College Grounds - Night
"Who are you?" Sahir's voice echoed through the dimly lit corridor.
"Why are you targeting Teju?"
But Sunehri only smirked, her blood-red eyes glowing brighter in the dark.
"You'll find out... too late."
And with a sharp hiss, she leapt backward, her body twisting in midair, hair swirling like a storm around her, and vanished into the night sky.
But not fast enough.
With one fluid motion, Sahir unfurled his palm, and golden runes glowed beneath his feet. He launched into the air, wings of energy stretching behind him, his eyes locked on her retreating shadow.
---
Old Abandoned Building - Minutes Later
Cracked stone, broken beams, and the scent of rot greeted them again. The forgotten structure at the edge of the campus now bore witness to something ancient reawakening.
Sunehri landed first, gliding down like a vulture.
Sahir landed across from her, now glowing faintly-a golden aura humming beneath his skin.
"You won't touch her," he warned.
Sunehri snarled. "You're too late."
With a screech, she whipped her long, snake-like braid toward him, the strands sharp as blades.
But Sahir was faster.
He leapt, spinning midair, and dodged the deadly hair. As his feet hit the ground, he raised both hands, and a blinding pulse of energy shot out, slamming into Sunehri's chest and throwing her backward into a crumbled pillar.
The daayan crashed hard, coughing, hair tangled, her limbs twitching from the blow.
As she staggered to her feet, her lips trembled-not from pain... but shock.
Her eyes widened as she looked at Sahir again. And then she said it-
"No... You're not just any protector... I see it now."
She took a step back, fear creeping into her tone.
"You're Davansh... the son of Mohana."
Sahir didn't flinch.
But his silence spoke volumes.
Sunehri's voice dropped to a whisper.
"The prophecy... it's true..."
Goa - Moonlit Beach
The waves crashed rhythmically in the distance, but the scene near the edge of the grove was anything but peaceful.
Maira lay on the sand, her breath shallow, her skin damp with sweat and salt. Her throat ached where Mihir's clawed fingers had gripped moments ago. Her body trembled-not just from fear, but from the sheer force of the unknown.
Mihir stood over her, the red glow still faint in his eyes, though fading now into something more menacing-controlled. Calculated.
He bent down, his shadow engulfing her fragile form.
His voice, low and venom-laced, slithered through the air.
"You're lucky, Maira."
His fingers brushed lightly along her jaw, the contrast between gentleness and violence enough to make the air itself recoil.
"I was angry... so angry I could've snapped your neck in a second." He exhaled through his nose. "But why kill you... when I can make you suffer slowly for what you did to me... in front of everyone."
His hand hovered over her forehead now, his voice like poison dipped in silk.
"Don't worry," he whispered. "You won't remember what you saw tonight. Not the real me. Not the monster."
A faint red aura shimmered around his palm as he pressed it gently to her forehead. A pulse of dark magic surged-just enough.
Maira's eyes rolled back.
Her body went limp.
Her consciousness slipped away into darkness.
Mihir's breath slowed. The glow faded.
He stared at her for a long moment, watching her like one might a dying flame-beautiful, dangerous, and completely unaware of its own fate.
And then, with one smooth motion, he scooped her up into his arms, her head resting against his chest, unaware of the truths he'd erased.
He began walking back toward the resort, his expression unreadable, the shadows folding in around him.
Behind them, the waves continued to crash-relentless. Ominous.
Old Building - College Grounds, Midnight
The shattered windows rattled from the wind. Dust floated in the pale moonlight that streamed through cracks in the roof. The battle-scorched floor still sizzled faintly where Sunehri had fallen moments ago, her black robes scorched, her hair tangled, her breath uneven.
Sahir landed hard, his eyes still glowing faintly red, his hands brimming with residual energy from the spell he had cast. He walked slowly toward her, step after step echoing in the hollow chamber.
Sunehri's eyes narrowed, but she didn't rise.
"You used Teju's name to lure her," Sahir growled. "Tried to burn her alive. Attacked her twice in a day."
His voice dropped to a deeper, almost primal pitch. "Tell me who sent you. And why her?"
Sunehri looked up at him, something unreadable behind her blood-dark eyes.
"You're a daavansh," she said, still breathing hard. "I felt it in your energy... and I know your kind."
Sahir's jaw tightened. "I'm not Mohana's son."
His voice was fierce but laced with pain.
"I don't even know what I am. But I know what I'm not-and I won't let anyone harm Teju. So forget about me."
He stepped closer. "Why Teju? Why target her?"
Sunehri pressed her lips together.
Silent.
Cold.
Unmoving.
She glanced up at him through strands of her wild, half-burnt hair, but didn't utter a word.
Sahir's fists clenched. The wind howled through the broken walls.
"Talk!" he thundered.
But Sunehri only gave him a twisted, enigmatic smile-and with a sharp hiss, vanished into a swirl of black smoke, disappearing through a crack in the ceiling.
Sahir stared after her, his chest rising and falling, frustration burning in his core.
She knew something.
Something about Teju...
Something big.
And she wasn't alone.
