“Aalim, can you take me to that place tomorrow?” I asked, my voice steady but filled with anticipation.

"Of course, I can take you there," Aalim replied without hesitation, his expression calm, yet concerned.

"You’re not going alone, Divya. We’re coming with you," Manasa interjected firmly, her protective instincts kicking in. Anusha nodded in agreement, her eyes mirroring Manasa’s resolve.

I sighed. "Look, that place has been abandoned for ages. If too many of us show up in such an isolated area, it’s going to raise suspicion. We don’t want to attract unnecessary attention."

"I’ll go with you," Rehaan said, stepping forward. His tone was gentle yet firm, the weight of his concern evident. "This could be dangerous, Divya. We don’t know with whom we are dealing and we can’t afford to take any risk. I know you can handle yourself, no question about that, but this isn’t about your capability. It’s about your safety."

He paused, looking at me earnestly, then added, "Aalim and I will keep our distance. I promise. We’ll stay back, but close enough to intervene if things go sideways. I’ll only step in if it’s absolutely necessary."

Manasa and Anusha both exchanged glances before turning their attention back to me. They silently urged me to agree, their concern for my safety overriding any other argument I could make.

I hesitated for a moment, knowing they were right. Finally, I sighed in resignation. "Fine," I said, glancing between Rehaan and the others. "But you both need to stay out of sight unless I need you."

Rehaan gave me a small smile of relief. "You’ve got it."

“That’s great! What time should I pick you up tomorrow?” Rehaan asked, his eyes searching mine for confirmation.“9 a.m.,” I replied confidently.

“Perfect,” Rehaan said with a nod, glancing over at Aalim. “9 a.m. works for me too.”

“Do you want me to drop you off afterward?” Rehaan asked Aalim, offering a lift.

“That would be awesome, thanks," Aalim said appreciatively. "Come on, let’s get going—it’s already pretty late.

Aalim and Rehaan exchanged quick handshakes, then said their goodbyes to the rest of us before headed out into the night.

After they left, the house felt a bit quieter. We all made our way to the kitchen to start preparing dinner. The steady rhythm of chopping vegetables filled the space as Anusha broke the silence.

“Do you think he’ll come tomorrow?” Anusha asked, her voice low but tinged with curiosity as she worked beside me.

“He’ll come,” Manasa replied from across the counter, not missing a beat. “As long as he doesn’t know about Uncle’s death, he has no reason not to.”

Anusha’s brow furrowed slightly. “But what if he does know?” she asked, her eyes flicking up toward Manasa, the concern in her voice more apparent now.

“That’s the real question,” Manasa responded, pausing to look thoughtful. “Does he know or not?”

I stopped chopping for a moment, weighing the possibilities in my mind. “I don’t know,” I finally said, my voice quieter than before. “But I have a gut feeling he’ll show up. Somehow, it just feels right.”

Manasa looked at me thoughtfully, then smiled. “Well, when you’re in doubt, or stuck in a dilemma, just follow your instincts. Isn’t that what we were always taught?”I nodded slowly, remembering the countless times we’d been told that during training.

“Yes, and it’s always served us well.”There was a moment of silence between us, not the uncomfortable kind, but one that came from mutual understanding. We knew tomorrow was unpredictable, but we also knew we’d face it together, just as we always had.

Both Anusha and Manasa brought dishes to the table while I set everything up. We ate dinner in silence, the only sounds are the clinking of cutlery against plates. After a while, Manasa broke the silence, looking up from her food. “Shall we go for a walk? The weather is really nice out tonight.”

“Sure,” I agreed, happy for the distraction. Anusha gave a small nod, and we all stood up to head outside.

We stepped outside, and the road stretched out before us, completely deserted but illuminated by the warm glow of street lamps. Most people had already called it a night, leaving the air around us calm and serene. The fresh night breeze greeted us, carrying the soothing sounds of crickets and cicadas as we walked along the empty street, each of us lost in our thoughts.

After a leisurely stroll, we returned home, the peacefulness of the night still lingering in our minds. Once inside, we went to our respective rooms. I took a moment to freshen up, washing away the fatigue of the day. As soon as my head hit the pillow, exhaustion took over, and I quickly fell asleep, grateful for the brief escape the evening had offered.

The next morning, I woke up to the sound of my alarm blaring. I quickly got ready and headed downstairs. Manasa and Anusha were already seated at the dining table, chatting softly over their breakfast. I joined them, and we shared a few light conversations as I finished my breakfast.

Not long after, Rehaan and Aalim arrived, and we exchanged warm greetings. I offered them breakfast, but they both politely declined, saying they had already eaten. After saying goodbye to Manasa and Anusha, I left with Rehaan and Aalim, feeling a mix of anticipation and nervousness about the day ahead.

Rehaan took the driver’s seat, Aalim settled into the passenger seat, and I slipped into the back. As we drove through the quiet streets, Aalim began giving directions to the Shiva temple.

“I know a spot where we can see the temple clearly while remaining discreet,” Aalim said, glancing back at me with a reassuring smile.

Rehaan nodded, taking Aalim’s suggestion seriously. He parked the vehicle in a secluded area nearby that offered a clear view of the entire temple.

“Divya, remember,” Rehaan said, turning to me with a serious expression, “if you notice anything strange or suspicious, just give me a signal. I’ll be right there.”

I nodded, appreciating his support. “I will,” I promised, feeling a sense of comfort knowing they were looking out for me. With that, I stepped out of the car and approached the temple, my heart pounding with both excitement and trepidation.

Even though the temple had been abandoned for years, it was still phenomenal, with intricate designs beautifully carved into the outer walls. The heavy wooden door was locked, covered in layers of dust and cobwebs that suggested no one had entered in a long time.

I began to search around the temple, the expansive structure making my heart race as I constantly scanned my surroundings for any signs of life. Suddenly, I spotted someone standing a few feet away from me, partially hidden behind the crumbling stone.

I walked up to him, determination fueling my steps. “Excuse me,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady.

He startled at my approach and turned around, confusion etched across his face. “Yes?” he asked, his brow furrowing as he took me in.

I pulled out a picture from my pocket and showed it to him. His eyes widened, and he confirmed what I guessed. “How did you get this?” he asked, his voice tinged with anxiety as he recognized himself in the photo—the one my father had met just a few days ago.

Hello, I’m Divya, Srivastav Reddy’s daughter,” I introduced myself, trying to remain calm despite the gravity of the situation.

“Hi,” he replied nervously, glancing around as if he expected someone else to appear. “But what are you doing here?” His voice trembled slightly.

“I came here to meet you on behalf of my father,” I explained, keeping my tone calm despite the racing of my heart.

“What happened to him? Is he okay?” he asked, tension evident in his posture as he took a step closer.

“You haven’t heard the news?” I asked, my voice dropping to a whisper.

"What news?” he replied, his brow furrowing with worry.

“My dad passed away,” I said, my heart heavy with the words.

“What?!” he shouted, his voice echoing in the quiet surroundings, startling me. “I’m so sorry,” he said, his expression turning to one of distress as he pulled at his hair in frustration. “It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have come to meet him.”

“What do you mean it’s your fault?”

He looked at me, his eyes filled with a mix of guilt and fear. “I should have known something was wrong. I should have checked on him. I thought... I thought he was just busy.”

I took a step closer, trying to gauge his sincerity. “What did you talk about? What happened when you met?”.

He swallowed hard, glancing away as if he were searching for the right words. “We talked about some things… important things. I didn’t think it would lead to this".