The temple steps seemed endless as Yuvaan and Kiara descended. Each step left Yuvaan paler than the last, though he forced a steady, confident posture. Kiara's hand never left his arm, supporting him as best she could. "Yuvi… are you sure you're okay?" she whispered, concern threading her voice.
He smiled faintly, just enough to hide the tremor in his limbs. "Of course," he said smoothly. "Why wouldn't I be?"
Kiara narrowed her eyes. "Stop pretending. You're weak… yet you act like this marriage means more than just a stronghold. Tell me the truth—do you really care?"
Yuvaan slowed, letting her hand linger on his chest. Their eyes locked, an intensity passing between them that made the world around them fade. His voice dropped to a soft murmur. "Don't you know…"
But before he could finish, the words remained unspoken, suspended between them, leaving Kiara's heart hammering in suspense.
---
Miles away, deep within a shadowed jungle, a group of men laughed and clinked their bottles, oblivious to the earth beneath them.
Suddenly, a crack ran through the soil, splitting it as a hand erupted, followed by a figure that climbed with unnatural speed. A Yakshini, her eyes glowing gold and hair flowing like dark flames, emerged from the ground.
The men froze, their merriment turning to terror. One tried to run, but his legs sank into the earth as though it had become quicksand. Another swung his bottle wildly, only for it to shatter against the invisible force holding him.
The Yakshini moved with impossible speed, circling them, her presence hypnotic. "Find her," she hissed, her voice like wind through dry leaves, "find Kiara and kill her. Target only her."
The men trembled as her eyes burned into their minds, compelling obedience. "The Dark Lord must not stray from his path of darkness," she continued, "and any source of light that can sway him… must be eradicated."
Unwilling and helpless, the men began advancing, their steps dragging them toward an unseen doom.
---
Meanwhile, on the highway, Yuvaan and Kiara reached the sleek black car parked along the roadside. Kiara exhaled, letting herself relax slightly as she recalled the sacred ritual at the temple—the vermillion on her hairline, the sanctified fire, and Yuvaan's moment of vulnerability.
She glanced at him, half smiling, half wary. "You really… you really did all that for me, didn't you?" she said softly.
Yuvaan's hand brushed against hers as he opened the door. "Don't you know…" he repeated, leaving the rest unsaid, but this time with a warmth and sincerity that made her pulse quicken.
Kiara bit her lip, heart still racing, unaware that in the jungle not far away, a storm of darkness had already begun forming—a storm that would soon reach her.
The road ahead shimmered in the afternoon heat, the air thick with anticipation. And somewhere in the shadows, the Yakshini's eyes were already fixed on her.
Kiara's hand gripped Yuvaan's arm tightly as they walked toward the car. "You keep saying, 'Don't you know'," she said, frustration mingling with exasperation, "I don't know! How can I know? I'm just a beautiful, naive young woman… and you—what do they say? A war…"
Yuvaan's gaze flickered to hers, sharp yet teasing. "A warlock king," he finished for her.
Kiara's lips trembled. "Yes… I know. A warlock. So then I can predict what you feel. After all, you've fooled me before, so what if you're doing the same again…"
Her words hung in the air, unfinished, when suddenly a bottle hurtled toward them out of nowhere, hurled by the approaching group of enchanted men.
In an instant, Yuvaan pushed Kiara behind him, his hand snapping out to shield her. The bottle shattered against his head, the impact making him stumble slightly. Blood trickled down the side of his face, catching the sunlight in a cruel shimmer.
Kiara's breath caught in her throat. "Yuvi!" she screamed, her hands hovering helplessly near him, unable to stop the men advancing.
Yuvaan pressed a finger to her lips, not taking his eyes off the oncoming threat. "Stay behind me," he said, voice low but commanding. Despite the blood, his posture remained regal, unwavering, like a king prepared to defend his queen.
Kiara's heart raced—not just from fear, but from the searing reality of how much he was willing to risk for her. She realized, in that instant, just how fragile he had become without his full powers, yet how unshakably protective he remained.
The enchanted men were closing in, their eyes glazed with hypnotic control, and the Yakshini's command echoed in the air: "Find Kiara. Kill her. Only her."
Yuvaan wiped the blood from his temple with the back of his hand, his jaw tightening. "They've made a mistake… a very dangerous one," he muttered. Then, with Kiara held close, he prepared to confront the group, knowing that every move had to be precise, or one wrong step could be fatal.
Kiara clung to him, stunned and terrified, yet the truth was undeniable: he would go to the ends of the world to protect her, even if it cost him everything.