In the middle of the night, a thirst pulls me from my dreams, and I slowly open my eyes to the quiet of the room. My gaze drifts over to Ashtram, who is beside me, his deep breaths slow and steady. He’s holding me close, his warmth wrapping around me like a shield. I can’t help but smile, my heart fluttering at the sight of him—so peaceful, so perfect.
I gently lean down and press a soft kiss to his forehead, letting the tenderness of the moment linger. He stirs for a second but doesn’t wake, his grip tightening on me as if he's instinctively holding on. I want to stay there, to savor this closeness, but the thirst gnawing at me won’t let me.
Carefully, I slip from his embrace and tiptoe to the kitchen, my bare feet silently meeting the cool floor. As I reach for a glass of water, a strange sensation prickles at the back of my neck—like I’m being watched.
A chill runs down my spine, and I glance over my shoulder, feeling as though I’m not alone. The room feels darker than it should be, the shadows in the corners stretching unnaturally.
A faint creak on the floorboards.
My heart skips a beat.
I turn swiftly, my breath catching in my throat. But there’s no one there. The hallway outside the kitchen is empty, bathed only in the pale moonlight.
I shake my head, telling myself it’s just my imagination playing tricks on me. But then... I feel it. The unmistakable sensation of being watched. My eyes dart to the corner of the room, and for a split second, I swear I see a shadow moving just beyond the doorframe.
A silhouette.
It’s almost like someone is walking alongside someone else’s shadow... but there’s no one there.
I drop the glass in a panic, my breath shallow, heart pounding in my chest. The water spills, splattering across the floor, but I can’t take my eyes off that spot where the shadow had lingered.
“Ash…” I whisper under my breath, my voice trembling.
No response.
My body feels heavy with fear as I inch toward the living room, every step cautious, my pulse racing. I can’t shake the feeling that something, or someone, is here.
Just as I begin to take another step forward, a cold, firm hand suddenly presses against my mouth, smothering any scream before it can escape. My breath catches in my throat, and my body tenses, paralyzed by shock. I try to struggle, but the grip is unyielding, stronger than any human force should be.
I can’t move, can’t speak, my mind racing with terror.
My heart is pounding in my chest, the only sound I can hear, besides the blood rushing in my ears. My eyes dart frantically around the room, trying to catch a glimpse of the attacker, but all I can see are shadows, dark and distorted.
Ashtram...
The thought cuts through the panic like a sharp knife, and I hold onto it, like a lifeline in this storm of fear. I close my eyes tightly, wishing, praying for him to come to me. I feel his presence in my mind, the echo of his warmth, his touch, his love.
Please, Ash... save me, I think, the words trapped in my mind, though they desperately scream for release. I clutch onto that thought like it’s the only thing that can save me now.
But in the midst of my terror, all I can feel now is the cold, suffocating grip on my face. The sense of something sinister closing in on me. I try to wriggle free, but it’s useless—my captor is relentless, unmoving.
The darkness around me deepens, swallowing me whole.
Panic clouds my thoughts, but my instincts surge with desperation. I can’t let him take me without a fight. Every second that passes feels like an eternity, but something inside me refuses to give up, refuses to let go of the hope that Ashtram will come for me.
With my heart racing and my breath shallow, I frantically search for anything I can reach, anything that could make a noise—anything to alert Ashtram. My eyes land on a small decorative vase near the edge of the nearest table. I reach out with trembling hands, and in a quick, frantic motion, I throw it onto the ground.
The sound of shattering porcelain fills the air, loud and sharp, echoing through the room like a cry for help. The noise reverberates in my mind, each crash against the floor a desperate plea for salvation.
Please, Ash... I beg silently, praying he’ll hear the noise, that he’ll feel the urgency in my soul.
For a moment, everything stands still. Even the hand on my mouth loosens for a brief second, as if the sound had momentarily distracted my attacker. I seize the chance and quickly twist my body, trying to break free from their grip.
But as I do, I can’t help but wonder if Ashtram will hear it in time.
Before I can even gather my bearings, the person grips me tighter, their hand covering my mouth again, stifling any sound I might make. I try to thrash, to kick, but their hold is unyielding, stronger than I anticipated. I feel myself being dragged away from the room, my heart hammering in my chest, each step taking me further from Ashtram, from safety.
