I stared at it, frozen. My fingers curled inward like they were trying to protect themselves.

What if this is a mistake? What if I misread the gentleness in his eyes? What if one day, this hand holds me only to hurt me?

Because hands have done that before.
They held me down. Dragged me back. Silenced my screams.

.

.

Kabir saw Diya and immediately broke into a grin.
"What trouble did you bring this time, chipkali?"

"I brought a princess,"

.

.

But before her fingers could even reach her, Saanjh flinched.

Hard.

Her entire body jerked back as if struck, and she gasped—barely audible, but sharp. She stumbled behind Arjun, clutching his shirt with both hands, her face buried into his back like a child hiding from a nightmare.

Arjun's reaction was immediate, instinctive.