Bride of Sheesh Mahal - Season 3 - Part 47

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Chapter 47


Khushi’s POV


Coming back here to Sheesh Mahal is not easy after what happened with me but it was necessary. NK and Akash are waiting for me and Sheetal at the garage entry. They are hiding in the dark because they cannot let Arnav or Anjali see us here. Shyam has been told to ensure Anjali Di doesn't come out of her room and if she happens to do so, he will call on Akash or NK’s number instantly to make sure we abort this search. Under no circumstance we can let her know we have got to know about this secret door and we have the key to open it.


“Bhabhi,” Akash sighs in hope. But he is equally worried. “They shouldn’t see you here or else this entire mission will fail.”

“He is right,” NK adds. “Give us the key and we will check what’s behind that door and report you.”

“No,” I deny. “Under no circumstance I am giving this key to anyone else. Sorry, but at this stage I cannot risk of repeating the same mistake I did earlier by handing the key to Anjali.”

“She is right, NK and Akash,” Sheetal adds. “And we all will check what’s behind that door together. I do have a bad feeling about this but…”

“But we have to check it.” I reckon. “Lets go.”

“Wait,” Sheetal immediately asks us to wear the Raksha dhaga which she has specially got from the Devi Maiyaa temple so that the goddess protects us from every evil. Whatever truth we were going to unfold from hereon, we needed Devi Maiyaa’s blessings.


After wearing it on our wrists, NK and Akash lead us inside the garage. There’s a lot of many old heritages stuff dumped in here. The pathway is dusty and there are thick cobwebs throughout the area. The room is dark and even though there are switchboards around, we don’t intend to grab Anjali or Arnav’s attention to this place or make them suspect we are here.


“This way..” NK leads us further inside. I stumble with a broken chair and Akash quickly holds me from falling down.

“Bhabhi careful.”

“Yea, sorry. But this place is … spooky and dark..” I say, glancing around.

“That’s why none of us ever cared to come here and check before.”


We walk ahead and I see a huge photo frame of Arnav’s grandfather.


“What is this picture doing here? Shouldn’t this be in Sheesh Mahal?” I ask and that’s where we all stop.

“Exactly the thought that NK and I got when we came here looking for some hint.” Akash mentions.

“Why would anyone of us keep this photo of Daadu here when we have the whole mansion to hung this photo frame. So, we started looking for clues around and that’s when we found this..”


He slowly pushes the photo which easily slides to the other side of the wall. My eyes dart in surprise seeing a huge door behind that photo.


“This is a door..” I mutter.

“Yes..” NK nods.. “The secret door which none of us could even think would be here behind Daadu’s picture.”

The door is huge but there is a keyhole which reminds me I should try the key I possess to open this door. I quickly remove the key from my purse only to hear some soft noise behind us.


“You heard that?” I ask NK and we all get alert.

“Yes…” Sheetal nods. “Someone is following us..”

“We should hurry up,” Akash murmurs and I quickly insert the key which fits in perfectly to the door. Though we have unlocked it, the door doesn't move. It’s been closed for years I suppose which is why its so rigid. NK and Akash help us to slide the door somehow with full pressure and it clicks open. The first instant the door opens, we hear another sound as if someone is closing by. Before whoever that person is can find us. NK pulls us all inside the secret room and shuts the door.


“My bag…” Sheetal murmurs as it slips from her hand and falls outside the door. “It had the extra Raksha dhaga just in case if we needed it here.”


Oh!! I am about to argue why he did that but he explains under no circumstance we can let anyone suspect we are here which we all agree on. The moment I turn around and see the room, I freeze. It’s a dark room again but with pillars at the corners and each pillar has a picture of a family member of the Raizadas. There is Daadu’s picture on the first pillar which is half burnt. The second one is Daadi’s, then Akash’s father’s picture on the third, Manorama chachi’s picture on fourth and the pillars also include photos of Akash, NK, Arnav.. except.. Anjali. Why? Each pillar is tied with various black threads as if some strong black spell is casted around this place.


“What the hell…” Akash mutters. “What is this place?”


Wish I had answers to that yet.

“What is that?” Sheetal mutters diverting our attention to the other side of the room where we see some strange black magic stuff done on a few bone pieces. I try to go near it to check but Sheetal stops me. “That’s where the spell has been casted, Khushi…”


“What?” I turn to her.