My mind races—Ash, please, hear me. Please come for me.
I catch a fleeting glimpse of the empty hallway as I’m pulled forcefully, struggling with every ounce of strength I have left. The faint sound of my broken vase still echoes in my mind, the sound of my silent scream for help, but with each step, it fades more, replaced by the sounds of my own panic-stricken breaths.
I want to fight back, but fear is paralyzing me. My vision blurs as the person drags me, and I can feel my pulse pounding in my ears, a frantic rhythm urging me to hold on.
Ash... I need you...
But no matter how many times I whisper his name inside my head, I know I’m too far from the safety of his arms, too far from the man who would protect me at any cost.
A faint sound drifts through the silence, tugging at my senses. My eyes snap open, and instantly, the world feels wrong. My heart races, the hairs on the back of my neck standing at attention. I glance beside me, but Niranya is no longer there.
The warmth of her presence, the comforting rhythm of her breathing beside me—it's gone. An unsettling emptiness fills the space, a coldness creeping in where only her warmth should be. My breath hitches in my chest as a jolt of panic surges through me.
Where is she?
I push the blankets aside and spring out of bed, my instincts screaming that something is off. My gaze darts around the room, but there’s nothing—just the empty traces of her presence. My heart slams against my ribs as I take a step toward the door, the eerie feeling deepening in the pit of my stomach.
This isn’t right.
I know it—something’s wrong. She’s not here, and whatever it is, it’s coming for her. I feel it, deep in my bones. I close my eyes for a brief moment, trying to center myself, but all I can hear is the sound of my heartbeat, louder than anything else in the world.
Then, I hear it again. A faint sound, like something being knocked over.
No.
The hairs on my arms rise as I race out of the room, every muscle in my body tense, every fiber focused. The last time I felt this way, it was because she was in danger. And I’d be damned if I let anything happen to her now.
I make my way outside, my pulse quickening with each step. The palace grounds, usually bustling with my men and the sounds of the night, are eerily still. I sense it before I even see it—the air thick with the feeling of something gone terribly wrong.
As I step into the courtyard, my eyes immediately catch the sight of my men lying unconscious on the ground, their bodies sprawled in unnatural positions. The moonlight casts long shadows over them, highlighting the chaos that has unfolded in the span of mere minutes.
Unconscious. All of them.
I kneel next to one of my men, carefully inspecting his condition. No visible wounds, no signs of struggle. It’s as if they were taken down in one swift move. The realization sends a chill down my spine—someone knows how to move without making a sound.
The rage bubbling inside me is undeniable, but I keep it contained, for now. I can't afford to let panic cloud my judgment. Whoever did this is still out there, and they’ve taken what’s mine.
Where is she?
I stand up abruptly, my mind racing. I need to find Niranya, and I need to find her now.
I take a deep breath, then make my way toward the gates. My instincts tell me that they won’t have gotten far. I’m not just going to let her vanish into thin air. Whoever is behind this will regret ever crossing my path.
I stormed toward the security room, my heart hammering in my chest. My mind was a blur—every thought consumed by the need to find her. The palace’s high-tech cameras should have caught every move, every breath. But as I scanned the footage, my worst fears started to claw at my insides. There was nothing. Not a single trace of Niranya. The screens were empty, and all I could hear was the sound of my own ragged breathing.
A calculated move. Whoever had taken her had planned this meticulously. They knew every blind spot, every camera angle, and they’d made sure to cover their tracks. My fist clenched around the edge of the desk as rage built up in me like a tidal wave.
I turned to leave, my steps heavy with frustration and dread. But then, my eyes fell on something—something that shouldn’t have been there.
Her pendant.
I froze in place, my body stiffening as my gaze locked onto the delicate chain glistening on the ground. It was hers, the one I had given her, the one that always lay against her chest when I held her. My blood turned cold. How had it ended up here?
I moved toward it, kneeling beside the pendant, my fingers brushing against the cool metal. The sight of it sent a wave of nausea through me. She hadn’t just left it behind—no, this was deliberate. Whoever had taken her wanted me to find it. It was a message. A taunt.