Goa Resort - Poolside, Morning
The sun had barely risen, casting a gentle golden hue across the shimmering pool. The palm trees stood still, and the water mirrored the early sky, calm and unbothered-as if unaware of the storm that had taken place the night before.
Maira stepped out of her hotel room, her hair unbrushed, the night's confusion still lingering in her eyes. Her head ached faintly. The last thing she remembered was standing by the beach... Mihir's presence... and then-darkness. Nothing else.
But the humiliation? That was etched in her bones. Crystal clear.
"How did I get to my room?" she wondered, frowning, glancing at her arms as if they might hold the answer. They didn't. Her mind had a blank space where memories should have been.
Still, her spine was straight, and her walk was firm. She would not crumble.
Down by the poolside, she spotted him.
Mihir Kashyap.
Leaning coolly against the marble edge, a glass in his hand-probably juice or something equally pretentious at this hour. His long black hair danced gently with the breeze, sunlight glinting off the edge of his shades. He looked like nothing had happened.
But the second his eyes landed on her, a flicker of something passed over his face.
The slap.
He remembered.
And so did she.
Maira walked toward him, chin high, every step echoing with boldness. Mihir watched her with a sharp smile, one that barely masked the venom beneath.
"Decided to come and apologize?" he said, voice cool, as if he expected it.
Maira stopped in front of him, expression unreadable.
"No," she said quietly, firmly. "I haven't come to apologize."
Mihir raised an eyebrow.
"Because you," she continued, her eyes locking with his, "deserved that slap."
The air stilled for a second. The wind held its breath.
Mihir's smirk slowly faded.
And the silence between them brimmed with unfinished tension.
Goa Resort - Poolside, Morning Continued
The golden light bounced off the calm surface of the pool, casting dappled patterns over Mihir's face-but the cool smirk resting on his lips was far from warm.
Maira's voice cut through the silence like a blade.
"I came here to tell you that I'm heading back home," she said, her eyes fierce despite the weariness in them. "And I'll send you the resignation letter. After all, you said I was fired..."
She paused, tilting her head slightly, "But let's be clear-I quit."
Mihir let the silence hang for a heartbeat. Then, slowly, he chuckled.
A dark, amused chuckle that had no joy in it-only mockery.
He pushed off the marble railing and took a casual step closer. The air around him was charged, like the edge of a brewing storm.
Maira didn't back down. Her fists clenched at her sides, her stare unwavering.
Mihir leaned in, close enough that she could see the glint in his eyes-the one that always seemed to sit somewhere between wicked and wounded.
He whispered low, deliberate.
"Resignation... rejected."
Maira blinked, stunned. "What?"
He leaned back with a devilish smirk, hands in his pockets, as if he hadn't just upended her decision with two words.
Mihir didn't blink. He let her words hang in the air like smoke, curling, filling the silence.
And then he chuckled.
Slow. Icy. Mocking.
"You think it's that simple?" he asked, stepping forward, his voice like a slow-creeping fire.
She tensed, but didn't flinch.
"You signed a contract, Miss Sharma," he said smoothly, emphasizing the name. "One that states you cannot resign before completing three months of continuous employment. You haven't even finished one."
Maira's eyes widened. "That's not possible. I never saw-"
"Oh, it was there," Mihir interrupted. "Page five. Clause twelve. Tiny font, legally binding. Should've read it thoroughly before putting pen to paper."
She opened her mouth to speak, but he cut in again-calm, calculated.
"And if you walk out before the term ends, you'll owe DDS..." He paused, pretending to calculate, then smiled. "Thirty lakh rupees in breach penalties. Give or take."
Shock rippled through her. "You're blackmailing me."
Mihir leaned in slightly, his voice soft but venomous. "Call it consequence. You don't get to slap Mihir Kashyap in public and walk away unscathed. You'll work for me. You'll obey me. And when I say your time here is done, then you may leave."
He turned, ready to walk away again, when her voice rang out-firm and fiery.
"I've been humiliated," Maira said, stepping after him. "I've been betrayed, mocked, lied to, and now threatened."
He stopped, but didn't turn.
"But let me tell you something, sir," she continued, her voice rising with every word. "I am not one of your toys. I'm not a puppet you can humiliate for your amusement. I'm not scared of your money, or your threats, or even your games."
Mihir finally turned to face her. There was something unreadable in his eyes now.
"I've seen people like you before," Maira said, standing her ground, "who think they can break people with contracts and cruelty. But here's the thing-you can't break what was never built by your hands."
Mihir didn't speak. He just stared at her as the breeze blew between them, the silence taut with tension.
"I'll serve my term," Maira finished, her voice calm again. "But don't expect to see me bow. And don't expect me to fall."
She gave him one last piercing look. "I'm not breakable, Mr. Kashyap."
Then she turned sharply and walked away-heels clicking against stone, posture proud, head held high.
"See you at work," she tossed over her shoulder, "sir."
Mihir remained rooted where he stood.
His jaw tightened. His hand curled into a fist.
But in the depths of his eyes-just for a second-was something else.
Something like admiration.
Quickly swallowed by the darkness.