Laughter and chatter had returned to the hall — too soon, perhaps.
Adrija smiled faintly as everyone spoke around her, their joy a soft hum she barely listened to. Her gaze occasionally drifted to the staircase, to the shadows that pooled at its edges.
Then, suddenly, she rose from her seat.
"Excuse me," she said politely, "could I use the washroom?"
Urvashi smiled, still glowing with happiness. "Of course, beta. It's upstairs, second room to the left."
Adrija nodded gracefully and walked toward the stairs. Her anklets chimed faintly — though the sound seemed to echo longer than it should, twisting oddly in the air.
The family watched her go until she disappeared down the corridor.
Only Charvi's eyes lingered, narrowing. Her pulse drummed faster.
Something in Adrija's walk… the faint, almost hovering glide of her feet… the strange shimmer around her shadow — it wasn't right.
"Maa," Charvi said softly, turning to Gayatri, "something's wrong."
Gayatri, still emotional, frowned. "Wrong? What are you saying, Charvi? Your sister has just come home after two months — she's safe, she's here!"
Charvi shook her head, lowering herself to the floor. Her fingers brushed against the marble tiles, feeling a faint residual warmth — not from Adrija's touch, but from something unholy.
The rest of the family exchanged puzzled looks.
"Charvi, what are you doing?" asked Veena, uneasily.
Charvi didn't answer. She pressed her palm flat against the floor, whispering an ancient trace spell she'd learned from Gauri's old research notes. The marble shimmered faintly — and then, before everyone's eyes, a set of reverse footprints began to appear on the polished floor, glowing faintly red as they led toward the staircase.
Gasps filled the air.
"What's this…?" murmured Urvashi, stepping back.
Gayatri's smile vanished, her voice trembling. "Charvi, what are those—?"
Before she could finish, Sharda entered the hall from the library, her expression grave. Her gaze followed the glowing footprints and then settled on the staircase.
Her lips parted slowly.
"Those," she said in a low, steady tone, "are the footprints of a daayan."
Everyone froze.
Veena clutched Dadi's hand in terror. "Daayan?"
Sharda nodded grimly. "Yes. A daayan walks the world with reversed feet — her steps move backward even when she walks forward. And whoever this is…" she glanced up toward the corridor where Adrija had gone, "she's not the Adrija we once knew."
The diya flames flickered again. Somewhere upstairs, a door creaked open.
A soft laugh — too calm, too knowing — drifted down the hall.
Charvi stood, her face pale but resolute. "She's here for brother-in-law Vihaan."
The cave was cold, damp, and alive with the faint sound of slithering.
A low hiss echoed from deep within — ancient and heavy, like the breathing of something far older than the earth itself.
Yug clutched the wall, his voice trembling. "Bhabhi… I think it's awake."
Gauri turned, her eyes sharp and calm despite the danger. "Don't panic, Yug. Fear gives it strength."
A pair of glowing eyes emerged from the dark — yellow, slitted, watching. The serpent stirred, its massive body scraping against the rocks.
"Maybe if we stay still, it'll go back to sleep?" Yug whispered hopefully.
Gauri smirked faintly. "You can try… but don't sneeze."
He swallowed hard. "I don't plan to."
But fate had other plans. A loose pebble rolled from under Yug's boot, clattering across the stone floor.
The serpent's head snapped up, hissing violently.
"Brilliant," Gauri muttered.
In a panic, Yug began to hum under his breath — a shaky, tuneless melody that echoed through the cave.
"Yug," Gauri said, incredulous, "are you singing to it?"
"I'm trying to make it calm, Bhabhi!" he hissed. "It works on my friend's daughter when she gets cranky!"
Despite the situation, Gauri couldn't help a small laugh. "This isn't your friends daughter, Yug. It's a naag."
Her gaze darted toward the wall, spotting an ancient bin—a snake-charmer's flute lying beside an old skeleton. "That could help!"
Before Yug could respond, she moved forward—but in an instant, the serpent's tail whipped out, wrapping tightly around her waist and lifting her off the ground.
"BHABHI!" Yug shouted, his heart pounding.
"Yug!" Gauri gasped, struggling to breathe. "Play the bin—quickly!"
"I don't know how!" he cried.
"Then find a way!"
Thinking fast, Yug fumbled with his phone, his fingers shaking as he searched desperately. He finally tapped on a video titled "Naag bin music – Original."
The flute's hypnotic melody echoed through the cave.
The serpent froze. Its grip slackened. Its massive head swayed from side to side, mesmerized by the sound. Slowly, it loosened its hold and set Gauri down gently on the stone floor.
Its eyes glazed over, and its mouth opened wide, revealing a glowing tunnel of light deep within.
Gauri grabbed Yug's hand. "Now, Yug—let's go!"
Without hesitation, Yug nodded. "I'm right behind you, Bhabhi!"
Together, they ran straight into the serpent's open mouth.
The moment they crossed the threshold, a brilliant flash surrounded them—light, sound, and air twisting into one.
When their vision cleared, they stood in a breathtaking forest bathed in silver-blue glow. The trees shimmered, their roots pulsing like veins of light, and streams of golden water flowed through the ground.
Yug's jaw dropped. "Bhabhi… where are we?"
Gauri's eyes softened, though her voice carried urgency. "Pratham Brisk. We made it."
But her expression darkened as she gazed up at the crimson sky that hung unnaturally still. "We don't have much time. Vihaan's life is slipping away."
Yug clenched his fists. "Then we'll bring him back, Bhabhi. No matter what."