Aanya’s pulse pounded in her ears, drowning out everything but the sound of her own shallow breathing. The room was alive with shadows, swirling and shifting like ink in water. They had a presence, a malice, that made her feel small, vulnerable. Yet Veer stood his ground, his body a protective shield between her and the encroaching darkness.

She could feel his heart racing where their bodies touched, but his voice was steady, firm. “Stay behind me,” he repeated, his tone brooking no argument.

Aanya’s fingers tightened around his arm, her mind reeling. “What the hell are those?” she whispered, the terror making her voice shake. She had known fear before, but nothing like this, nothing so primal.

Veer didn’t answer immediately. His gaze was locked on the shadows, his jaw clenched, his muscles taut with a readiness that bordered on the supernatural. When he finally spoke, it was as if each word carried a weight he had carried for years. “They’re here for you.”

Aanya’s breath hitched, and she barely had time to process his words before one of the shadows lunged, a twisted, black mass that seemed to defy the laws of nature. Veer reacted instantly. His hand shot out, and with a flash of something golden—a light that shimmered like ancient magic—the shadow recoiled, hissing as though it had been burned.

But it wasn’t just Veer’s movements that stunned Aanya. It was the light. It poured from his fingertips, crackling and pulsing with a life of its own, a raw energy that seemed almost… alive.

“What are you?” Aanya blurted out, her voice cracking. It wasn’t just the shadows that were unreal anymore. Veer—her supposed fiancé, the man she had met only days ago—was radiating power she couldn’t comprehend.

Veer didn’t look at her, his focus unwavering as he pushed the shadows back, each pulse of golden energy illuminating the room like flashes of lightning. “Someone who’s breaking every rule to keep you safe,” he replied, his voice strained but determined.

Another shadow slithered closer, wrapping itself around the foot of her bedpost, and Aanya flinched, the sight sending a shiver down her spine. The room felt like it was closing in, the shadows suffocating, pressing, threatening to consume everything.

Veer gritted his teeth, his jaw tight with frustration. “You need to leave,” he said, glancing back at her with eyes that were both fierce and desperate. “Now.”

Aanya bristled, the defiance sparking even through her fear. “Leave? Where the hell am I supposed to go?” She gestured wildly around them. “It’s not like I have a shadow-proof safe house, Veer!”

His lips twitched, almost forming a smile despite the chaos. “Trust me,” he said, his voice softer now, as if he was asking for more than just her belief in his strength. “You’re stronger than you think, but right now, I need you to run.”

Aanya’s heart thumped painfully in her chest. Part of her wanted to argue, to demand answers, but the way he looked at her—with a desperation that cut through every barrier—made her pause. She nodded, albeit shakily. “Fine. But you owe me an explanation.”

“I owe you the world,” he whispered, the words too quiet for her to be sure she had even heard them.

With that, she stumbled backward, her legs finally obeying her command to move. She turned, her eyes scanning the room for any escape. The hallway? No, it was too narrow, too easy for the shadows to trap her. Her mind raced, and then she saw it: the balcony.

The night air hit her like a slap as she burst onto the small, ornate balcony, the city lights glittering far below. The wind whipped her hair across her face, stinging her cheeks, but she hardly noticed. The shadows were everywhere now, spreading like a dark tide, encroaching even on the sky.

“Aanya!” Veer’s voice carried through the wind, sharp and urgent. She turned just in time to see him break through a mass of shadows, his golden light blazing as he fought them back. But there were too many, and for the first time, she saw the strain on his face, the exhaustion beginning to seep in.

Panic clawed at her. He was powerful, yes, but was he enough?

Something inside her snapped, a spark of anger and fear and something else—something she couldn’t name. “Stop hiding things from me!” she yelled, her voice cracking with emotion. “If you expect me to trust you, then give me a reason!”

Veer’s eyes met hers, and for a heartbeat, the world seemed to pause. His gaze was raw, filled with so much pain and guilt that it left her breathless. “I’m trying to protect you from the truth,” he said, his voice almost breaking. “Because once you know, you can never go back.”

Aanya’s fists clenched. “I don’t care. I’d rather know than be afraid.”

His expression hardened, and something shifted in his eyes, a resignation that made her stomach twist. “Then hold on,” he whispered, as if he was finally letting go of a secret he had kept for too long.

Before she could ask what he meant, Veer raised his hand, and the light that poured from his palm wasn’t just gold this time. It was blinding, a brilliant cascade of energy that erupted into the night, scattering the shadows in a blast so powerful it made the ground shake.

The force sent Aanya stumbling backward, and she gripped the balcony railing to steady herself. The shadows shrieked, writhing in agony as the light cut through them, and for a moment, it felt like dawn had arrived early, bathing the world in golden fire.

But as the shadows fled, leaving only silence in their wake, Aanya realized that something fundamental had changed. The air was charged, electric, and Veer… Veer had fallen to one knee, his shoulders slumped, the glow in his hands fading.

She rushed to his side, her heart pounding with worry. “Veer!” she cried, dropping to the ground beside him. His face was pale, his eyes closed, and for the first time, he looked vulnerable, almost human.

He opened his eyes slowly, a weak smile curving his lips. “You wanted the truth,” he murmured, his voice barely a whisper. “Now… now you’ll have to live with it.”

Aanya’s mouth went dry. The truth. Whatever he had unleashed, whatever he had done to save her, had come with a price. And she had a sinking feeling that they were only just beginning to pay it.