Chapter 20: Chapter 18 - The Kingdom of Secrets

We were traveling in royal carriages, the wheels creaking beneath us as we made our way through the winding roads. I could feel the weight of the journey, the tension in the air, but there was also an undeniable excitement. Ranshara, the  kingdom that held a shard of the mirror—the shard that could take me back home. I couldn't shake the feeling that the closer I got to the end of my mission, the harder it would be to leave this world behind.

It had been four long days since we left Malvastra, traveling through forests and over rocky terrain toward Ranshara. The journey was peaceful, but the constant presence of Rudraksha beside me made my heart race for reasons I didn’t quite understand.

Before we reached Ranshara, I knew I had to say goodbye to him, something that felt a little too final for my liking.

“You know, this will probably be the last time we meet for a while.” I said softly, breaking the silence between us.

Prithish turned toward me, a sad smile tugging at his lips. “You’ll be fine. You’ll get the shard, then head back to your world.” His eyes flickered toward Rudraksha, who was quietly observing the landscape outside the window. “Besides, I’ll always be a letter away. You’ll find me in Vyantara again, once you’re done.”

I smiled at his words, grateful for his support. “I don’t know what to say to that.”

“Say goodbye,” he teased.

I raised an eyebrow, chuckling. “You really are the same guy since we first met .”

He gave me a cheeky grin. “Some things never change.” Then, he added with a slight sigh, “Although I do wish things had turned out differently for me and Rudraksha…”

I nodded, the tension between the two of them still thick as ever. Even now, after everything, there was still so much unspoken history. I could tell they both were trying to work through their past but hadn't fully done so yet.

I turned to Rudraksha, noticing his sharp gaze, even as he pretended not to care about the conversation between me and Prithish. He caught my eye and narrowed his gaze, a silent acknowledgment of the tension in the air.

“Are you ever going to stop bickering?” I said, leaning forward and crossing my arms.

Prithish laughed. “It’s a bit like an old habit, Aranya. I can’t help it.” He winked.

I grinned. “Well, keep it up. It’s entertaining.”

Rudraksha exhaled heavily, shaking his head. “You two are impossible,” he muttered, though I could tell his annoyance was half-hearted.

I smiled to myself, enjoying the playful bickering between the two men .

As we entered Ranshara, I couldn’t help but admire the kingdom’s beauty. The towering stone walls were covered in ivy, the pale limestone reflecting the bright sun, giving the place an almost ethereal glow. It was quiet and serene, with bustling markets, children playing in the streets, and the occasional noble passing by. But it was also wary, almost as if the kingdom was waiting for something.

I glanced over at Rudraksha, who was watching the city with a brooding expression. He wasn’t saying much—no teasing, no comments, just a watchful silence that made my chest tighten. I had noticed that ever since we started our journey, he seemed more on edge.

“Ranshara is just another kingdom.” Rudraksha finally spoke, his tone detached. “Nothing special about it.”

I blinked at him. “Really? That’s your take?”

He didn’t look at me. “I’ve never cared for it. Vyantara is my home. That’s where I belong.”

I frowned, surprised by the edge in his voice. “Well, you’re with me now.”

He finally glanced at me, eyes flashing with something unreadable. “And I’ll stay with you, wherever you go. But I don’t owe Ranshara anything.”

I was about to press him further, but he quickly shifted the conversation. “Let’s focus on the mission. You want the shard. After that, we leave.”

I nodded, but something in the air between us was different. It wasn’t just tension—it was genuine distance, a gap that had somehow appeared.

And as we walked into the palace of Ranshara, I realized that maybe this mission was more than just collecting the shards. It was about figuring out what had happened to him —and where our futures were headed.

Once inside the palace, we were escorted to a grand hall, where an official greeted us with respect. After exchanging pleasantries, Rudraksha and I were shown to a private room where we could rest before the council meeting.

We had barely settled in when Rudraksha turned to me, his expression serious. “There’s something you need to know about Ranshara and the loop.”

I tilted my head. “What is it?”

He looked away for a moment, his eyes narrowing as if thinking. “The dead man you found—the one with the first shard… he was the prince of Ranshara.”

I stiffened, my breath catching. “What? But I thought…”

Rudraksha paused before continuing, his voice cold. “They blamed me for his death. They accused me of murdering him and breaking their kingdom.”

My heart sank. “So they…”

“Yes.” He nodded. “Ranshara cut ties with us after the loop started. They’ve hated me . They think I killed their prince, and they’ll never forgive me.”

I stepped closer to him, shocked by the admission. “But you didn’t kill him, did you?”

He clenched his fists. “I don’t remember. I don’t have any memories of what happened before the loop started.” His voice softened. “But if I’m being honest, it doesn’t matter. They already hate me. I never cared about them anyway.”

I touched his arm, my heart heavy with the weight of his words. “But you do care, don’t you? About the truth.”

He met my gaze, his expression softer. “I care about finding the truth. For you.”

Before I could respond, a sharp knock came at the door, and Prithish entered, his face serious.

“The council is ready to speak with you,” he said.

Rudraksha turned to leave, but not before he gave me a small, intense glance.

I nodded, understanding. He was scared. Scared of the past. Scared of the future.

Later that night, we sat in the royal garden once again, the moonlight casting a soft glow on the paths we walked.

I didn’t speak at first, my mind still running through everything we had just learned. Rudraksha had already gone over his frustrations with the council and the decision to move forward with the search for the final shard.

Finally, as we stopped in front of a small stone bench, I turned to him. “Are you sure you’re okay with all this?”

His golden eyes met mine. “I’ve never been okay with it.”

I hesitated before asking, “Rudraksha, do you think this will fix everything? The shards… will it fix us?”

