Inside the mansion the reception music echoed through the hall, but Kiara barely heard any of it. Vikram stood with them in a quiet corner, worry carving deep lines across his face.
He looked at Yuvaan and spoke softly so no one else would overhear.
"Yuvaan, I tried healing your burn again. It isn't responding at all. You don't have your powers anymore and whatever caused this is far stronger than anything we've dealt with."
Yuvaan tried to shrug it off with a crooked smile, even though the pain flashed in his eyes. Kiara instinctively reached for his arm, then froze halfway, remembering the shock that separated them. Her fingers curled helplessly back.
"It hurts me to see you like this," she whispered, voice trembling. "You act strong for everyone, but I can see it. You're in pain."
Varun arrived with a tray and set something on it. It was a small round piece of dough with Yuvaan's fingerprints pressed into it.
"We need to test this," Varun said. "Maybe the pattern will tell us what power is affecting him."
Yuvaan nodded silently, trying not to wince as the burn on his hand throbbed.
---
Later, the lights dimmed and the soft notes of Tere Liye filled the hall. Yuvaan extended a hand toward Kiara, stopping just an inch short of touching her. She smiled back, heart aching, and stepped closer even though their bodies never met.
They danced as if there were no barrier between them, their movements slow and in sync, eyes locked, breaths trembling. Every step felt like a promise. Every inch between them felt like torture.
From the corner of the hall, a masked man watched them silently. He stood beside Ruchi and Kamla, yet his presence felt detached from the cheer around him. A faint ripple moved through the floor, almost invisible, almost imagined, until it wasn't.
A sharp crack split the marble beneath his feet.
The hall fell silent. Guests gasped and stepped back.
"Was that an earthquake?" someone whispered.
"Or… something else," another murmured nervously.
Yuvaan looked around the hall and spoke loudly enough to steady everyone.
"Please don't panic. There are no signs of danger. Just stay calm."
Kiara could see tension in his eyes, but he kept his smile gentle, reassuring.
---
Kiara slipped away to greet her maasi. She hugged Kamla warmly and then pulled Ruchi into a tight girlie squeeze that made them both laugh.
Kamla asked curiously, "Why didn't Kajal come today?"
Kiara sighed softly. "She tried, Maasi, but something important came up. She'll visit soon."
As they chatted, Kiara's eyes drifted to the masked man standing near Ruchi. His stillness unsettled her.
"This isn't a masquerade party," Kiara said with a puzzled expression. "Why are you wearing a mask? I don't think we've met. Are you Ruchi's friend?"
Ruchi smiled shyly. "He's my fiancé."
The man removed the mask slowly, revealing sharp eyes and a calm yet unsettling expression.
"My name is Dev," he said quietly.
Ruchi introduced them properly and then walked away to get a drink, leaving Kiara alone with him. Kiara turned to leave as well, but Dev stepped closer—just slightly, just enough to make the air feel colder.
He spoke softly, yet the weight of his words hit her like a warning bell.
"You should be careful, Kiara. One wrong step can take you away from all of this."
He tilted his chin subtly toward the crack in the floor. The marble fissure seemed even darker now under the lights.
Kiara pressed her lips together and stepped back instinctively. Something about him made her skin prickle. His eyes—strange, fiery, knowing—felt like they were burrowing into her thoughts.
She forced a short nod. "Excuse me, I should get back to Yuvaan."
Dev gave a slow smile that didn't reach his eyes. "Of course. Enjoy your evening… while it lasts."
Kiara didn't look back. She walked straight to Yuvaan and slipped into the safety of her in-laws' group, her heart beating faster than the music.
Even surrounded by laughter, warm lights, and congratulatory wishes, she felt it—
the presence of something dark, something watching, something waiting.
Kiara stood beside Yuvaan, careful not to brush against him. Guests were distracted by the music and chatter, so she subtly lowered her gaze to the cracked marble. Her fingers twitched at her side. A faint shimmer of Jishwa energy rippled beneath her skin. In one silent breath, she directed it downward.
The fissure sealed itself instantly, smooth and perfect once more—no one noticing the soft glow that faded as quickly as it came.
Only Yuvaan felt the shift.
His eyes moved to her. "You fixed it," he whispered.
Kiara nodded. "I didn't want people panicking." She hesitated before continuing. "But Yuvaan… I feel strange. As if something new is already rising against us. You can't touch me all of a sudden… it scares me."
Yuvaan gave a soft chuckle, tilting his head. "Mrs. Yuvaan Pratap Singh, I told you to chill." His voice dropped a little, warm and reassuring. "No matter how many forces try, they will never be able to part us. We went against destiny once. We can go against anything."
Kiara lifted her hand again, instinctively reaching for him, but he stepped back quickly.
"No, no, no," he said, holding his palms up. "I've already been electrocuted enough times today. No more shocks, please. I love you, but I also love staying alive."
Kiara giggled, her eyes softening. "Ups… you really are the best."
Yuvaan blinked. "Ups? Who is that supposed to be?"
Kiara looked at him like he was adorably clueless. "Ups as in Yuvaan Pratap Singh."
Yuvaan raised an eyebrow. "You were a college topper, right?"
"Unhuh," she replied proudly.
"Then you must know my name starts with a Y, not a U. So technically, it should be Yps."
Kiara folded her arms, pretending to be offended. "Of course your name starts with a Y. But when it's pronounced, it sounds like a 'Yu'… so Ups sounds better than Yps. And it's unique. No one would even know I'm talking about you."
She leaned in a little, lowering her voice. "Imagine a situation where I need to identify you without saying your real name. All I have to say is Ups… and you'll know I mean you."
Yuvaan's lips curved into a slow, amused smile. "As you wish, sweetheart."
Kiara's cheeks warmed, and for a second the world around them blurred—the lights, the murmurs, the music—everything fading except him.
Even with a barrier between them, the feeling of being his… felt closer than ever