“Yes.. These are Arnav’s twin brother’s bones which were used to cast a spell on Arnav and keep him in Chandrika’s control. And if I am right, each of these pillars which has the pictures of the family members are all tied to this spell. Daadu is already dead which is why his picture is half burnt. Arnav’s pillar is at the center because he is the one who will be used to control the death of others. This is a fully etched plan by Chandrika to destroy everyone that belongs to the Raizada family.”


She maybe right.

“But.. Why is Anjali’s picture not in this?” I ask.

“That’s my question too..” NK nods.. “Why is Di being spared? Only because she is supporting them?”

“Or maybe she is not a part of the Raizada family..” I say it blatantly.


They all get speechless. Now I don’t know how my mother found the key to this secret room and even if she got it, and had a premonition that I would be the one becoming bride of Sheesh Mahal, did she even try from her end to destroy this spell which her sister casted on the Raizada family?”


“Bhabhi,” NK shakes me. “Whatever it is, the only way now is to destroy this place and break the spell. Lets burn down this garage.”

“He is right” Akash agrees.

“No” Sheetal shouts back. “A spell like this which Chandrika has casted cannot be taken down just by burning this place.”

“Then how are we supposed to destroy it?” Akash asks.

“Chandrika…” She mentions. “Only she can break this spell. This is not a normal black magic, Akash. Only she knows what she has done and one wrong move from us can destroy everything. So, please. For now, lets get out of here. We have two more days for Lunar Eclipse and before that we need to find Chandrika.”

“That’s impossible. How can we find her?”

“You said Anjali is going out tomorrow, right? We have to follow her.” I mention. “Maybe we get some clue of Mohan (Chandrika’s son) or Chandrika herself.”


They all agree. That’s the only way. Until then we have to leave this place and find other solution to break the spell. We all slide the door open together just when we step out and close it back, we see him…


Arnav… he is here!!

“Bhai?” Akash and NK both shout seeing Arnav at some distance from us. What is he doing here? Was he the one who was following us? Arnav is not interested in looking at anyone else but his eyes are only glued on me and I see tears of happiness in his eyes on seeing me alive, safe and sound. That’s my husband. I am about to take a step towards him when Sheetal stops me.


“Khushi don’t. This could be a trap. What if he is in Chandrika’s control and he turns into that blue-eyed version of his? We can’t risk.”


She is right but I can’t take my eyes off my husband who is teary-eyed and admiring me like he wants to scoop me up and feel me up. The next instant, I see Arnav raising his right arm and showing me the Devi Maiyaa Raksha dhaga, the one that we all are wearing, on his wrist too. I can’t believe he wore it. Maybe he found Sheetal’s purse and he wore the Raksha Dhaga to ensure he doesn't hurt anyone.


I free myself from Sheetal’s hold and without any delay run towards Arnav. He stares at me with those same teary eyes by the time I reach him and give him a tight hug. I know he can’t hurt me. He can never hurt me. I know what he must have gone through thinking he has hurt me and seeing me alive before him, is another happy shock. I am his strength and at this point, making him believe I am safe and that he didn’t hurt me ever, is the only thing I want him to know. Arnav scoops me in his arms, completing our hug and while I sob bitterly, he too isn’t far from crying his heart out.




To be Continued.

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Sameer Khanna
I had no intention to marry till I met Tanisha Gupta. More than her gorgeous chocolate brown eyes, her petite curves and sassy attitude, her accomplishments as the current CEO of Gupta Industries, and her commitment and dedication to expanding her company allured me. Though I admired her love and sense of responsibility towards her half-sister for whom my marriage alliance was proposed, Taani, was all I had in mind, she was the only one I wanted.

Tanisha Gupta
I was looking for potential grooms for my younger sister when I met Sameer Khanna. More than his smart, charming personality and his oh so sexy French beard, Sameer’s eagerness to bring out my true self, the woman I used to be when my father was alive, drew me towards him. Much as I tried to resist him, my heart finally crossed the line it shouldn't have.

But were the sparks of attraction, compatibility, and respect that we felt for each other enough to sustain the Love that happened by chance between us?

A slow burn arranged marriage Contemporary Romance.

Note: Though the book can be read as a standalone, you can also read my book "Mr and Mrs Kapoor" to know more about these lead characters.