SARANYA'S POV:

The next morning, I woke before the sun. For a few moments, I simply lay still beneath the soft cotton sheets, listening. The village was waking slowly. Birds called from distant trees. A cow lowed somewhere beyond the courtyard.

The faint sound of women drawing water drifted through the open window. It was peaceful. Strangely peaceful. Nothing like Anantgadh. I sat up slowly and wrapped a shawl around my shoulders. Golden dawn light filtered into the room. My hand unconsciously moved to my chest. The warmth was there again. That strange feeling.

The Amrit. Ever since the old woman had spoken to me, I had become aware of it in a way I never had before. It felt alive. As though something ancient had awakened inside me. I could not explain it. I only knew that every day, the sensation seemed stronger. A soft knock came at the door. "Maharani?" I smiled. maharaj.

The door opened. He stepped inside wearing simple clothes instead of royal attire. For once, he looked less like the ruler of Anantgadh and more like a man enjoying a rare moment away from responsibility. His gaze found me immediately. It always did. "You're awake." "I could say the same." A faint smile touched his lips. "I've been awake for hours."

"Of course you have." He crossed the room and stopped beside me. For a moment neither of us spoke. Then he extended his hand. "Come." I looked at him. "Where?" "The village's lake." I blinked. "lake?" "You wanted to see it." "I did." "Then let's go." Simple. As though he had already decided.

I took his hand. "Then let's go." The village looked even more beautiful beneath the morning sun. Children ran through narrow paths. Everyone greeted us warmly. Not with fear. Not with formality. Just genuine kindness.

I found myself smiling more than I had in weeks. maharaj noticed. He noticed everything. "You like this place." "I do.  He looked ahead. "I thought you would." We walked through small markets filled with flowers and handmade crafts. The scent of jasmine floated through the air. For the first time in a long while, I felt free enough to simply observe.

 "Why does everyone seem so happy?" I asked. maharaj considered the question. Then he answered quietly. "Because they are content." I looked at him. "Content?" "They don't spend their lives chasing power." Something unreadable crossed his face. "They already have everything they need." His words lingered in my mind.

Because they sounded less like an observation and more like something he wished were true for himself. By midday we reached the lake. The sight stole my breath. Crystal-clear water stretched beneath the blue sky. White birds glided across the surface.

Mountains reflected perfectly in the still water. It looked like a painting. For several moments, I simply stood there staring. "It's beautiful." maharaj nodded. "It is." We sat near the shore. The breeze carried the scent of wildflowers. For the first time since arriving, I allowed myself to relax completely. My fingers skimmed across the water.

Safe. Or so I thought. The sound of approaching horses shattered the silence. My head lifted instantly. Several riders emerged from the distant road. Royal banners fluttered above them.  maharaj rose immediately. His posture changed.

The relaxed man disappeared. The ruler returned. I stood beside him. The riders stopped a short distance away. One man dismounted. Tall. Confident. Dressed in expensive royal clothing. A smile rested on his face. Yet something about it felt wrong.

Too practiced. Too perfect. His eyes found Rajveer first. "Rajveer." "Avantik." They greeted each other. Like two players moving pieces across a chessboard. Then Avantik turned toward me. The moment his gaze landed on me, something cold moved down my spine. He smiled. Yet I suddenly felt as though I were being studied.  

His eyes lingered for a second too long. Not enough to be inappropriate. Enough to make me uncomfortable. "It is an honor to finally meet the Maharani of Anantgadh." His voice was smooth. Charming. I returned the greeting. "Likewise." For reasons I could not explain, I decided to test something.

"I hope I can meet your Maharani one day." For the briefest moment, something flickered across his face. Gone almost instantly. Then he smiled again. "There is no Maharani." I blinked. "Oh." "I never married." The answer sounded normal. Yet something about it unsettled me.

Perhaps it was the way he said it. Perhaps it was intuition. Whatever it was, I suddenly found myself remembering the old woman's words. The missing girls. The whispers. The stories. Milk vessels. Amrit. My stomach tightened. The conversation continued.

Things I barely paid attention to. Because I was too busy watching Avantik. And the more I watched him, the more uncomfortable I became. The villagers who passed nearby lowered their eyes. His soldiers seemed nervous. No one relaxed around him. No one laughed around him.

No one smiled genuinely. Eventually the sun began descending toward the horizon. Avantik mounted his horse. Before leaving, he looked directly at me. "I hope our paths cross again, Maharani." A strange chill moved through me. The words sounded harmless. Yet they felt like something else entirely. Then he rode away. The walk back felt different.

The village remained beautiful. The evening remained peaceful. Yet my thoughts refused to settle. Finally I spoke. "I don't trust him." maharaj glanced at me. "Avantik?" "Yes." "Why?" "I don't know."

Which was true. I couldn't explain it. "I just don't." For several moments he remained silent. Then he asked, "What happened?" I hesitated. Then I told him. Everything. The old woman. The stories. The girls. The strange rumors. By the time I finished, twilight had fallen across the village. maharaj listened quietly.

When I stopped speaking, he exhaled slowly. "Stories grow larger every time they're told." "Do you believe that?" He didn't answer immediately. That alone worried me. Finally he said, "I believe fear creates many stories." Not exactly a denial. I noticed. And apparently he knew I noticed. Because he looked at me and added, "But I will look into it."

That helped. A little. Not enough. Night had fully arrived by the time we returned to the house. The village slept beneath moonlight. The world seemed calm. Yet my mind refused to rest. Hours later, maharaj slept peacefully beside me. His arm rested across my waist. His breathing remained steady.

But I stared at the ceiling. Awake. Thinking. The old woman's warning echoed in my head. Then Avantik's smile. Then his eyes. There had been recognition there. I was sure of it. As though he knew something. As though he had looked at me and seen more than a queen.

More than a visitor. More than a woman. My hand tightened around the blanket. If those girls were truly suffering. If the stories were true. If Avantik was hiding something. Then someone had to uncover it. Someone had to find the truth. Slowly I turned toward the window. Moonlight poured across the floor.

A determination settled inside me. I would learn the truth. No matter where it led. No matter who it exposed. And if innocent girls were truly being used, I would make sure the entire kingdom learned what their king had done. Even if I had to uncover every secret in Suvarnagadh myself.