Sketching her Shadows

The air in the chamber turned ice-cold as the voice echoed beyond the locked door. Satya and Saanvi exchanged tense glances, while Devraj instinctively stepped forward, shielding them.

"You should have left this alone," the voice repeated, calmer this time—almost regretful.

Satya clenched his fists. "Who are you? Why are you trying to stop us?"

A low chuckle came from the other side. "I'm not stopping you… I'm trying to save you."

The door creaked as a key turned in the lock. It wasn't thrown open aggressively; instead, it was pushed open just enough for the dim candlelight to reveal the silhouette of an old man. His face remained in shadow, but his posture was firm.

Saanvi stepped forward. "Who are you?"

The man sighed and stepped fully into the room. His face was lined with age, but his eyes were sharp. He wore a traditional shawl draped over his shoulder, a symbol of an era long past.

"My name is Anand Singh," he said. "And I was once the keeper of secrets for the Rathore family."

Satya's grip on the diary tightened. "You knew Meera and Veer?"

Anand nodded. "Not personally. But I knew their fate." He looked at Saanvi. "And if you are who I think you are, you are walking straight into the same danger that took her away."

Saanvi swallowed hard. "What happened to her?"

Anand sighed. "You must understand… back then, love between a royal and a commoner was unforgivable. When they caught Veer, they didn't kill him immediately. They wanted to break him first. But Meera—" He hesitated.

Satya stepped forward. "What about her?"

Anand looked at him with a mixture of sympathy and fear. "She was never meant to die. Not at first. They wanted to erase her, just as they did with Veer."

"Erase?" Saanvi's voice trembled. "You mean—"

"They locked her away," Anand interrupted. "Somewhere outside the palace, hidden from sight. But she didn't disappear quietly. She left behind something… something that made the Rathores panic."

Satya and Saanvi looked at each other, their minds racing.

"What did she leave behind?" Satya asked.

Anand's expression darkened. "A message. A sign. Something that no one could ignore."

Saanvi pressed him. "Where?"

Anand hesitated, then glanced at the diary in Satya's hands. "You already have the answer."

Satya flipped back to Veer's final sketch—the hidden temple.

Anand nodded. "That place holds the truth you're looking for. But be warned… you're not the only ones searching for it."

Saanvi's breath hitched. "Who else is looking?"

Anand's voice dropped to a whisper. "The ones who never wanted the truth to be known. They've been watching you since the moment you stepped into this city."

A chill ran down Satya's spine.

Anand stepped back toward the door. "If you value your lives, stop now."

He turned to leave, but before disappearing into the darkness, he added, "Or be ready for what's coming."

The door closed behind him, leaving them standing in silence.

Saanvi's hands trembled as she traced the lines of the temple sketch. "We have to go there."

Satya nodded. There was no turning back now.

Because if Meera's final message was still out there… it was time to uncover the truth.