I woke up finding myself under buried the shelf. What in the world happened last night? I remember that light, that shine but I don't remember what happened after that. 

Whatever! 

I got up and and got myself ready. Not to mention the fact that I was already late. Dhruv would probably like to throw me to vultures if I got anything wrong on his birthday. Someone slide a note from beneath the door. 

Dress well, it's a party. Don't tarnish my image. 

I got the point. Heading towards the wardrobe, I quickly took out a white jacket along with black t-shirt and black jeans. I now knew what style meant. 

Heading out of the room, i thought how that day was going to be. It's only the Prince's birthday. But something inside me said you are wrong. 

¤¤¤¤¤

I was walking around the hall as a dumb way to kill time. My chores were done. I checked the lights, tied ropes and nearly fell off a ladder. Dhruv passed by. I had my watch as I saw Vaani wishing him happy birthday. He was a bit older than me around a year or two. He today was wearing a yellow blazer along with black jeans and black t-shirt. Did he copy me? 

"Happy Birthday Dhruv." 

He looked at me and gave me a look. 

"Aren't you forgetting something?" 

"Yes… Your Highness." 

Yes you heard that right. You don't know what else happened to me while I was in this palace. I learned that sometimes it's better to simply agree. I was in no mood of standing there and arguing with him. It was his birthday after all. I could definitely give him a chance. 

"You should go and check the lighting moron." 

Bustard. 

Just then I felt as someone had the hold of my arm. I just turned and kicked the person straight on his hip. 

Just then I realised who he was. 

"I am sorry." I said as I started to laugh. 

"Hey buddy, was this a way to welcome a guest?" Karan asked. 

"No but- Wait! How are you here?" 

"The whole Kailash Graham is going to be present here. Didn't you know that?" 

"First of all I didn't. And second, where in the hell are the others?" 

"They are about to reach by now. I just got a quick faster."

Just then the entries in the hall started. Slowly the hall became crowded. 

I heard the small barks of a puppy I knew about. Ki came inside the hall, down the stairs with constantly moving her small tail. She came straight to me because ONE- Vaani was nowhere to be seen, TWO- Dhruv was surrounded by a group of people, and THIRD- she liked to tease me. 

"Hey girl, what's up?" I asked Ki while moving my hand around her white fur. "Looking for your master right." 

"Who's it?" Karan asked. 

"Vaani's pet." I replied as Ki acted to bite my finger, "and it's not an it it's a she. Respect the gender." I added. 

"Isn't she in her room?" Karan asked. 

"Ki just came from the room dumbo." 

I turned back towards her. 

"She might me in the garden. Find her champ." 

She lucked my hand and ran away. 

"Have you heard from you sister lately?" Karan asked. 

"I think not. Can I ask why?" 

"Some things happened in the Graham lately." 

"What?" 

"Nothing much. She just shrinked." 

"WHAT?!!" 

You people might be thinking that why I overreacted. But let me tell you, she isn't a cloth which would shrink. She's human. Or?? Not human? 

"Hey you don't have to react much." 

"HOW CAN I NOT REACT." 

"Look-" 

"TALK STRAIGHT." 

"BLOODY SHE JUST GOT MARKED!" 

He shouted at me bringing me back to reality. I really was overreacting. 

"Explain." 

"She's one of us Neel. We know this. Last night she just shrinked and reshifted rapidly. It just had to be that today morning she found mark of Agni (Fire God) on her arm." 

"What happened last night?" 

"Well we don't know. Something like a comet came and then she just shrinked." 

Too many coincidences! She too saw a comet last night. Having so many coincidences in such a short period of time was definitely not a coincidence. 

Now I understood what Guruji was talking about. 

"Karan look it's strange but-"

Just then around three to four people landed on me. 

"Guys it really hurts. I am definitely not Hulk!"

"I missed you really really missed you." Anshu said while messing with my hair. 

"But I didn't." 

"You are lying." 

"I am not. I didn't got time to." 

"You are obviously lying brother. Your ear gets reddish when you attempt to make a lie." 

"No it doesn't." 

"Off course it doesn't. But see what, you accepted that you lied." 

"Yeah I did." 

"He might not have missed us." said Chitrakshi giving me a look. 

"Does it matter if I tell you or not? You surely will read my mind." 

"I wasn't reading back there." 

"I can surely tell you are lying." 

"I am not going to waste my time standing here. Aren't you going to tell us something or else, the medical room might be missing you." 

"Okay okay. I give up. But I will tell you the details while we explore the castle. Is it okay?"

"Accepted." they said in chorus. 

I told them a little information, a small piece of every incident that happened recently. Some of them made looks, some I even didn't know who they were. I gave them small description about the harsh chores I had to do in the name sake of training. 

We explored the kitchen and then the court as time passed. The ceremony was about to begin so we headed back to the hall. 

"The training given was harsh indeed. But look at the results." Chitrakshi commented. 

"What results? This definitely was torture." 

"It actually wasn't. Look at yourself now. Fifteen days and you have grown muscles!" 

Just then I realised about my toned body. My hands were no longer weak and fragile but now I was somewhat athletic. 

I definitely forgot to look at myself in mirror. Damn it! 

The bell in the hall rang high. 

"Let's get back. It's a message that the celebration is going to start." 

