The vestiges of day lingered mingling with the shadows of creeping night, creating a beautiful mirage of colors in the twilight sky.Under the purple sky with her long tresses left open, a brush absent mindly brushing through her locks. She sat there with her legs dipped in the water reflecting the vast twilight sky. The pinkish water with lights dancing underneath seemingly non captivating to her eyes, for the air around her was suffocating her.

It smelled rotten and full of all sort of negative things and emotions.

The air smelled like pain and hatred. It felt like charred flesh and tasted like burnt blood.

How did she know how burnt blood tasted? She didn't know but since last night all she could feel was just that everything suffocated her. Everything made her feel like she didn't belong. Every little detail around her seemed hell bet on spelling it out to her that- She doesn't belong here. This world isn't for her.

Every little thing around her stood out exceptionally, everything was in bright shades and it felt like watching things in the tenth dimensional view. Everything stands there so understandable yet making her feel so out of her depths. She could smell people's intentions. She could feel their auras. She could even predict their deaths if she desired too.

Bells will chirp in her mind every now and then with soft prayers offered to the winds and it all made her feel so out of her place. It made her feel so odd. She could hear everything around her with distinct clarity, their was a permanent buzz in her head.

She could hear the neighborhood house's Pinky Aunty telling her husband that she is going to come check on the Raizada Mansion with Mrs. Rai. She could hear the clear screams of every single tormented soul in the whole city and she didn't no how to stop it all? She hadn't truly grasped the extent of the changes her body went through, the changes that happened to her until she stepped back in the human world and felt so out of place.

The moment, she stepped out of the island with Riya, she could feel the difference. The cold tingles wounding around her soul. IT seemed the merest of things were trying to tell her she didn't belong here. The air seemed of trying to steering her away from the bank across the delta. She was feeling so out of depth yet beside her Riya was sitting seemingly unbothered by everything. The ominous feeling not at all surrounding her, entering the city just highlighted the feeling for her. The buzz in her head growing louder ad louder screaming she didn't belong in this world.

But then, after what happened few days ago back there, she couldn't make herself stay there too. It was too much for her. The images of that day might have been wiped away from her mind but the feeling stayed and she couldn't stay. She couldn't be part of that level of brutality. They weren't even a single percent sorry about their actions. They weren't sorry at all. They looked at those dead with pure disdain and it was clear in their eyes, they didn't regret killing them like that all.

And, she, she couldn't make herself be part of that at all. 

But here she is siting in the house because of whose member it all began, missing the people she left claiming boldly, "she didn't want to be part of their world if she had to become a killer," just a few nights ago hysterically.

But right now, sitting here, in pain with tears seeping down from her eyes for the air around her seem to physically assault her. She didn't remember Killers. She remembered Dhriti, the kind motherly Dhriti brushing her unruly locks gently with the patience of the whole world, listening to her chatter like the mother she never had, summoning flowers to adorn her hairs.

Right now, the fact that her hands were stained with blood didn't seem to matter much to Khushi. 

For she was missing them and the calming effect their presence had on her being, their guidance. She missed it all so dearly, two days away, the differences were clear in her mind.

But, she had made her choice, hadn't she?

The loud clatter of footsteps derailed her train of remembrance. The scorching acid like smell in air, the miserable dead smell and the surprisingly dark lotus aura engulfing her at once and she knew who was coming yet she didn't make any move at all until they entered the open balcony she was sitting in, their auras suffocating her.

"Khushi" the ginger gruff voice pushed her into action, hastily wiping away her tears, she scrambled up looking like a bullied child.

"yes," She whispered head bowed down looking all lost and afraid. The training she received under them making it so easy for her to act like this, schooling her real feelings and emotions, adopting any persona she wanted to at any time while at the same time being totally aware of her surroundings and other people's reactions.

So, it wasn't that surprising for her to read in the currents around her with the two new people standing in her bubble.

Aryaman wanted to speak something, most likely, he was about to ask her to call him "Aryaman! Arya! or Maan!" again. His emotions splashing all around her madly, uncontrollably, the guilt, the frustration, the pain, the care, the attraction, affection, love, worry and everything then their was the absolute scrutiny, suspicions, fear and something like resentment and outrage emitting out of his new wife, enclosing around her.

And Khushi, couldn't, just couldn't continue looking at them. Their emotions so opposite of each other but both still suffocating her as one. She let the waves of sadness envelop her, adopted the brooding solemn look she noticed Arjun carry for so long as she lowered her lashes and looked towards her sister.

"You look upset Khushi ji!" Sheetal broke the silence surrounding them in a saccharine laced tone though Khushi was listening to the whispers of the airs around her and Sheetal's words and aura didn't match, at all.

"I...when can I go back home?" she asked softly, her voice sounding absolutely feeble and distraught as it washed around the people present in the room igniting pity and fleeting protectiveness.

