Rajput haveli ke neeche bana hua weapons room hamesha se band rehta tha. Wahan sirf Veer jaata tha—ya phir jab jung ka elan hota tha.
Aaj, pehli baar, uss lohe ke darwaze ke saamne Ishika khadi thi.
Darwaza khula.
Andar halki peeli roshni, deewaron par latki bandookein, glass cases me knives, aur beech me ek bada sa table—jahan par Rajput family ka crest bana tha.
Ek pal ke liye Ishika ko laga jaise wo kisi museum me aa gayi ho, par phir use yaad aaya—
ye museum nahi, war room hai.
Veer ne darwaza band kar diya. “Yahan aane ka matlab jaanti ho?” usne shaant awaaz me poocha.
Ishika ne poori jagah ko dekha. “Yahan aane ka matlab hai… main bachchi nahi rahi.”
Rudra ne halki si muskurahat ke saath kaha, “Galat. Yahan aane ka matlab hai—ab tum decision logi.”
Aarav table par maps rakh raha tha. “Delhi se movement shuru ho chuka hai,” usne bina sar uthaye kaha. “Raj Malhotra ke log Rajasthan me ghusne ka raasta dhoondh rahe hain.”
Kabir kone me khada tha. Uske chehre par zakhmon ke nishaan the, par aankhon me ab bhi wahi guilt. Wo Ishika ko dekh raha tha—jaise pehli baar dekh raha ho.
“Ishika,” Veer ne kaha, “ab jo bhi yahan hoga, wo tumhari marzi se hoga. Par yaad rakhna—ek baar haan boli, toh peeche ka raasta band.”
Ishika ne gehri saans li.
Usse yaad aaya—bachpan me jab bhaiyon ke peeche chup kar baithi rehti thi, jab Veer ki bandook sirf awaz lagti thi, aur jab Rudra ke gusse ko wo mazaak samajhti thi.
Aaj sab kuch samajh aa raha tha. “Main peeche kab thi?” usne dheere se kaha.
Aarav ne ek file Ishika ke saamne kholi.
Usme photos thi—Delhi ke underworld bosses, routes, safe houses.
“Raj Malhotra ka next move predictable hai,” Aarav bola. “Wo tum tak pahunchne ki koshish karega.”
Rudra ne turant kaha, “Isliye hum bait badalenge.”
“Main koi bait nahi hoon,” Ishika ne seedha kaha.
Veer ne haath utha kar Rudra ko roka. “Wo bait nahi… boundary hogi.”
Sab chup ho gaye.
“Delhi ko lagna chahiye ki Ishika accessible hai,” Veer ne continue kiya. “Par har kadam par wo Rajput bandook ke beech hogi.”
Kabir ne pehli baar bola, “Ye sab meri wajah se hai.”
Ishika ne uski taraf dekha. “Ye sab meri zindagi ki wajah se hai, Kabir. Tumhara past sirf ek hissa hai.”
Kabir ki aankhen bhar aayi. “Tumhe is duniya me nahi aana chahiye tha.”
Ishika ne table par rakhi ek bandook uthayi.
Wo bhari thi, thandi thi—aur sach lag rahi thi. “Is duniya ne mujhe chuna,”
usne kaha. “Main nahi.”
Veer ne ek glass case khola. Usme ek antique revolver rakhi thi— wo bandook jo Rajput family ke head ke paas hoti thi.
“Ye bandook sirf naam ke liye nahi hoti,” Veer ne kaha. “Ye zimmedari ka sign hai.”
Ishika ne us bandook ko dekha. “Main head nahi banna chahti.”
Veer ne halki si muskaan ke saath kaha, “Par tum wajah ho.”
Ishika ne bandook uthayi.
Uske haath ab kaanp nahi rahe the. “Rules kya honge?” usne poocha.
Aarav ne sar uthaya—pehli baar impressed.
“Rule number one— tumhare bina koi decision nahi.”
Rudra ne add kiya,
“Rule number two— jo tumhe touch karega, wo zinda nahi bachega.”
Ishika ne un dono ko dekha.
Phir Veer ki taraf.
“Rule number three,” Ishika ne kaha,
“mujhe sach bataya jaayega. Har baar. Chahe wo sach kitna hi ganda kyun na ho.”
Veer ne bina ruke kaha, “Deal.”
Usi waqt Aarav ka phone vibrate hua.
Screen par Delhi ka number.
“Aa gaya,” Aarav bola.
Call speaker par daali gayi.
“Veer Rajput,”
dusri taraf se awaaz aayi—thandi, confident.
“Tumhari behen ka naam Delhi me ghoom raha hai.”
Veer ne Ishika ki taraf dekha.
Ishika ne aankhon se ishara kiya—bolne do.
“Naam se darr lagta hai?” Ishika ne phone me kaha.
Line par kuch seconds ka silence.
“Tum kaun?” awaaz poochi.
“Wajah,” Ishika ne calmly jawab diya.
“Jiski wajah se tum log galti karne wale ho.”
Dusri taraf se halki hansi aayi.
“Behen ho… zyada bol rahi ho.”
Ishika ne revolver table par rakh di.
“Bhaiyon ke beech badi hui hoon.
Bolna unhi se seekha hai.”
Call cut ho gayi.
Room me ek ajeeb si shanti thi.
Kabir ne Ishika ke paas aakar dheere se kaha, “Aaj tumne apni zindagi badal li.”
Ishika ne uski taraf dekha. “Nahi. Aaj maine apni zindagi wapas li.”
Veer ne weapons room ka darwaza khola. “Ab se training shuru hogi,” usne kaha.
“Sirf bandook ki nahi— dimaag ki.”
Rudra ne muskurate hue kaha, “Welcome to hell, princess.”
Ishika ne pehli baar khud ko princess nahi,
Rajput mehsoos kiya.
Raat ko Ishika terrace par khadi thi. Hawa me Rajasthan ki ret ki khushboo thi. Neeche sheher jag raha tha— bilkul uski tarah.
Veer uske paas aakar khada ho gaya. “Darr lag raha hai?” usne poocha.
Ishika ne aasman ki taraf dekha. “Haan. Par pehli baar… darr mujhe rok nahi raha.”
Veer ne uske sar par haath rakha. “Bandhan isi ko kehte hain.”
Door kahin, Delhi me,
ek file band ho rahi thi—
jiske upar likha tha:
ISHIKA RAJPUT
Aur usi pal
Kesariya Khoon ki jung officially shuru ho chuki thi.
Chapter 8 Ends
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