Chapter 30 : Buried in Fire

Smoke. Ash. Fire.

Diya's lungs burned.

She coughed, pushing against the debris pinning her down.

Somewhere above her, gunfire had stopped.

There was only silence.

Then—

A voice. Raw. Terrifying.

"Find her. Now."

Abeer.

Diya's chest tightened.

She had never heard him like this before.

Not cold. Not smug.

Desperate.

"Abeer!" she choked out.

Silence.

Then—heavy footsteps.

A hand gripping the rubble. Tearing it apart.

And then—him.

Covered in dust and blood, eyes wild, hands shaking.

She had never seen him this broken.

His lips parted. "Diya."

And before she could say anything—

He pulled her into him, crushing her against his chest.

"You're okay," he whispered, his breath ragged. "You're okay."

She didn't correct him.

Because she wasn't sure either of them were.

A gun clicked.

Abeer turned, shielding Diya instantly.

Tara stood near the wreckage, bloody and broken—but still standing.

Her gun was shaking.

"You should've let me kill her," she rasped. "Now, she's going to destroy you."

Abeer's jaw ticked.

Diya stared at Tara.

At the woman who had tried to kill her, who had betrayed her, who had started all of this.

She exhaled slowly.

Then—she stepped forward.

Abeer stiffened. "Diya—"

But she ignored him.

She reached for the gun Abeer had given her.

Tara's eyes widened.

"Diya—"

BANG.

The shot echoed through the night.

Tara collapsed.

Diya's hands didn't shake.

She turned back to Abeer.

"It's over."

Abeer's lips curled.

His woman.

His queen.

And God help anyone who tried to take her from him again.