Time seemed to crystallize. The serpent, a living dart of shadow and venom, uncoiled with blinding speed. Aaditya's world narrowed to the glint of its fangs, the malevolent red of its eyes. He was a warrior, but against this arcane evil, his strength felt mortal, fragile.
Twang!
The sound was sharp, clean, and utterly final. An arrow, fletched with grey hawk feathers, sliced through the air and pinned the serpent's head to the windowsill with unerring accuracy. The creature thrashed for a single, silent moment before dissolving into a wisp of the same foul black smoke that had poured from the bull.
Aaditya spun around, his heart hammering against his ribs.
Standing in the doorway, bow still elegantly poised, was a young man with a familiar, roguish smile. His eyes, a warmer shade of gold than Aaditya's fiery crimson, crinkled at the corners.
"Little brother," Virendra's voice was a welcome, teasing melody after the dissonant horror. "You've grown tall enough to look a man in the eye, yet it seems you still need your big brother to save you from the garden pests?"
"Bhaiya!" The word was a choked gasp of relief. Aaditya crossed the room in two strides, and the brothers embraced fiercely. The solid, real presence of Virendra was an anchor in the surreal storm Aaditya had been trapped in. "You took your time! How are Dada-Dadi? Is everyone well in the northern provinces?"
Virendra clapped him on the back. "Everyone is in perfect health, and they send their love. I would have been here sooner, but the mountains have a way of making you forget the rush of palace life." His gaze, however, was sharp as he glanced at the dissipating smoke on the windowsill. "Though it seems the rush here is of a... different nature."
The moment was broken by the arrival of the Maharaja and Maharani, their faces pale with a fear that had not yet subsided.
"My sons," the Queen's voice trembled slightly. "The food grows cold. Let us go to the dining hall. You can catch up there."
"But Mother—" Aaditya began, his mind reeling with the need to explain the magical attack.
The Maharaja placed a firm hand on his shoulder, his eyes conveying a silent command. Not here. Not now. "Your mother is right, Aaditya. Some discussions are best held on a full stomach. Come."
Virendra threw an arm around Aaditya's shoulders, his easy grin back in place, though his eyes remained watchful. "Lead the way, Pitashri. I've missed the spice of Suryapuri's kitchens."
---
The journey back to Chandrapuri had been a blur of dusty roads and a heavy heart for Devansh. The familiar, serene white spires of his home offered little comfort. The air here was cooler, scented with night-blooming flowers and the calm of the moon, but it felt empty, lacking the vibrant, sun-warmed energy he had grown accustomed to.
He was greeted with open arms. King Rohit and Queen Revati stood at the palace gates, their love a palpable force.
"Pitashri, Matashree," Devansh murmured, bending to touch their feet in a traditional greeting. He felt the weight of their blessings, and a pang of guilt for the secrets he now carried.
Queen Revati cupped his face, her eyes searching his. "You look tired, beta. And... different."
Before entering the palace, Devansh turned to a trusted guard, his hand resting on Shakti's neck. "See that she is given the finest stall, brushed until her coat shines like the moon, and fed the sweetest apples. She is not just a horse; she is an honored guest."
The guard bowed deeply. "It will be done, Yuvaraj."
After the obligatory rest in his chambers, a servant arrived with a message. "The Queen awaits you in her solar, My Prince. She has missed you dearly."
Devansh found his mother surrounded by her tapestries. The scene was one of domestic peace, a stark contrast to the danger he had just left behind.
"You were in our thoughts every moment, son," the Queen said, her smile not quite reaching the worry in her eyes.
"The feeling was mutual, Mother," Devansh replied, forcing a lightness he did not feel.
The family dinner was a quiet affair. King Rohit listened intently as Devansh spoke of Suryapuri's grandeur, its mighty king, its gracious queen, and its brave yuvaraj. He spoke of the Sangeet Sammelan, carefully omitting the magical flames and the self-playing veena.
"And your performance, beta?" the King asked, his gaze knowing. "The veena... it served you well?"
"It did, Father," Devansh said, his fingers unconsciously tracing the rim of his plate. "It revealed... many things."
As the servants cleared the final dishes, the King's demeanor shifted. The affectionate father was replaced by the stern ruler. He leaned forward, his voice dropping to a low, grave tone that brooked no interruption.
"Son, the time for quiet preparation is over. The courtesies have been observed, the alliances tested." He paused, and the air in the room grew thick, charged with an ancient dread. "Now, you must be ready. Truly ready. For the one foretold is coming... She approaches."
The way he said the word—"She"—was not with warmth, but with the grim finality of a judge passing a sentence. It was not the announcement of a beloved sister's return. It was the sounding of a drum, a herald of a storm that had been brewing for lifetimes.
---
Chapter End Note:
A brother's return brings a moment of safety, but the shadow of the masked man looms larger than ever. In Chandrapuri, a King's ominous prophecy hangs in the air, a stark warning that shatters any hope of peace. "She" is coming. But is she a savior, or a destroyer? A long-lost sister, or a key to a forgotten curse? The game has changed. The pieces are moving on a board that spans kingdoms, and the next move could shatter the world. The mystery deepens, and the greatest danger may not be from the shadows behind them... but from the one walking openly towards them.