"What happened? Did someone say something to you?" Aryamaan demanded with urgency as he took unconscious steps towards Khushi but halted watching Khushi close in herself, trying to be as inconspicuous as possible. He clenched his fists an expression of deep pain resonating in his expressions.

"No...just aama must be very worried and I can't stay here. I need to return. This is my sister's -in-law's house, I can't stay here forever taking advantage of your hospitality," Khushi parroted and noticing their expressions, continuing her act of damsel in distress.

"We...we informed them. They said they'll be here soon." Aryamaan spoke gingerly. "You're safe here!!! Don't worry!!! They can't come here. I...We'll protect you," Aryamaan tried to reassure her and Khushi couldn't help but laugh darkly in her mind. The people that hurt her were already here. Her criminals were here from the start and even if he tried he couldn't protect her from them. No one can protect her or anyone from anyone.

No one can!

"Yes, Khushi ji!! You're safe here! Nothing will happen to you," Sheetal chirped a warm smile budding on her face and if Khushi didn't know better, if, she couldn't feel the currents around her. She would have easily fallen for the girl's act of a sunshine person.

"Areey"Sheetal exclaimed lightly hitting her forehead,"Before we get carried away again, it's time for dinner, Khushi ji, come, you should eat on time. It'll help in your recovery. I personally consulted a nutritionist and prepared dishes that'll help you recover soon." said Sheetal in a very concerned and well-wishing tone, making Khushi smirk.

After all, the killer was trying to act as the healer in front of her.

"If...if you don't mind, can I eat here?" Khushi asked feebly again, perfectly schooling her features in one of extremely tried.

"Sure!!" Sheetal agreed, before anyone else could protest and left the room arms linked with Aryamaan, promising to send the dinner up soon. Leaving her alone yet surrounded with a million voices in the large room.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Khushi!!!" the soft call from Payal sounded like a loud booming noise to Khushi, her head ringing with the echoes of the sound, her mind feeling like a nest of jellyfish as she abruptly sat erectly, tears flooding her eyes.

It all hurt.

Everything hurt.

And Khushi's abrupt reaction terrified Payal to birm.

The worried elder sister rushed to Khushi, totally unaware that her each movement was painful for Khushi. The soft muffled sound with which she plate Khushi's dinner on the side table, sounding nothing less than the clatter of a building falling to Khushi. Totally unaware yet very concerned Payal wrapped her arms around her sister.

Worried Sick.

"Are you alright? What happened?"

"It's Okay! It's just me."

"You're safe!" Payal hummed. Holding Khushi tightly against herself but Khushi didn't react even a little. She was a statue in Payal's warm embrace. A breathing statue! Worried! Payal decided to pull back to take in Khushi's expressions but the moment she tried to pull back. Khushi held on tightly, not letting go, nestling in Payal's arms hiding her face letting the tears drop. Payal held onto her whispering soothing words but none reached Khushi, so lost, she was in her own agony.

"I feel so lost, jiji! I feel like I don't belong! Everything seems foreign nothing feels home" Khushi mumbled, her voice cracking with each syllable uttered by her tongue yet her words couldn't be any true. She didn't belong. Every damn particle around her was singing so.

"You're home, Khushi! I know it doesn't feel so, I know you don't remember anything but trust me you are home and see, when amma-bauji-buaji comes, you'll even feel like it. I know you feel like you've never been here. You don't know anyone but you do. And doesn't everyone here treat you well?" queried Payal softly hugging her sister to herself, trying to make her seem everything was alright.

But with Payal's each word an inferno burned in Khushi's soul. Yeah! The people here treated her so well that they tried to kill her. Everything they did to her. Everything that happened to her is clear in her mind. She hadn't forgotten anything contrary to the lie that Riya fed them. The memories of her return hadn't diminish in her mind.

She wasn't in the room. She was in the car with a thousand voices in her mind but her sole focus was on Riya's voice as she narrated how they found poor her in some hospital during her charity function. How contacting the local police she got to know that they had find her drowning in the river and she had been in coma for the last six or so months, bewildered when she refused to recognize Riya. There Riya had known that Khushi had a memory loss and she tried contacting the Raizada family but nothing happened. So, she brought Khushi back with the police.

Riya had cleverly plotted everything.

For one moment, She was the eloped scandalous wife of the society, who might have suffered something during her elopement. The next, she was a poor victim as She made one of the workers of Saesha's Cafe give details to them that how that day Khushi was in Cafe till late in evening and had headed to home from cafe. Even the police played their part well as they informed that there have been recording of men chasing after her that night.

