Kiara's trembling hands darted toward a fallen, jagged log, her fingers gripping it with desperate determination. She lifted it, ready to strike, but before she could bring it down, Sunehri's long, serpentine braid lashed out like a living whip. It coiled around the log, yanking it violently from Kiara's grasp.
Panic surged through her veins as Sunehri's piercing yellow eyes flicked to a parked car nearby. In a horrifying display of power, her braid uncoiled and wrapped around the vehicle as if it were paper. Kiara stumbled back, heart hammering in her chest, watching helplessly as Sunehri lifted the car with ease.
"Ahhh!" Kiara screamed, raising her arms instinctively to shield herself as the car hurtled toward her.
Time seemed to stretch. And then… a calm, terrifying presence froze the chaos.
Yuvaan appeared, stepping smoothly between Kiara and the speeding car. One hand extended, and with a subtle flick, he suspended the car midair. His other hand wrapped securely around Kiara's waist, holding her close. Her body trembled—not from anger or shame this time, but from relief mingled with fear.
"Stay close," his low voice whispered, a shadow of his usual villainous tone softened with protection.
With a fluid motion, Yuvaan sent the car crashing toward Sunehri. The daayan let out a startled hiss before disappearing into the shadows, leaving only the echo of her ominous warning behind.
Kiara exhaled shakily, clutching Yuvaan's arm. Her heart raced, and though fear still gripped her, a flicker of gratitude and awe surged through her. He had saved her… again.
Kiara sank to her knees, her body trembling, tears streaming freely down her face. Every beat of her heart echoed the chaos of the last few hours—Sunehri's terrifying appearance, the flying car, the suffocating realization of Yuvaan's power. The world felt like it was collapsing around her, and she could no longer hold herself together.
Yuvaan knelt beside her, his hand reaching out, voice calm but firm. "Kiara… it's going to be okay."
She looked up at him through blurred, tear-streaked eyes, a mixture of anger, fear, and despair consuming her. "How?" Her voice cracked, raw with pain. "First… you deceived me with your fake love. Then… you tried to harm my family. Then… you blackmailed me into this marriage. And now… cars—cars are flying at me from a daayan! I knew planes, jets, even spaceships could fly… but cars? And you… you're telling me everything will be fine?"
Her hands lashed out uncontrollably, striking him again and again as he tried to gently hold her hands, grounding her in his presence. "You don't understand! You don't know what it's like to feel trapped, to see your father's life slipping away, to have everything you love dangled over your head like a cruel joke!" Her sobs wracked her body, shaking the very air around them.
Yuvaan's expression softened, a rare flicker of vulnerability breaking through his usual composure. He gently cupped her face, forcing her to look at him. "I know, sweetheart… I know you feel betrayed. I know you're scared. But right now… we can fix this."
Kiara's eyes widened, her sobs catching in her throat. "Fix… how? How can you fix this? You're the reason—everything is happening!"
He held her tighter, his voice firm but reassuring. "I'm taking you to your father."
Her body froze, disbelief and hope warring within her. "W-what… you mean—"
"Yes," he interrupted, his eyes locking onto hers with an intensity that brooked no argument. "We're going to see him. I won't let anything happen to him. Not while I'm here."
Kiara's knees weakened, and she collapsed into his arms, the storm of fear, anger, and desperation in her chest finally finding a fragile anchor. She didn't know whether to trust him, whether to fear him, or whether to cry and laugh at the chaos of her life—but for the first time in hours, a flicker of hope kindled within her.
Yuvaan gently helped Kiara to her feet. "Stand," he said softly, but firmly. Before she could question him, he tied a blindfold over her eyes.
"Y-Yuvaan… what are you doing?" Kiara stammered, confusion and lingering fear in her voice.
"Trust me," he replied, his tone deceptively calm. "Don't move."
Her heart raced, the world reduced to darkness and the sound of his measured steps guiding her. Every nerve screamed in alert, but she allowed herself to follow, trembling slightly, her hands brushing against his as they moved.
A few moments later, Yuvaan stopped. "Okay… open them."
Kiara removed the blindfold, and her eyes widened in disbelief. They were standing outside the familiar gates of the Shetty villa. Relief and astonishment mingled in her chest, threatening to spill into tears.
Yuvaan's sharp gaze scanned the surroundings, noting the faint shimmer of the magical Reeva barriers still in place around the mansion. With a subtle motion, he took Kiara's hand. Their bond—a mystical thread forged through marriage—allowed him to bypass the barriers. Silently, effortlessly, they crossed into the villa.
Varun, who had been patrolling the interior, spotted Kiara instantly. Emotion surged through him, and he ran forward, enveloping his younger sister in a tight, protective embrace. "Kiara!" he whispered, his voice thick with emotion.
But the moment his gaze landed on Yuvaan, his relief twisted into fury. He yanked an arrow from his quiver and aimed at Yuvaan, eyes blazing.
"Varun! Stop!" Kiara cried, pushing him back, her hands trembling on his chest. "You won't win! You can't! Don't do anything stupid—he's too powerful!"
Yuvaan raised an eyebrow, a faint smirk playing on his lips. "Varun… I only intend to help."
Ignoring him, Kiara turned to her brother. "I need his help," she said firmly, her voice tinged with desperation. "Please… trust me."
Varun's jaw tightened, but he nodded reluctantly, stepping aside. Kiara led Yuvaan through the mansion, her heart pounding as they approached Vikram's room. She paused at the doorway, the sight before her cutting through her like a knife: her father lay unconscious, hooked to a drip, his chest rising and falling weakly.
Tears streamed down her face as she knelt beside him, gently taking his hand in hers. "Papa… please be okay," she whispered, her voice trembling.
Yuvaan crouched beside them, his own expression unreadable, yet his hand hovered over Vikram's head. "Never thought I'd be healing my biggest enemy," he murmured, his voice almost soft. "But… what can I do? You are my father-in-law."
A faint glow spread from his hand, seeping into Vikram's body, mending tissues, steadying his heartbeat. Slowly, the color returned to Vikram's face, his breathing deepened, and consciousness flickered in his eyes.
Kiara's tears flowed freely as her father stirred, recognition dawning. He lifted a weak hand and pulled her into an embrace. "My princess… my Kiara," he murmured, his voice choked with emotion.
For a fleeting moment, amidst the chaos, the fear, and the supernatural turmoil, there was only relief, love, and the fragile hope that perhaps—just perhaps—they could survive what was to come.