Suddenly—
The earth rumbled beneath Varun's boots.
Before he could react, the soil cracked open like a living mouth and yanked him downwards with a violent pull.
Varun's eyes widened as the ground swallowed his legs, then his waist, dragging him into a spiraling tunnel of earth.
"Varun!" Dilruba screamed—though she, of course, didn't use his full name.
"V!"
Without a second of hesitation, the fox-witch dove headfirst after him, her hair flying behind her as she plunged into the darkness.
Their screams and echoes vanished into the earth.
The forest fell silent.
Next Morning — Pratap Singh Mansion
Yuvaan lay unconscious on the bed, his body radiating an unnatural heat that made the air around him feel heavy. Each shallow breath seemed to burn, and his skin glimmered faintly as if a hidden fire pulsed beneath it.
Vikram knelt beside him, placing a hand lightly over Yuvaan's chest. His brow furrowed. "Kiara," he said carefully, keeping his voice low so only she could hear. "Touch him."
Kiara froze, confusion and fear warring inside her. "What?"
Vikram's gaze was serious, almost urgent. "Just reach out… but be ready. Watch what happens."
Hesitantly, Kiara extended her hand toward Yuvaan. The instant her fingers hovered above his, a sharp, electric jolt shot through the air. Sparks danced invisibly between them, and Yuvaan's body jerked slightly, though he didn't wake. Kiara pulled her hand back instinctively, her heart racing.
"Do you feel that?" Vikram asked. "That shock… that resistance? That's the effect of the Protection Potion. It was created by divine beings to repel evil. Any dark force that comes into contact with it is shocked, pushed back. It's like… an invisible shield surrounding him."
Kiara's eyes widened as she observed the subtle shimmer around Yuvaan's body, the energy almost visible as it pulsed where her hand had hovered. "But… I didn't make this," she whispered, her voice trembling. "I barely even control my Jishwa fully… how could I create something so strong? And why would it… hurt him?"
Vikram's face darkened. "That's the problem. This wasn't made by Yuvaan or you. Someone else crafted it—someone powerful, with divine knowledge. And they meant for it to harm him, to separate him from you."
Kiara's chest tightened, fear and anger mixing. She glanced down at Yuvaan, the heat radiating from his body, the faint shimmer surrounding him. "So every time he touches me, he gets shocked…" she murmured.
"Yes," Vikram said grimly. "Because the potion treats him as a dark force. To it, even the Warlock King—without his full powers—is like something it needs to repel. That's why he can't even touch you right now. It's real… painfully real."
Kiara's lips parted, a mixture of awe and dread in her eyes. "Then… someone is trying to separate us, and they know how to use divine power against him."
Vikram's gaze hardened. "Exactly. And whoever did this… they are strong. Far stronger than anything we've faced before."
Kiara looked at Yuvaan again, his unconscious form still glowing faintly under the invisible shield, and clenched her fists. "Then we'll find them," she said softly, voice firm despite the fear. "No one will come between us."
Vikram nodded slowly, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "We'll find them. But be careful. Right now, even a touch can hurt the man you love."
Bhoomi's tears flowed freely as she stared at Yuvaan lying unconscious on the bed. "What… what is happening to him?" she choked out, her voice trembling.
Chandrika, her hand on Bhoomi's shoulder, tried to soothe her. "Shh… don't panic. He's strong. He'll be fine," she whispered, though the worry in her eyes mirrored Bhoomi's.
Susheela added gently, "We must stay calm. Fear won't help him now."
Angad stepped forward, his brows furrowed as he looked at Kiara. "If sister-in-law didn't create this potion—the one that shocks brother every time you touch him—then who did?"
Vikram's gaze was heavy, his expression grave. "Another divine being," he said carefully, his voice low, as if saying it louder might summon trouble.
Vinod's face tightened, a note of frustration and disbelief in his voice. "But… who, apart from Kiara, could possess that kind of power? Who else in this world could create such a divine potion?"
Kiara took a slow breath, her mind racing, heart pounding. Her hands clenched at her sides as a realization began to form. She lifted her eyes, her voice calm but laced with certainty. "I… I might know who it is."
The room went silent, the weight of her words hanging in the air. Every gaze turned toward her, waiting, questioning, anxious.
Bhoomi's tears paused, Chandrika and Susheela's expressions sharpened, and even Vikram's stern face softened with curiosity.
To be continued…