This with the fact that Aryamaan and Sheetal had been married so soon after her apparent betrayal, and Riya fleetingly mentioning about her bad fate and who was after kidnapping? How those evidences were kept in the wardrobe? The message sent? When Khushi was actually kidnapped? And the things people do nowadays to get rid of unwanted people to the neighbours along with messed up investigation and how she found poor wailing broken Khushi in hospital, seemed to do the trick for the neighbours as they suddenly sympathized greatly with her.

Dropping in everyday to check on her and see how she was fairing?

They feared something again might happen to her in her forgotten-in-law's house.

She is grateful for what Riya did for her. Even when Riya was really disappointed with her. She made sure her journey forward will be easy.

It was her last gift.

"Khushi!!" Payal's gentle nudge broke Khushi's trance.

She smiled at Payal a little.

"Yeah, they treat me well, really well," mocked Khushi with her tongue tasting ash and Payal not getting the sarcasm in her words as she smiled and asked Khushi to eat her dinner and sleep. Gleaming, Khushi asked Payal to feed her and Payal indulged her sister too, feeding her the drug laced food, she brought.

The drug laced food which Khushi had smelled from miles away. But she let her unaware sister feed i her knowing the foods content couldn't affect her now with her outwardly other half. After feeding Khushi, Payal looked ready to leave the room bidding her sister goodbye but Khushi held her back with begging eyes requesting Payal to stay for the night.

And so, with her head resting in Payal's lap asking her sister to tell her tales of past. Khushi closed her eyes pondering what happened to her feelings for Aryamaan? The emotions that burned through her like an inferno has settled down to embers. She is still attracted to him like she was all those months and years ago. But the feelings, the warmth, the crazy emotions that pushed her through so much had faded. Once the love that gaped like a gaping hole in her heart has closed off and settled down to minute scar. A scar there just as a reminder and nothing more. A reminder of what they had and also a reminder of everything she suffered.

So close yet so far, it seems so clear, it couldn't be what it was?

It never could be.

For her heart doesn't beat the same rhythm as his anymore.

Plus! He has a new wife now and a two month or so old daughter too.

But it's not him she thinks now as she falls asleep.

She thinks of a wooden mansion and the majestic companions surrounding it. She thinks of fluffy, Snowy, Prithvi and She think of the not-so-human humane beings present there too.

***********

"Arjun" Khushi gasps out the name like a drowning being gasping for breath. She didn't what happened but sometime, somewhere, her mind had gone pitch black from it's usually serene space, fear crept in along with pain and instinctively, something in her screamed for Arjun.

"Khushi!!" Payal rubbed her back, watching her sister with wary eyes. Khushi sat gasping and Payal looked at her sister worried not knowing what happened to her?

"Jiji! Sleep, I'm fine!!!" Khushi mumbled catching back her breath as she held her sisters hand, trying to reassure her she was fine.

"Are you sure?" Payal asked wary.

"Yes," Khushi affirmed, but none of the sisters made a move to lie back down. Khushi holding onto Payal's hand her keen eyes not missing the faint lines of the angry red and purplish burn marks outing peeking through Payal's long sleeves hiked up.

The day she returned, she had thrown herself in Payal's arms sobbing keeping the pretence of her memory loss and having missed her sister too dearly too. She had held onto Payal sobbing like there is no tomorrow and then let the miserable aura of Payal engulf her. She was in constant pain, painted with angry bruises.

And the moment, the evil lady's last word had ringed in her mind like a temple bell.

"The best thing about me is that I don't keep my promises!"

Dadi had promised her massi that she won't hurt Payal if her Massi gives Khushi to her. Her massi did thinking Dadi will keep the promise but she never intended to so. She had planned to hurt both the sister and with Khushi dead, she had been abusing Payal from the last few months.

It made Khushi again feel why she is needed here? Why she couldn't give up all of her relations like Saesha?

Payal needs her.

And she needs to save all the other girls too.

Khushi is sure, she'll do that, her powers and the millions voice she could hear will help her.

They'll rot and if not....

"I'll tear them apart myself!!!" the not-humane blood thirsty part of her soul screeched. She buried that voice instantly. She won't be like that. She won't!! They'll be punished by law! They'll!!

She chanted to reassure herself.

And then wondered?

What after?

What'll she do once she is done with this?

What next?

Where will she go?

What will she do?

Precap;

Khushi looked at majestic being with wine coloured hair trapped in the golden cage with wonder filled eyes. She smelled like ocean...like Arnav, her mind supplied.

"You know!!!" the different colour eyed being muttered looking amazed. "But you aren't one of us!"

"Thanks for saving us! Human! I don't know how you know of our kind but Thank You!!"

And with startling realization Khushi realized this is what they were talking about? Even with all her powers no other supernatural being could guess her real identity. The human aura clocked it now but if she knew it won't? A part of her mind whispered as she caught their whispers in the winds.

"THE AIR KING COMATOSE"

~~~~~~~~~~~

Sorry!!!!

For the late update!!!