I stood up, the weight of the situation sinking in. The pendant led me like a trail, and as my eyes moved upward, I saw it—a faint smudge of footprints leading towards the terrace. Whoever took her had made sure to leave their mark, but they weren’t expecting me to follow so quickly. They didn’t know me.
Without hesitation, I began walking towards the terrace, my mind consumed by the thought of her—her safety, her warmth, her presence. I couldn’t—wouldn’t—lose her. Not again.
Each step felt like an eternity, but it wasn’t the time to waste. I could already feel my heart racing, the desperation pushing me forward, but also a deep, unsettling dread. What would I find at the end of this trail? What had they done to her? The answers weren’t coming fast enough.
I reached the top of the stairs, scanning every corner, every shadow. But there was nothing—nothing but the cold air and the creeping silence.
Then, I heard something—faint but unmistakable. Her heartbeat, in my mind, and I followed it.
I stepped onto the terrace, the chill of the night biting at my skin. My eyes swept over the area, searching for any sign of movement, any clue to where Niranya could be. And then, I saw it.
My breath caught in my throat.
There, near the edge of the terrace, stood a figure—a man, tall and imposing. His dark laugh cut through the stillness like a knife. In his grip was Niranya, her delicate hand held tightly in his. She was shaking, fear evident in her wide eyes, her chest rising and falling in frantic breaths. I could see her trying to pull away, but the man was holding her firmly, his twisted smile sending a chill through me.
“Let her go,” I growled, my voice barely recognizable, raw with anger.
The man’s chuckle deepened, dark and malicious. “It’s too late for that, Ashtram,” he mocked, turning his head just enough for me to catch a glimpse of his face. His eyes gleamed with sadistic pleasure as he tightened his grip on Niranya's wrist, pulling her closer to the edge.
Her terrified gaze locked onto mine, and for a moment, I thought I saw something—fear, yes—but something else too, a plea. Save me. The unspoken words echoed in my mind, ripping through me like a jagged blade.
I took a step forward, my legs feeling like they were made of stone. It was as if my body had betrayed me, frozen in place by the sight before me. The man was laughing again, cruel and triumphant, as if he knew he held all the power.
Niranya’s face twisted in anguish as she struggled against his hold. Her feet were barely brushing the ground now, her body trembling with the force of her fear. And then, I saw it.
The glint in his eyes, the way he was positioning her, preparing to throw her off the edge.
I couldn’t move. The terror coursing through me was unlike anything I had ever felt. Not again. Not her. I couldn’t lose her. I wouldn’t.
I knew I had to act, but my body refused to obey. Time seemed to stretch, each second agonizingly slow. The man’s grip on her tightened as he prepared to make his move.
“Let her go!” I shouted again, my voice breaking through the air, but it was no use.
He just laughed, the sound echoing around me as he gave her wrist one final yank, pulling her dangerously close to the edge. Niranya’s face was pale, her eyes wide with terror, her voice barely a whisper as she pleaded, “Please, don’t…”
But before I could take another step, I felt something snap inside me. A surge of rage, of power, unlike anything I had ever known, coursed through my veins.
The time for hesitation was over.
I wasn’t going to let him have her.
The man’s dark chuckle reverberated through the night air as he tightened his grip on Niranya’s wrist, inching her closer to the edge of the terrace. My heart pounded furiously, my fists clenching so tightly that I could feel my nails biting into my palms.
He turned his gaze to me, his face twisted with malice and triumph. “Now, get ready to say goodbye to your wife, Ashtram Raghuvanshi,” he sneered, his voice dripping with venom.
Niranya’s frightened gasp shattered whatever restraint I had left. Her wide, terrified eyes darted to me, tears streaming down her face as she whispered, “Ash…please…”
That whisper ignited something primal within me. My vision blurred with rage, and my entire body surged forward, moving faster than I thought possible.
“She’s not going anywhere,” I growled, my voice low and deadly, reverberating with all the power and fury inside me.
The man grinned wickedly, as if amused by my desperation. “Are you sure about that?” he taunted, leaning closer to Niranya as if daring me to take another step.
But he underestimated me. And he made the grave mistake of underestimating how far I would go for her.
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