Sarthak's chariot rolled through the streets of Padmapur, the wheels rattling softly over the cobbled roads. The procession had long splintered, and only the convoy remained now, heading steadily toward the edge of the city. Rudra followed at a distance, weaving through alleys and ducking behind walls, careful to keep his movements hidden. He passed clusters of Vanmargis and townsfolk, most of whom had returned to their routines after the morning's rituals.
Among the crowd, Rudra spotted a familiar face—one of the Vanmargis he had encountered in the forest. And then, her eyes met his. Netra.
She was a shadow in motion, trailing the convoy as silently as Rudra was. Their eyes locked for only a moment. She gave a small nod, then melted back into the throng, vanishing just as quickly as she appeared.
The night before...
"You have entered Padmapur. My job here is done," Netra had said, her voice low and steady, cloaked by the night.
"We still need you," Rudra had replied without hesitation. "We want more eyes on Sarthak now that we only have two days here."
Netra's gaze flickered with annoyance. "You're asking too much. You expect too much."
"One last help," Raghav had added, stepping beside his brother. "We need local support if we're truly going to understand Sarthak's intentions."
There was a long pause. Then Netra exhaled slowly. "This is the last thing I will ever do for you."
"Good," Rudra had said. "I want you to mix into the crowd and follow Sarthak. Be my eyes out there. Watch everything. Warn us if anything goes wrong."
"That much is manageable," she had murmured—and without another word, vanished into the dark.
Now...
Netra's nod lingered in Rudra's mind as he crept after the convoy. The crowd thinned as the chariot neared the city's outer edge. The festive hum faded into the background, replaced by the quiet tension of isolation. No longer shielded by the anonymity of the masses, Rudra slowed, watching every step.
The convoy stopped.
Rudra ducked behind the moss-covered remains of a broken wall, eyes fixed on the scene ahead. Sarthak stepped down from the chariot with measured grace, his heavy robes catching the faint morning breeze. A few guards parted to make way.
From the trees beyond, several men emerged. One of them carried a heavy sack slung over his shoulder. Rudra's heart began to pound. Something was wrong.
The sack hit the ground with a dull thud. One of the men opened it and tipped the contents out. Rudra's breath caught.
It was a Whisperer. Unconscious. Bound.
Rudra leaned in instinctively, his heartbeat drumming in his ears.
Sarthak stepped forward, silent and impassive. He studied the Whisperer's face, then nodded. A single, chilling gesture.
One of the guards stepped up. Without hesitation, he drew his sword and in a clean, brutal motion, slit the man's throat.
Blood darkened the dirt.
Rudra stumbled backward, bile rising in his throat. He turned and ran, keeping low, slipping through alleys and broken structures, trying to disappear back into the folds of the city.
His lungs burned by the time he neared the square. The air was still alive with drums and chants, but the celebration now felt far away, unreal.
Through the crowd, another shadow moved. A familiar silhouette.
Raghav.
They locked eyes and immediately quickened their pace, darting through the alleys until they reached the safehouse. The door slammed behind them.
"They killed him!" Rudra gasped, struggling for air. "They killed him in front of me!"
"They killed one of my men too," Raghav replied, equally breathless. "He knows. He knows we're here. He's hunting us."
Rudra's eyes widened. "Where are the others? Where's Netra?"
"Two Whisperers were stationed on the other side of the city. I haven't heard from them yet. As for Netra—I haven't seen her."
Before they could speak further, footsteps thudded outside.
A Whisperer burst through the door, eyes wild, panting, soaked in sweat and fear. He opened his mouth—
An arrow slammed into his neck. He collapsed instantly, blood pooling beneath his body.
The twins stared, frozen in shock.
Then they ran.