The chemistry lab was empty except for the low hum of the AC and the faint smell of formalin. Mishka stood by the counter, absently stirring a beaker though the practical period was long over.
Angad slipped in quietly, hands in his pockets.
"Mishka… can we talk?"
She didn't look up immediately. When she finally did, her eyes were guarded. "You're not scared of me?" she asked flatly.
Angad blinked. "Scared? Why would I be scared?"
She scoffed softly. "Don't act dumb, haan. You know my reality. I'm a daayan. People run from that word."
Angad shrugged, stepping closer with that annoyingly casual smile. "So what? You're a daayan… it's okay. Even I'm a witch's son. So that makes me a daayan too, right?"
For the first time, Mishka's lips twitched. "Angad, daayans are female," she corrected with a tiny laugh. "Males are wizards."
"Ohh." Angad nodded dramatically. "So I'm a wizard then? Nice. Sounds cooler."
She shook her head, amused despite herself. "Don't be so confident. Your father is human. Mr. Vinod is fully human. That means you have a fifty percent chance of becoming a wizard… and a fifty percent chance of being a plain, boring human."
Angad leaned closer, lowering his voice. "Boring? Me? Not possible. But thanks for worrying, Miss Daayan."
Mishka's cheeks warmed as she rolled her eyes. "I'm not worried."
"Sure," Angad grinned. "That's why you keep explaining my magical stats to me."
She tried not to smile, but failed miserably.
Kiara and Anya walked side by side through the bustling corridor, students passing them in hurried clusters. Anya linked her arm through Kiara's, studying her face with a seriousness Kiara rarely saw.
"Kiara," Anya began, "ever since you got married, you've been… different. Like you're carrying ten suitcases of stress inside your head. You're bottling up so many things."
Kiara exhaled slowly. "Anya…"
"We're besties, yaar," Anya pressed. "You don't hide things from me. So tell me. What's going on?"
Kiara bit her lower lip, hesitating. "A lot has happened in my life, Anya. You might not even believe it."
Anya grinned. "Try me. I've seen you fail chemistry five times; nothing shocks me anymore."
Kiara rolled her eyes but her heart raced.
"Fine," she said softly. "But don't laugh… okay?"
Anya placed a hand over her chest dramatically. "Promise."
Kiara inhaled. "My family… we're Reevavanshi. A warrior lineage that protects the world from dark supernatural forces. And Yuvaan… he's a warlock. A very powerful one. Our marriage wasn't exactly romantic—more like forced because of a prophecy. And now I'm stuck between dark forces, assassins, shapeshifters… honestly I'm in the crosshairs every day."
Anya froze.
Then—
She burst into laughter.
"Kiaraaaa!" Anya clutched her stomach. "Oh my god, I swear you should write movies! Warlock? Supernatural family? Dark forces? Are you even serious right now?"
Kiara stared at her, frustrated. "Anya, I'm not kidding!"
But Anya couldn't stop laughing. "Reevavanshi Kiara! Mrs. Warlock Yuvaan! Kiara, please—my stomach is hurting!"
Kiara looked away, hurt flickering in her eyes.
Of course she wouldn't believe me… why would she?
Anya finally wiped a tear from her eye, still giggling.
"Kiara, bas yaar… stop kidding. Warlocks and daayans? Seriously?"
Kiara's voice turned firm.
"I'm not joking, Anya. I swear… I swear on my mum."
Anya froze.
The smile on her face disappeared instantly. Her eyes widened, all color draining from her cheeks.
"Kiara… no." She stepped back slightly. "You never—never—falsely swear on your mom. You don't even joke with that."
Kiara nodded silently.
Anya's voice cracked.
"Oh my god… this means… it's true?" She looked at Kiara as if seeing her for the first time. "Kiara, you… the same Kiara who didn't even believe in ghosts during horror movies… you are saying all this?"
Kiara swallowed, her eyes glistening. "Haan, Anya. Everything I told you is the truth."
Anya's breath hitched.
"So your family… and Yuvaan… and all those dangers…" She shook her head, overwhelmed. "Kiara, how were you dealing with all this alone?"
Kiara's voice broke just slightly.
"Because I thought no one would believe me."
Anya stepped forward and hugged her tightly.
"I believe you now, idiot. And I'm not going anywhere."
Anya wiped her eyes dramatically.
"So… Yuvaan is a warlock?"
Kiara nodded. "King of warlocks, actually."
Anya's jaw dropped.
"No wonder he is so handsome, hot, sexy, sensuous—like the prettiest boy on campus!"
Kiara smacked her arm. "HELLO? Don't forget he is your best friend's husband!"
Anya grinned mischievously. "Of course I can't forget! So… tell me. How is your relationship with Mr. Hot Dark King?"
Kiara shrugged. "It's… fine."
"Define fine," Anya said, squinting like a detective.
Kiara sighed. "Though he married me forcefully, he's always there when I'm in danger. Always the first to show up… no matter how impossible the situation."
Anya raised a brow.
"And how do you feel about him?"
Kiara looked away. "Anyaaa… don't start."
"I WILL start," Anya declared. "You two look like a couple straight out of a supernatural romance web series. So tell me. What's in your heart?"
Kiara hesitated, cheeks warming.
"Yuvaan wants me to define our relationship. He said the call is mine." She exhaled shakily. "But I'm… uncertain."
"Why uncertain?" Anya insisted gently.
Kiara lowered her voice. "Because… everything around us is danger. Warlocks, daayans, curses… the entire dark association is after me. They think I'm dragging Yuvaan toward the light. And they want me gone."
Anya stared at her, shocked. "Kiara…"
Kiara's eyes wavered. "I don't know if loving him will put him at risk. Or me. Or both."
"Okay," Anya said, crossing her arms. "I have one more question. Do you love him?"
Kiara froze.
Anya leaned closer. "Yes or no?"
Kiara's voice came out barely a whisper.
"…Yes. I love him."
Unknown to the girls, high above them on the rooftop, Yuvaan sat casually with one leg crossed over the other, leaning back against a skylight. His expression froze for a beat—Kiara's words echoing around him, carried through a tiny spell he'd cast out of boredom.
A slow, helpless smile touched his lips.
"So she finally said it…" he murmured, eyes softening in a way they never did before anyone else.
Down below, Kiara continued in a trembling voice, "But I'm scared. Every day something tries to kill me. And what if my fear ruins everything?"
Anya hooked her arm around Kiara's shoulder.
"Kiara Shetty, where did your fire go? Where's the bold, brave, beautiful college diva everyone used to fear?"
Kiara blinked.
Anya squeezed her.
"You are fearless, Kiara. You don't run from storms—you slap them. So don't you dare lose such a unique love because of fear. You and Yuvaan are crazy together… but it's YOUR crazy."
Kiara let out a tiny, teary laugh.
Far above, Yuvaan whispered to himself, voice warm with pride,
"It's about to get interesting."