The morning after Devendra's humiliating exit was quiet. The Rathores were pleased. Aadhya's quick, brutal efficiency had secured their alliance and proved her worth.
Aadhya sat with Vasundhara and Arjun, accepting their praise with measured grace.
"You handled Devendra like a true general, Aadhya," Vasundhara said, smiling.
"King Rudra gave me the starting point, Your Majesty," Aadhya replied, her gaze steady. "I only followed through. I could not let a debt-ridden fool threaten Kanvargarh."
The sisters were silent, their fear now overriding their malice. They had nothing left. Aadhya had won the political game. But her true battle was still with the King.
That afternoon, Aadhya was alone in the library when a guard, clad entirely in Rudra's black livery, appeared. He spoke no words. He simply presented her with a small, heavy key carved from dark iron. He bowed and left.
The key was not for any common door. It was a private message, a direct summons from the King. It was a grant of access, an absolute expectation of her presence when he chose.
A wave of dizzying heat washed over Aadhya. The dominance of the gesture—the silence, the simple expectation—was more commanding than any loud order.
She clutched the cold key. The tigress hated the leash, but the woman felt an irresistible pull toward the master's den.
She found the door deep within the restricted Inner Keep—a heavy, solid oak door with no markings. She inserted the key. It clicked softly, and the door yielded.
The room was vast, an intensely personal space. It was Rudra's private quarters.
The walls were black stone, adorned only with massive hunting trophies and ancient, powerful swords. A deep fire roared in the hearth, casting long, moving shadows. In the center, a huge, low bed was covered in dark silks and thick furs—severe, rugged, and undeniably sensual.
Rudra stood by the hearth. He wore dark trousers; his torso was bare, hard, and gleaming in the firelight. He held a leather riding crop loosely in one hand. The object was casual, yet intensely dominating in this setting.
He did not turn right away. He waited, allowing her to take in the truth of the room and the raw, untamed power of his body.
Aadhya's composure broke. Her breath caught, her cheeks flushed, and her muscles tensed. This was the King, the Hunter, in his lair.
Rudra finally turned, his dark eyes locking onto hers, filled with that familiar, possessive triumph. He knew he had finally stripped her of her last defense.
"Welcome, Aadhya," Rudra said, his voice a low, heavy sound. "I trust the key worked."
Aadhya swallowed hard. "Maharaja. This is an unexpected summons."
Rudra walked toward her slowly, his physical strength dominating the air. He stopped close, forcing her to look up, to feel the heat of his body and the roaring fire behind him.
"Unexpected?" he scoffed, his lips curving in a dark smile. "You eliminated my last rival today. You proved you are capable of wielding my secrets. This is the reward."
He reached out, taking the iron key she clutched, his warm fingers trapping her hand against his hard stomach.
"I called you here to confirm the claim," Rudra commanded, his voice dropping to a dangerous, intimate rasp. "Tonight, you are the tigress who submitted at the table, who proved her obedience in my war room. I want that obedience now."
He leaned closer, his gaze burning into hers. "You seek control, Aadhya. But you crave my dominance more. Tell me your will is subject to mine. Tell me you accept the consequence of our game."
A torrent of conflicted feeling—rage, shame, and electric desire—rushed through Aadhya. She could not speak the defiant refusal her mind screamed. Her body, betrayer, succumbed to the thrilling power of his presence.
"I... I accept," she whispered, the words barely audible. "But I still hate the command."
Rudra's triumph was complete. He chuckled—a deep, dark sound of immense satisfaction. He released her hand, his thumb slowly, deliberately dragging across the inside of her trembling wrist, sending a bolt of fire through her arm.
"The key is yours, Aadhya," Rudra said, his voice husky with dark anticipation. "Use it when the tigress is ready to meet the master. But know that the next time you use it, you will not leave this room untouched."
He turned abruptly, walking back toward the fire. "Now go. I will see you tomorrow at the council meeting. We have a kingdom to run."
Aadhya stood frozen, the small iron key now heavy in her fingers. He had summoned her, confirmed his claim, and then sent her away, demonstrating his ultimate control: he chose the time, and he dictated the terms.
She backed out of the room, pulling the heavy door shut. She leaned against the cold stone of the hallway, her body trembling with the raw, heady promise of the King's inevitable demand. She had the key to the master's quarters. The game had just escalated to a dangerous waiting game.