Kiara's voice trembled as she looked at Yuvaan through tear-filled eyes. "I—I don't understand what's going on here… What are you all even talking about? Reeva, Warlock, Dark Stronghold—these sound like words from some fantasy story! But tell me one thing, Yuvaan—" her voice broke, "why did you play with my feelings?"
She stepped closer, her lehenga drenched, rain and tears indistinguishable. "All those moments… everything we shared—was all of it a lie?"
Yuvaan's crimson eyes flickered, a shadow of guilt flashing for an instant before his expression hardened. "Like your family said," he said slowly, voice deep and cold, "I wanted to obtain the Dark Stronghold. But to do that, I needed to break through the protective mantra sealing the Dark Abyss. And the only way…" He looked at her with a twisted smile. "…was to form a bond with a Reeva bloodline."
Kiara staggered back, shaking her head. "So all this… all this was just for your goal?" she whispered, her heart cracking under the weight of betrayal.
Vikram's rage exploded. "You dare use my daughter for your filthy purpose?" he roared, pulling another arrow from his quiver. "I won't spare you, Warlock!"
He fired. Then another. Varun followed, unleashing two more enchanted arrows. But before they could strike, Yuvaan merely raised his hand—every arrow froze midair, suspended inches from his face. He smirked.
"Still think you can stop me?" he mocked, his voice low and dangerous. With a snap of his fingers, the arrows dissolved into dust.
"Today," Yuvaan said, his eyes blazing crimson once more, "I will make Kiara my wife—no matter what stands in my way."
Kiara's breath caught. "W-what?" she stammered, utterly shocked.
Yuvaan's gaze softened, almost tender for a fleeting moment. "You were supposed to be my key, Kiara," he murmured. "But somewhere along the way… you became my curse—and my salvation."
Vikram shouted, "Stay away from her!" as Varun re-aimed his bow.
But Yuvaan simply smiled darkly. "You can try," he said, "but destiny has already chosen her."
The ground trembled as his aura expanded, crimson magic swirling around him like a storm ready to consume them all.
Vikram threw a shimmering powder into the air, and in an instant, a blinding light engulfed the entire field. When it cleared—Kiara, Vikram, and Varun were gone.
Yuvaan lowered his arm, a sly grin tugging at his lips as the rain began to fall again. "Running away?" he murmured, eyes glowing faintly crimson. "Then it's about to get wild."
–––
Meanwhile, inside a speeding black car, Kiara sat between her father and brother, her face pale and streaked with tears. Her mind was spinning—Warlock, Reeva, Stronghold. None of it made sense.
"Why did you keep all this from me?" she cried, her voice cracking. "All my life you treated me like I was fragile, but now—now I realize you were hiding this!"
Vikram gripped the steering wheel tightly, his jaw clenched. "I wanted you to have a normal life, Kiara," he said, his voice low but heavy with emotion. "Away from this world of shadows and bloodlines."
"Normal?" Kiara whispered bitterly. "You call this normal? My life will never be normal again, Papa!"
Varun looked tense in the passenger seat. "Dad, where exactly are we going?"
"To Reeva Vansh," Vikram replied, accelerating. "We'll meet the other Reeva families there. Kiara will be safe among them—away from that Warlock."
But before the next breath could leave his lips, a deafening bang echoed ahead. The car screeched to a halt—because standing right in the middle of the deserted road, drenched and smirking, was Yuvaan.
He raised one hand casually, resting it on the car's bonnet as if he owned the world. The engine sputtered, metal creaking under his touch.
Kiara's eyes widened in disbelief. "Yuvaan…" she whispered.
Yuvaan tilted his head slightly, that dark charm returning to his face. "Going somewhere, sweetheart?" he said, his voice smooth and dangerous.
Vikram's hands tightened on the wheel, Varun's fingers brushing the hidden dagger under his jacket.
But Yuvaan only smiled wider. "You can run from me, Reeva bloodline," he said softly, "but fate won't let you hide."
As Yuvaan took a step forward, the air crackled—and suddenly, a braid of glowing black hair lashed around him, binding his arms in a whip-like hold. His eyes flared red in irritation.
From the mist ahead, Mishka emerged, her hair shimmering with a supernatural glow, her aura both fierce and ancient. The night wind howled as she extended her hand, her voice firm yet trembling with restrained fury.
"Enough, Yuvaan," she hissed.
The impact of the moment left everyone stunned. Kiara, Vikram, and Varun stumbled out of the damaged car, coughing, their eyes widening at the sight before them.
Kiara's breath caught in her throat. "M–Mishka?" she stammered. "What… what are you?"
Vikram stepped forward, his face grim. "A Reeva Daayan," he said heavily.
Varun frowned in disbelief. "A Daayan who's also Reeva?"
"Yes," Vikram said, his tone carrying both guilt and grief. "She's my late brother Vivek's daughter… and your cousin sister."
Both Kiara and Varun froze in stunned silence. The rain, the thunder, the revelations—everything felt like a nightmare spiraling out of control.
Bound and struggling, Yuvaan gave a sharp laugh. "Wow," he said mockingly. "What a fine day for a family reunion. So much drama—I might just cry."
Mishka ignored him, her eyes glowing silver. "Uncle, take Kiara away," she said urgently. "I'll hold him off as long as I can."
Vikram didn't argue. He grabbed Kiara's wrist, pulling her toward the forest path. Varun followed, torn between confusion and the need to protect his sister.
As the three disappeared into the dense jungle, Mishka focused her energy, her hair glowing brighter. But Yuvaan only smirked.
"Brave of you," he said, his voice darkly amused. "But you're just a Daayan. Maybe you don't know—I'm ten times, no… a hundred times more powerful than you."
Mishka lifted her hand, her braid snapping through the air. "Maybe," she said coldly, "but even a Daayan can try."
She levitated sharp rocks from the ground and hurled them toward him with supernatural force. Yuvaan raised his hand lazily—each rock froze mid-air, then crumbled into dust.
In a flash, he appeared before her, his grip closing around her throat—not harshly, but with chilling control. "If I wanted you dead," he said softly, "you'd be gone with a flick of my finger."
With that, Yuvaan twirled his wrist, and dark energy swirled around Mishka, forming into a glowing black cage. She struggled, her power flickering against the invisible barrier, but it was no use.
Yuvaan dusted his hands and looked toward the jungle, his eyes glowing like burning embers.
"The hunt begins," he murmured, a sinister smirk curving his lips as he stepped into the shadows after Kiara.