Canvas of Timeless Fate

Chapter 5 - intoxicating

I had been moving through the night like a shadow, blending into the darkness, unseen by anyone. The missing children had been my focus, but there was something else, something more pressing, that kept pulling me toward Parthiva. I had to find the answers, and I was determined to do so, even if it meant bending the rules.

I arrived at her palace under the cover of night. The air was thick with tension, and I could feel the pulse of something dangerous lurking beneath the surface. It wasn’t just the children that had gone missing. It was something more... something darker—a rumor. The whispers of immortality, of rituals that defied nature itself, had reached my ears. And she—Princess Shivanya Maheshwari—was at the center of it all.

I had to see her for myself.

I climbed the walls with practiced ease, my senses heightened. The moonlight bathed the palace in a silvery glow, but my focus was solely on the chamber where she resided. I moved like unseen and unheard, my footsteps as light as the wind.

But as I reached the window, something unexpected happened. A flicker of movement inside the room caught my attention. I froze, my breath catching in my throat. She was there.

Without thinking, I leaped into the room, my body crashing into hers with the force of a storm. I pinned her against the wall, my gloved hand immediately covering her mouth to prevent any sound from escaping. Her body tensed under my grip, but her eyes—those eyes—captured me completely.

I could see nothing but the intensity in her gaze, as though she were challenging me. There was no fear, no hesitation, only defiance.

For a moment, I lost myself in those eyes. The way they shimmered, the way they dared me to make a move. I was hypnotized. Her beauty was undeniable, but it was her strength, her spirit, that seized me.

In that split second of distraction, she moved. Her knee came up, striking me hard, forcing me to loosen my grip with a grunt. She darted toward the door, but I wasn’t about to let her escape that easily.

I caught her again, this time pinning her to the bed. Our faces were inches apart, and I could feel her breath on my skin. Her heart raced, but it wasn’t fear that fueled it. No, it was something else. Something I couldn’t place, but it matched my own pulse.

Her eyes locked onto mine, unwavering. Time seemed to slow as I hovered above her, my body pressed against hers. For a brief moment, I thought I might lose myself entirely.

I could feel the heat radiating from her, the way her chest rose and fell with each breath. She wasn’t afraid. She wasn’t intimidated. In fact, she looked... amused.

"Kaun ho tum?" she asked, her voice low but steady. "Jaan lene aaye ho meri?"
("Who are you? Have you come to take my life?")

I hesitated, my breath uneven. "Main yahan jawab dhoondhne aaya hoon," I replied inwardly .
("I’ve come here for answers ?")

I finally asked the question I was here for ! Get a grip what happened to the ruthless prince of kahilya?!

Her gaze softened, but only slightly. She was still defiant, still unyielding. "Kaunse bacche? Aur tumhare aadmi? Main tumhari personal secretary hoon kya jo mujhe pata hoga? Personal what? Matlab biwi hoon tumhari jo pata hoga?"
("Which children? And your men? Am I your personal secretary to know all this?? I meant I your wife to know everything?")

I felt a flicker of surprise, but it quickly turned into something else. Her audacity was... intoxicating. She wasn’t afraid of me. No one ever spoke to me like that. No one dared.

Before I could respond, a knock at the door interrupted us. A voice called from outside, “Rajkumari, khana tayar hai.”
("Princess, dinner is ready.")

I straightened, the moment breaking. I was ready to leave, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that I hadn’t gotten everything I needed. There was something about her, something that had my mind spinning.

I turned toward the window, preparing to leave, but then her strong yet soft grip stopped me. I couldn’t just walk away. She asked ," agar Jaan lene aaye the toh Jaa kyu rahe ho ? " ( If you came to take my life why are you going? )

I turned back to her, my face inches from hers once again. Her breath caught in her throat as I reached for her arm, pulling her closer.

“Aaya toh main jaan lene hi tha,” I whispered, my voice low and dangerous. “Par aapki aankhon ne meri hi jaan le li.”
("I had come to take your life, but your eyes have stolen mine instead.")

The words felt like a confession, but I didn’t care. The intensity of the moment, the raw power of her presence, it all swirled together in a way that made me forget why I had come here in the first place.

I didn’t give her a chance to say anything more. Without another word, I slipped out the window, disappearing into the night. But as I left, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I had just met the one person who could break me. And I would find her again.

I had to.