with dread.

"You are mistaken. It's not from a glass bottle." She laughed shakily, evidently struggling to control herself. "It was a bush. A broken branch. And anyway, whatever it was, it's none of your business. I have to get going now..."

"Stop lying Ms. Sharma and sit down. And you know it's not from a broken bush." His face darkened with anger as he took a step closer. Why was she hiding it? He needed to know. Everything about that night was his business. Everything about her was his business. "I have seen such wounds before. It's from a glass bottle. Broken and jagged. It's..."

He suddenly stopped. She had stood up from her perch and was now walking to him with a zombie-like gait. Her body shook precariously, yet her face looked utterly calm.

"It was not a bottle." she halted inches away, eyes fixated on him. "And if I say it was a branch, then it was a branch."

He stared at her flabbergasted. Here it was again. Her arrogant declaration, blatant denial. It dawned on him it was just a survival tactic. She was not hiding her guilt. She was hiding her shame.

His hands shot forward to grab her shoulders. "You can't hide it, Aditi! You have to tell me. It's important! I need to know. I need to..."

He couldn't finish his sentence. Someone shot forward from the entrance and wrenched her back with full force. Another person stepped in front of him and a solid punch landed on his jaw, making him cry out in pain, and leaving him momentarily blind.

***** *****