His gaze softened, and for a moment, he paused. Then, his voice barely above a whisper, he said, “I don’t know, Aranya. But maybe we don’t have to fix everything. Maybe we just need to move forward, together.”

The royals of Ranshara had been treating us with the kind of respect usually reserved for royalty. They knew Rudraksha’s history—knew he was the most powerful king in the region—and respected that, even though they kept their distance.

But that didn’t make things any easier.

We had spent days here now, searching for any leads on the shard—but so far, there was nothing. The palace had been strangely quiet, the nobles either avoiding us or keeping their distance, afraid of even looking at us directly. The tension was thick in the air, and the few interactions we had were fleeting and nervous.

It was clear no one wanted to get too close to us—not just because of Rudraksha’s reputation, but also because of the lingering anger surrounding the death of their prince, the very one who had been found with the first shard of the mirror.

I sighed, pacing the large, elegant room I had been given. Outside the palace windows, I could see the royal gardens blooming with lush, vibrant flowers, but even that beauty didn’t seem to lift my mood.

Rudraksha was sitting at the desk in my room, completely engrossed in some ancient text. The pages were full of markings, scribbles in old scripts that only someone with his knowledge of history could possibly decipher.

He didn’t look up when I walked in.

It was as if he was waiting for something, waiting for me to take a step in a direction that might lead to the mirror shard’s location. But the truth was—he wasn’t in a hurry. And the more time we spent here, the more I realized something—I was becoming just as important to him as the shards themselves.

I rolled my eyes. “You really don’t want me to leave, do you?”

His eyes flicked up to me, his gaze softening for a second. He set the text aside. “You know I can’t stop you from leaving, Aranya.”

I stared at him, sensing that his words were deeper than the situation at hand. There was an underlying tension, something he hadn’t spoken about.

And just then, I heard the sounds of carriages rolling through the streets outside. A royal procession was coming. I couldn’t help but be curious.

I walked to the window, leaning slightly over the sill to get a better view.

Down below, a grand carriage pulled into the palace grounds, escorted by soldiers. I could hear the low murmurs of the crowd as they gathered to see the royal procession.

Then, the moment I had been waiting for—the Princess of Ranshara.

She stepped out of the carriage with a graceful, confident air, her presence radiating elegance. Her long, dark hair shimmered in the sunlight, and her gown, a rich shade of emerald green, flowed effortlessly around her, the gold trimmings sparkling. She was, without a doubt, beautiful—elegant, poised, the epitome of a princess.

I watched closely, a feeling of unease settling in my chest.

But then, something strange happened.

As she walked across the courtyard, she glanced upward, her eyes locking with mine. For a second, I thought I saw something like disgust flicker in her gaze, before it quickly turned into a look of indifference. She whispered something to the attendant by her side, and then continued on her way.

I narrowed my eyes. What was that about?

After the Princess’s entrance, I went back to find Rudraksha still sitting at the desk, as if he hadn’t noticed the royal procession outside. His attention was fully on his work.

I walked in front of him, crossing my arms. “The princess has arrived.”

He glanced up, his gaze as uninterested as ever. “I know.”

I raised an eyebrow. “She’s... well, she’s certainly beautiful.”

He paused, looking at me carefully. “Is she?”

I tilted my head. “You don’t think so?”

He shrugged, uninterested. “Beauty is overrated.”

I couldn’t help but smirk at that. “You’re one to talk.”

He gave me a small smile, but before he could say anything else, there was a knock on the door.

It opened, and the Princess herself stepped inside, her gaze immediately falling on Rudraksha.

“Maharaja,” she said, her voice smooth and polite. “I came to speak with you.”

I saw her glance at me, but her attention quickly turned back to Rudraksha.

I felt a surge of something—jealousy?

Rudraksha, on the other hand, didn’t seem to notice my reaction at all. He stood, but before the Princess could approach him, he shot her a sharp glare that stopped her in her tracks.

“I’ve heard about the rebellion in malvastra ,” she started sweetly. “I wanted to speak to you about it.”

Rudraksha nodded, but the coldness in his voice was unmistakable. “We’ll talk, but stay back.”

The Princess hesitated, then stepped back, clearly surprised by his unyielding stance.

I bit my lip, watching the exchange unfold.

Her voice was sweet, but there was an edge to it. “I’m here to offer my help.”

I smirked at her words, unable to hide the sarcasm in my tone. “Help with what exactly?”

She turned to me, eyes narrowing, but her voice remained polite. “Help with the rebellion, of course.”

“I’m not in need of your help, Princess.” Rudraksha spoke up before I could say anything else, his tone dismissive.

Her eyes flickered, but she quickly recovered, her smile cool and measured. “I see. I’ll leave you to your work then, Maharaja.”

As she walked toward the door, I couldn’t help but smirk at Rudraksha, his eyes flashing with an emotion I couldn’t quite place.

As the door closed behind her, he shot me a quick glance, and I felt something shift in the air between us.

“You seemed quite… irritated,” I teased.

He didn’t say anything at first, but then, in his usual arrogant tone, he muttered, “It’s not every day I get visitors I don’t want.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Oh, really? Jealous much?”

His eyes narrowed, but there was a hint of a smile on his lips. “Don’t get ahead of yourself.”

I shrugged, turning away. “I’ll leave you to it, then.”

Before I could leave, I felt him grab my wrist, pulling me back. His fingers lingered a little longer than necessary.

“Don’t tease me, Aranya,” he murmured, his voice soft. “I’m not in the mood.”

I smiled to myself, but I didn’t reply. Instead, I pulled away and walked out of the room, my heart racing.

But in the back of my mind, I couldn’t shake the feeling that the Princess wasn’t the only one harboring secrets in this palace.

And I wasn’t sure if I could trust anyone—especially when it came to the shard.