Deceiving Veils

Chapter-43{Won't ever let you go}

Manik and Aryan looked at her. Manik stiffened for a moment as he saw her struggling to gather her father. Next he strode towards them and lifted Mr Murthy to put in on his shoulder. He held her wrist with his spare hand and started to run. Nandini looked around and saw lights of castle switching on one by one.

"We cannot make it," She spoke and Aryan looked back at her.

"They would catch us," She uttered further and Manik's grip around her wrist tightened brutally. She hissed but that couldn't nudge Manik. He was just running holding her hand without paying heed to intensifying activity in area.

"Listen," She yelled with a pull. Manik had to stop and look at her. Her face was filled with terror.

"I cannot lose you again," She declared and opened the chair of her father.

"What are you doing?" Aryan asked and she looked at him decisively.

"We need to go back," She said and Manik's stance stiffened. Nandini could sense it without even looking at him.

"Nobody knows what that gunshot was about," She blabbered looking around, "Not yet."

"I need to return so that this drill doesn't turn into a war," She said while reaching Manik. She put her hand over her father as if asking him to agree. He was looking at her with this disapproval written all over his face.

"We cannot escape like this, Manik," She said as she touched his face.

"They will catch us in no time and I cannot even think what would happen after that," She stated her fear looking into his eyes. His each muscle was taut with the agony.
He put Mr Murthy on wheel chair and grabbed her from shoulder to a level where her lips were just an inch away from his. His breaths fanned her nose telling about his turmoil.
"I am not letting you slip out of my sight for a second," He declared looking into her big eyes. She immediately felt like melting in his arms. She didn't want to be away at all.
"She is right, Manik. Those guards must have seen those dead bodies till now and we cannot escape like this," Aryan tried to reason Manik.

"If we stay now, I can work out something," He assured and Manik looked away. His eyes told how he still didn't consider Aryan.

"We won't be away," Nandini pleaded as her arms slid into his neck. His grip on her waist tightened harshly as if he was fighting an inner battle.
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Doctor walked in lobby trying to look calmer than ever. Soldiers were collecting the corpses of their companions. He couldn't find if Nandini had escaped successfully. He knew chances were highly odd. That gunshot had sealed the doors for her. He just wished he finds them before dictator gets to know that they were the one who tried to breach the security.
Nandini, her father and Manik hid in a room in farthest corner of that building. It looked like some storeroom. Aryan was peeping out of room. Nandini looked at Manik who was standing beside her looking out of window. He looked at her as if had heard her call.

"What's wrong?" He asked as soon as he saw her scared face. Nandini didn't answer but noticed how his face had this abundance of blue and red. He was bruised badly. She could see him in broad daylight and sight wasn't much pleasing.

"I will go out and see if coast is clear," Aryan said as he walked out of room.

Manik was alert than ever as he tried to hear each minute noise. Nandini was still looking at him. His face had turned a bit colder. His expressions were ached more than ever. It was like she had missed the part where he had turned into something she hadn't left him like. He looked at her and his face softened a bit. Her big eyes blinked several times as she drowned in her thoughts.

"What's it?" He asked turning towards her. Holding her face in his palms, he tried to become mildest version of him.
"I don't want to lose anyone now," She said looking at her father and then back at him. Manik looked at sleeping Mr Murthy and the at her. Nandini knew how he never liked her father. She knew how nobody liked her father. They all believed on this deceiving veil and she would lift it soon.