The sun filtered lazily through the arched windows of Riverside College, casting long golden rays across the empty hallway. The last bell had rung, but one figure waited by the corridor — Angad, leaning casually against the wall, pretending to scroll through his phone.
When Mishka walked out of the classroom, her face half-hidden behind her long dark hair and the glint of a silver pendant resting against her throat, Angad straightened.
"Hey, Mishka!"
She paused, barely glancing at him. "What do you want, Angad?"
He walked closer, his usual playful smile slightly faltering. "You told me during Yuvaan and Kiara's reception that we couldn't… you know, start something. I've been wondering why."
Mishka's eyes darted away. "I thought I made myself clear."
Angad stepped in front of her, blocking her way — not forcefully, but with quiet persistence. "You did. But I still need to hear it. From your heart, not your attitude."
Mishka exhaled softly, her expression unreadable. "Because I don't like you, Angad. And I don't want to like you."
The words hit harder than either of them expected. Angad blinked, masking the hurt with a half-chuckle.
"Ouch. Brutal honesty — my favorite kind. Fine then," he said, forcing a grin. "But we can still be friends, right?"
She raised an eyebrow. "You don't even know me that well. We've interacted what — twice? Three times? You don't even know who I am."
"I'm trying to," he replied quietly.
That made her pause for a heartbeat — long enough for something unreadable to flicker in her eyes. But then she shook her head, turned sharply, and began to walk away.
Angad sighed and started after her — when suddenly, he collided with someone coming around the corner.
A girl stumbled forward with a small gasp, her books scattering. Angad instinctively reached out and caught her by the waist before she could hit the ground.
For a moment, it was a perfect slow-motion movie scene — her hair flying, the sunlight outlining them both.
"Whoa," the girl breathed, blinking up at him. "You saved me. That was so filmy."
Angad helped her straighten. "Actually, it was my fault. I wasn't looking."
She smiled sweetly, her accent soft but odd — something foreign, unplaceable.
"Still, you're such a gentleman."
Mishka, who had turned back at the sound, froze in place. Her expression gave away nothing — but her eyes, cold and sharp as Sunlight, watched every detail.
"I'm Betty," the girl said cheerfully, holding out her hand. "I'm new here. Could you maybe show me around the college?"
Angad hesitated, glancing briefly at Mishka. She looked away immediately, her face expressionless — but the tightness in her jaw betrayed her jealousy.
"Uh… sure," Angad said finally, forcing a polite smile. "Come on, I'll show you around."
As they walked away, Mishka's gaze fell to the ground.
That's when she saw it.
The footprints.
The girl's delicate feet — or what should have been feet — left faint bat-like impressions on the dusty corridor tiles, half-visible under the light.
Mishka's eyes narrowed. Her fingers brushed the silver pendant around her neck — a reeva charm that pulsed faintly in warning.
"Tch…" she murmured under her breath. "This girl surely isn't human."
She glanced toward the direction Angad and Betty had gone, irritation flashing in her eyes.
"And that fool," she muttered, "is walking straight into a trap."
With her usual quiet grace, Mishka followed — keeping to the shadows, her expression calm but her aura darkening with awareness.
The predator had entered the college, and only one person noticed.
Scene – Principal's Office, Late Morning
The office door creaked open, and Kiara stepped inside. Vikram, seated behind his desk, looked up — and for a fleeting moment, the stern principal vanished, replaced by a father whose eyes softened at the sight of his daughter.
"Kiara…" he whispered, rising to his feet.
Without another word, she rushed forward, and he embraced her tightly — the kind of hug that made time pause. When they finally pulled apart, emotion still glimmered in his eyes.
"I know you must be upset with me," Vikram began, his voice low. "I attacked Yuvaan — your husband."
Kiara made him sit, taking his hand gently. "Why would I be upset, Papa? You acted as a father should. And I acted as a wife should. Neither of us was wrong."
Vikram studied her face carefully. "Are you sure you're safe with him, Kiara? He's not an ordinary man — he's a warlock, the reincarnation of Kaal himself. You can still reconsider—"
But Kiara interrupted softly, "Papa, Yuvaan may be darkness-born, but he's also the same man who's saved my life again and again. I trust him."
Vikram sighed, his expression torn between duty and affection. "If that's your decision, I'll respect it. I'll even accept your marriage… but if ever Yuvaan becomes a danger to this world, I won't hesitate to act — even if he's your husband. That's my duty as a Reeva Hunter."
Kiara nodded calmly. "And as your daughter, I'll accept that. But for now, maybe I should be the one angry with you and Varun."
Vikram blinked, surprised. "Angry? Why?"
"Seriously, Dad?" Kiara folded her arms, half playful, half serious. "You two hid an entire world from me! I used to think witches, vampires, and ghosts were fiction — now they're trying to assassinate me!"
Vikram frowned in confusion. "What do you mean, assassinate?"
Kiara took a deep breath, her tone serious now. "The day after my wedding, I got a call from Varun — he said you weren't well. I panicked and escaped from the Pratap Mansion to visit you. But before I could reach anywhere near the house, a daayan named Sunehri attacked me. She threw a car at me, Papa — and Yuvaan saved me."
Vikram's eyes widened in disbelief.
"And that same night, after the reception, she came again," Kiara continued, her voice trembling. "I heard her whisper my name… she tried to kill me with enchanted daggers. Yuvaan took the attack instead."
Vikram leaned back, shaken to the core.
"And yesterday," she added, "the same goons you later subdued with Reeva Dust — they came before you arrived. They were already under a spell and went straight for me. Again, Yuvaan protected me."
Vikram's grip on her hand tightened slightly, a thousand thoughts flickering behind his eyes.
Maybe… maybe this time, love truly could conquer darkness.
But as the realization dawned, so did the fear — if love was Yuvaan's light, then the dark forces would do everything to snuff it out.