The Recipe of Love ??

It was nighttime. The world outside was quiet, cloaked in velvet darkness, with only the distant chirping of crickets and the soft rustle of wind brushing against the palace walls to keep company.

Sanchi tossed and turned in bed, her thoughts tangled and restless. Sleep had abandoned her tonight.

The weight of the past few days, the looming tension around Ishki, and the secrets she had recently uncovered.. everything pulsed in her mind like a storm refusing to quiet.

With a sigh, she slipped out of bed, pulled a shawl over her shoulders, and stepped out into the palace garden. The cold marble under her bare feet grounded her as she made her way toward the gravel path.

The garden looked different at night.. mystical, almost eerie with silver moonlight cascading through the trees, casting shadows that danced with the breeze.

She plugged in her earphones, scrolling through her playlist until she landed on a soft, melancholic tune. The familiar rhythm filled her ears, offering brief solace. She walked in silence, letting the music guide her steps.. until something strange stirred her senses.

A prickling sensation crept down her spine like eyes watching her, unseen. Her gaze shifted towards the bushes at the far end of the garden, and her steps slowed.

The logical part of her mind told her it was nothing, probably just a dog or her imagination playing tricks in the quiet.

But the feeling refused to fade.

Curious and cautious, Sanchi pulled out her earphones. Every instinct in her body told her something wasn't right.

She quietly tiptoed toward the bush, her breath held and heart steady. As she neared, her suspicions proved right, two figures stood partially hidden, their eyes fixed intently on the palace, unmoving like stone statues.

Their behavior wasn't normal. They weren't guards. They weren't supposed to be there.

She narrowed her eyes, a plan forming in her mind. Calmly and without hesitation, she reached forward and tapped one of the men on the shoulder.

Startled, the man snapped without even turning around, "What is it? Why are you hitting me?"

Clearly, he thought it was his partner bothering him. The second man, just as confused, immediately responded in a defensive whisper, "When did I hit you? Why are you lying?"

The first man turned around abruptly, only to freeze in place.

There stood Sanchi, composed as ever, hands clasped behind her back like a teacher about to discipline two misbehaving students. Her sharp gaze held no fear.. just fierce curiosity and a glint of amusement.

The first man's eyes widened in alarm, and he instinctively nudged his partner. The second man turned, and the color drained from his face the moment he saw her.

Both of them gulped visibly.

"Keeping an eye on the palace, are we?" Sanchi asked, her tone light but her words razor-sharp.

Their heads nodded before they could stop themselves but within a second, they panicked and shook their heads rapidly, realizing what they had just admitted.

"You think I'm a fool?” Her voice hardened. "Tell me the truth.. why are you standing here, and who are you watching?"

"Ishki.." The name escaped both their lips at the same time, as if fear had pushed it out.

"Nice." Sanchi smiled tightly. "Now tell me why?"

"No, no! We're not watching anyone!"

She raised a brow, unimpressed. "One more lie and you'll get a tight slap. Tell me the truth, or I'll call the guards right now." She threatened, her voice low but powerful.