Chapter 18: chapter 16 - A Friend Or An Enemy

The door slammed shut behind Rudraksha, the force of it rattling the lanterns on the walls.

I stood there, frozen.

I had never seen him like that before.

The sharpness in his voice, the tension in his shoulders, the storm raging in his golden eyes—it was the kind of anger that came from pain.

And I had caused it.

I let out a shaky breath, pressing my fingers to my temples. Maybe the way I had asked had been too harsh. Maybe he felt cornered.

Maybe he really didn’t know the answers.

Before I could dwell on it further, a soldier stepped into the room, bowing slightly. “My lady, we have received urgent information regarding the rebellion.”

I straightened. “Go on.”

“There is an abandoned estate at the edge of the city. We believe it is being used as a meeting point for the rebels. If we act now, we might uncover who is behind this.”

I nodded. “I’ll go check it out.”

Before the soldier could respond, another voice cut in.

“She’s not going alone.”

I turned to see Prithish standing at the doorway, arms crossed, watching me with his usual unreadable expression.

I raised an eyebrow. “Are you my personal guard now?”

He smirked. “Just a concerned acquaintance.”

I scoffed. “Right.”

“Besides,” he continued, “I’d like to see how good you are at solving things, since you’re so confident.”

I narrowed my eyes at him. “Are you always this annoying?”

He chuckled. “Depends on who’s asking.”

I sighed. “Fine. Let’s go.”

We rode through the dimly lit streets of Malvastra, the cool night air brushing against my skin.

Prithish rode beside me, his gaze scanning the surroundings, but there was a calmness to him—like nothing ever truly surprised him.

I watched him carefully. “Are you a friend of his?”

He smirked. “That depends. If I say yes, will you believe me?”

I shrugged. “If you say no, how will I know you’re not lying?”

He chuckled. “Clever.”

I tilted my head. “You help him, but you don’t help him. You keep secrets, but you still care. That’s not what an enemy does.”

He exhaled, looking ahead. “We were friends once. And in my heart, I still consider him one.”

I studied him. “Then why do you hold back?”

He smiled slightly. “Because sometimes, people aren’t ready for the truth.”

I frowned. “And when will he be ready?”

His expression darkened slightly. “When he remembers.”

I opened my mouth to ask more, but he shook his head. “We’re here.”

I sighed. “This conversation isn’t over.”

He smirked. “It never is with you.”

The abandoned estate loomed before us, its structure old but still sturdy. The gates were slightly open, the surrounding area eerily quiet.

I dismounted, carefully stepping inside. Prithish followed, his steps light and deliberate.

Inside, the main hall was covered in maps, scrolls, and unlit torches. It wasn’t empty. Someone had been here recently.

I moved toward the largest map pinned to the wall. My eyes widened.

It was a detailed battle plan.

The rebels weren’t just protesting—they were planning to overthrow Malvastra’s rulers.

“This isn’t just a small rebellion,” I whispered.

Prithish hummed. “No. It’s a coup.”

A sudden noise made me whip around.

From the shadows, a figure lunged toward me.

I barely had time to react before something sharp flashed in the dim light.

A blade.

Coming straight for me.

But before it could reach me—

A strong arm yanked me back.

The clash of metal rang through the air.

My breath caught as I found myself pressed against a familiar chest.

Rudraksha.

His dagger clashed against the attacker’s blade, his stance powerful, deadly. His golden eyes burned with fury as he forced the assassin backward.

He moved ruthlessly, disarming the man within seconds and slamming him against the wall with a sharp crack.

“Who sent you?” he growled.

The rebel spat blood, smirking. “You can kill me, but the fight has already begun.”

Rudraksha’s jaw tightened. His grip on the dagger flexed, but he didn’t strike.

Instead, he turned to me, his expression dark. “Are you hurt?”

I shook my head, still stunned. “I—No. I’m fine.”

His eyes scanned me anyway, as if making sure I wasn’t lying.

I could feel the heat radiating off him, his presence towering over mine.

The intensity in his gaze sent a shiver down my spine.

Prithish coughed. “Well, that was dramatic.”

I turned to him, suddenly remembering our deal.

I smiled, raising an eyebrow at him. “Looks like I win.”

His expression flickered with amusement. “So it seems.”

I held out my hand.

“The shard,” I said.

Prithish sighed. “I am a man of my word.”

He reached into his tunic, pulling out the small, jagged piece of the mirror.

The moment I saw it, my breath hitched.

It was real.

I slowly took it from his hand, my fingers brushing against the cool surface. It pulsed faintly, like it recognized me.

Prithish smirked. “Congratulations.”

I turned to Rudraksha, grinning. “We got it.”

But instead of looking at the shard—

He was looking at me.

And he was not happy.

His golden eyes were dark with something unreadable, his jaw tense.

It took me a second to realize—

He wasn’t angry about the shard.

He was angry about the smile I had given Prithish.

I blinked.

Oh.

I smirked slowly.

“Are you seriously jealous?” I teased.

His scowl deepened. “Don’t test me, Aranya.”

Prithish chuckled. “I should go before he actually kills me.”

I bit my lip, suppressing a laugh as Rudraksha’s gaze snapped to him.

Prithish raised his hands playfully before stepping away.

The moment he was gone, I turned back to Rudraksha.

“Come on,” I grinned. “It was just a deal.”

His fingers brushed my waist, pulling me close.

“You smiled at him,” he muttered.

I blinked. “Are you—Are you keeping track of who I smile at?”

His jaw flexed. “Yes.”

I burst out laughing.

“You’re impossible,” I said between giggles.

He did not look amused.

I grinned, reaching up to brush my fingers against his jaw. “Maharaja, are you jealous over a single smile?”

His golden eyes blazed.

And then, to my absolute shock—

He leaned in, his lips barely brushing against my ear.

“Next time,” he murmured, his voice dark, “smile at me.”

I froze.

My breath hitched.

Before I could react, he stepped back, his smirk satisfied as he walked away.

Leaving me standing there—completely speechless.