"But-" 

"Other talks later guys. We will discuss about it later." I said. 

We advanced back to the hall at twice the original pace. It just happened to be that Anshu's legs suddenly stopped moving. I stopped in an attempt to look after my sister. 

"Hey what happened?" 

"It's nothing." 

"I know nothing's nothing." 

Then there was an awkward pause. 

"You are killing me by silence. Are you going to tell me or not?" 

"It's just the fact that Neel, I am one of them." 

"I know that." 

"You know?" 

"Karan told me. But hey it's nothing to worry about. After a bit of practice, you will be super good." 

"You don't understand. Yesterday I didn't have control over my own body. I felt so helpless." 

I understand sis. It's just I can't say. I thought. But I knelt on to end this conversation. 

"Girl you will be good. Take a chill pill." 

Then there was another long pause. I noticed something flicker over the stairs. Was it my imagination? Neel your sister needs you attention! STOP! 

Then she stared laughing. Fake laughter. 

"See I am tensing you too. I think we should talk about something else. Look there's a girl, a friend of mine, who is quite into you." She said. 

Again! Something flickered again. This wasn't my imagination. Something was wrong. 

"I-I will talk to you later sis." I said. 

"Wait!" 

"Later!" I said as I ran. 

"Take care." She shouted behind me. 

I quickly headed to the stairs. Wait. If I will use stairs, the person will definitely see me. I needed to go from somewhere else. 

Ladder? No. 

A lift? No idiot! 

Then I noticed the curtains. Bingo! 

I quickly climbed the curtain. The task wasn't too difficult. 

Tightening the ropes! Thanks Vaani. 

I quickly climbed the curtains and was not pleased to see that a person in Black clothes and a bow and arrow was aiming for his target. The arrow was green. Bullshit! Poison!

 I softly landed beside him. Focusing my vision, I tried to see what he was aiming for. The target was now visible to me, a boy in yellow blazer and was wearing black jeans and t-shirt. 

Dhruv. 

I needed to do something! Quick! I couldn't see him dying in front of me. 

"Yes sir, the target is on my site. I think the death of another royal would make them realise that the parent's son are what we need. As the parents themselves were not quite useful." 

At that time, I literally drew mad! You want to know why? 

ONE- the one he talked about were my parents. I grew angry. 

TWO- I couldn't see Dhruv dying no matter what he does to me. 

THREE- I myself didn't know why. But giving only two reasons wasn't good enough. 

I almost crashed on him. With all the force I had, I pushed him forward. 

I need a clearing. I thought. 

Just then a jizz happened. The sound literally popped my ears up. What was happening? I opened my eyes to ensure where I was. 

I was in the in the market near the Ajay and Sons. The attacker was lying on the ground unconscious. Near a distance, Dhruv was lying. How? Do he'll with that! There was a person I had to deal with. I quickly got hold of that person. I went inside Ajay and Sons to look for supplies. There was a chain, some chairs and a bunch of weapons along with the Golden and silver daggers. The contest? 

"Aagghhh!" the attacker groaned. I ran upto him, quickly did the chained him and then started my interrogation. 

A splash of water over the attacker's face. 

"Who are you? What do you want from my family?" 

"Aagh! I -" 

"Tell me right now." I merely had an hour. Others might be searching for us. 

"Oh! Here you are." 

"Answer the question." 

"I am the messenger of the Devil King, the Shaitaan." 

"What do you want from the royals?" I asked with a small start. 

"Oh they? They are just the small insects we will surely crush." 

"Why did you want to kill him?" 

"He is no one. He will surely die, if not from my hands then from others." 

Now I took the leap. 

"What do you do to my family?" 

"Family? You are surely not a royal. This means you are.. You are that boy!"

"Surely I am. Now tell me." 

"Come closer." 

I came a bit close. 

"More." 

I came a little bore closer. 

"More." 

I placed my ear near his mouth.

"The will all die!" he whispered in my ear then started laughing. 

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN!" 

"Look out for the hands not to the words."  

He somehow managed to free his hands. He grabbed my hair as he pushed us both backward. 

Thud! 

He crashed me over the glass. 

"Aagh!" 

I lead out a painful cry as pieces of glass penetrated in my back. 

The attached somehow got hold of a spear. He threw it straight at me. I duched it. I fell on the ground in a sprint attempt. He tried to stab me once again but luckily he missed. 

I took a leap to catch the weapon nearest to me, the silver dagger. But the attacker was fast. He regained his balance and was standing in front of me with a bow and arrow pointed at me. 

Only a single chance. 

Three 

"You know what? You all are going to die and the very first installment in this plan will be your parents…."

Two

And then he went too far. 

"... The kingdom will once again be in chaos. Those who you will love will wish for a death which won't be granted. The river of blood will regain it self and you all will be our slaves. Remember me child remember me!" 

One

He left the hold of the arrow as I threw the dagger straight at his heart. He burst into flames and was just gone. The arrow never reached me as it was engulfed by his own flames. 

I went back and was relieved to see that Dhruv was finally half conscious.

"I THINK WR SHOULD CHECK THERE." someone shouted behind me. 

I quickly left the scene and hid behind a tree. Others came looking for me and Dhruv. 

"He's here. Prince's here." 

As they got hold of him, I fled from the scene.