The dim, stony walls echoed faintly as Dilruba shook Varun awake.
"Hey… wake up," she whispered, her voice tinged with excitement.
Varun's eyes fluttered open, confusion clouding his gaze. "Where… where are we?"
Dilruba's grin was wide, mischievous. "It's a stony house," she said with a wave of her hand, as if that explained everything.
Varun blinked, his sharp eyes scanning the cavern around them. "You mean… a cave," he corrected, brushing dirt from his clothes.
"Yeah… yeah, same same," Dilruba said, tilting her head playfully.
Varun straightened, dusting himself off, his expression tightening. "Looks like we've been trapped by the Earth Yakshini," he muttered, voice low but firm.
Dilruba's eyes lit up with thrill. "This… this is perfect! My dream has come true—I get to spend some time with V," she said, practically bouncing with excitement.
Varun's jaw tightened. "V… I'm not V. It's Varun. Not V," he said sharply, though a small twitch of amusement flickered in his eyes.
Dilruba laughed softly, teasing. "Same same," she said, her eyes sparkling, as if she hadn't heard a single word he said.
Varun groaned, rubbing his temples, fully aware that dealing with this fox-witch was going to be more complicated than any Yakshini or trap they faced so far
At the Pratap Singh mansion
Kiara's footsteps echoed sharply on the marble stairs as she hurried down, her heart pounding. Behind her, the family shuffled nervously, whispers running like a current through the hall.
"Kiara… are you sure?" Bhoomi asked, her voice trembling. "Maybe you're mistaken… it's not possible."
Chandrika added gently, "It could be nothing, beta. Don't rush into conclusions."
Kiara shook her head, determination blazing in her eyes. "No… I need to see for myself."
She reached the bottom of the stairs and spotted Ruchi near the lounge, fiddling with her phone. "Ruchi," Kiara called, trying to keep her voice calm but urgent, "where is Dev?"
Ruchi looked up, a hint of nervousness in her expression. "On the terrace… talking to his parents about the wedding," she said quickly.
Kiara squared her shoulders and began striding toward the terrace, her family trailing behind her, hesitant but worried.
"Kiara… wait," Susheela called softly. "Maybe we should—"
"I can't wait," Kiara interrupted firmly, her gaze fixed ahead. "If he's planning something, I need to know what it is. Now."
The family exchanged uneasy glances but followed, the air thick with tension as they ascended toward the terrace, unsure of what awaited them.
Kiara stormed toward the terrace, each step deliberate, every heartbeat echoing in her ears. The family followed hesitantly behind her, their expressions a mixture of confusion, fear, and disbelief. Chandrika and Bhoomi exchanged worried glances, Vinod and Angad stepped cautiously, and even Susheela stayed close, clutching her shawl as if bracing for the worst.
The sunlight glinted off the terrace railing, but Kiara barely noticed. Her gaze was fixed, unwavering, on Dev. He leaned casually against the wall, phone in hand, as if the world belonged only to him—or as if he had rehearsed every moment of this encounter.
"Who are you?" Kiara demanded, her voice low at first, then rising with every syllable, sharp and undeniable. Every muscle in her body tensed, every nerve alive.
Dev looked up slowly, carefully, his expression neutral. "Are you… okay?" His tone was soft, almost comforting, but it carried the smoothness of practiced deceit.
Kiara's fists clenched at her sides. "No. I'm not okay. I'm asking who you are. Why have you come here?" Her words trembled slightly—not from fear, but from the surge of power she felt coiling inside her.
Dev's lips curved into a faint, calculated smile. "I'm Dev. Your cousin's fiancé. We came for your wedding reception. That's all."
Kiara's eyes narrowed. Her Jishwa instincts prickled with a warning she couldn't ignore. The air around him… it wasn't ordinary. "Lies," she said softly, letting the word hang like a blade. "Tell me the truth. Who are you really?"
Vikram stepped forward, placing a steady hand on her shoulder, his voice calm but cautious. "Kiara, you must be mistaken. Dev can't be a divine being. There's no way…"
Kiara shook her head, her hair whipping around her face, catching the sunlight like fire. "Dad, trust me. Ever since he arrived, I've felt… something. Strange. Wrong. My instincts—my Jishwa powers—they're screaming. He's hiding something. I can feel it. And it's powerful."
Dev tilted his head, feigning confusion, curiosity sparkling in his eyes. "What… are you saying?"
Kiara's voice rose, strong, commanding. "Who the heck are you!" she shouted, the words reverberating across the terrace like a drumbeat.
Then it happened.
The stones beneath her feet shivered first, a subtle vibration that made the edges of the terrace railing hum. And then, slowly, almost lazily, rocks and debris lifted from the ground. Suspended in the air, they floated around her, as if drawn by the raw intensity of her anger, her power. The air thickened. The wind stilled. Even the faint rustle of leaves seemed to pause, holding its breath.
Dev's carefully composed expression faltered, a flicker of shock passing over his eyes. He stepped back instinctively, raising his hands slightly, almost as if to protect himself from some unseen force.
The family froze. Bhoomi's hands flew to her mouth, Susheela stepped closer to Chandrika for support, Vinod's brow furrowed deeply, and Angad and Aakash instinctively shifted to shield themselves. Even Vikram, steady as a mountain, felt the hairs on his neck rise.
Kiara's chest heaved. She felt the power thrumming beneath her skin, a vibration of divine energy she could barely contain. Her Jishwa instincts screamed with warning, each pulse amplifying the unnatural suspension of debris around her. She didn't just sense Dev's presence—she felt it challenge her, taunt her, and somehow, it frightened her.
Dev's calm mask cracked. He opened his mouth, but no words came. His eyes darted briefly to the floating rocks, then back to her, measuring, calculating. Even his carefully practiced poise could not hide the slight tension in his shoulders, the micro-flicker of unease in his eyes.
The terrace was quiet, save for the soft, almost musical hum of suspended stones. It was the calm before a storm. And Kiara knew, deep in her bones, that this was only the beginning.
To be continued.