Evening had settled softly over the palace. Warm lights glowed across the corridors while distant laughter echoed through the halls below. The havan had somehow shifted the atmosphere of the house. After days of tension, people finally seemed willing to breathe again. Voices drifted upward from downstairs. Bhavya’s laughter. Shrayansh’s excited yelling.
Kairav arguing with Viraj about something utterly pointless. For the first time in days, the palace felt alive again. Everyone was downstairs. Everyone except Aksh. And Pari. Pari had locked herself away after the confrontation earlier that morning, refusing to come out despite Bhavya knocking twice. Ishika too was nowhere to be seen.



Write a comment ...