The name left his lips in a hoarse whisper, barely audible over the pounding of blood in his ears. The darkness closing in around him felt suffocating, each beat of his heart a thunderous reminder of his waning strength.
But Priyank wasn’t finished yet. His resolve hardened as he fought to stay conscious. He couldn’t afford to lose here-not with Priya’s life at stake.
He lashed out blindly, his hand managing to catch the assassin’s wrist, stopping the blade from cutting deeper into his throat. With a surge of adrenaline-fueled strength, he twisted, forcing the weapon away from his neck.
The assassin grunted in surprise, momentarily thrown off balance. Priyank used that brief opening to drive his elbow into the attacker’s ribs. He heard a crack and the man gasped, loosening his grip just enough for Priyank to break free.
Stumbling to his feet, Priyank turned to face his assailants, vision swimming but determination unyielding. He couldn’t dwell on his pain. He had to focus on surviving-on protecting Priya.
The masked woman was back on her feet, a new blade in hand. The injured man wasn’t out yet either. Priyank knew he was outmatched, his human strength no match for their supernatural prowess. But he had one advantage: sheer determination.
With sudden speed, Priyank turned and ran, leading them deeper into the forest. He weaved through trees, leaping roots and ducking branches, forcing his pursuers to navigate the terrain. He could hear them crashing behind, relentless.
He reached a clearing’s edge and paused, heart hammering. He knew this spot-a narrow path led to a steep river drop. If he could lure them close enough…
Priyank took a breath and stepped into the open, facing his attackers as they emerged. The woman charged first, blade gleaming. Priyank waited until the last moment before sidestepping, tripping her.
She stumbled and fell hard, momentum carrying her close to the cliff’s edge. Before she could recover, Priyank turned to the lunging man.
Priyank met the attack head-on, using his familiarity. He pivoted, letting the man’s force carry him forward, and shoved. The assassin’s eyes widened as he tumbled towards the cliff, failing to regain balance. With a desperate cry, he plummeted over the edge.
Breathing heavily, Priyank snatched up the woman’s dropped weapon, pointing it at her, gaze hard.
“Call it off,” he demanded coldly, pressing the blade to her throat, “Or you’ll join him.”
The woman glared but didn’t move. Priyank stepped closer.
“Do it,” he hissed. “Now.”
For a tense moment, neither moved. Then, with a growl of frustration, the woman pulled out an intricately carved whistle and blew into it, the sound eerie.
The air seemed to ripple, and the oppressive danger lifted slightly. Priyank kept the blade at her throat.
“Who sent you?” he demanded. “What did you whistled for?”
“You’ll find out,” she spat venomously. “This isn’t over.”
With fluid motion, she twisted away, throwing herself over the cliff’s edge. Priyank lunged to catch her, but she disappeared into the shadows below.
He stood there, breathing heavily, as the adrenaline ebbed away. He’d survived, for now. But the threat lingered.
Turning away, he made his way back, determination renewed. He had to warn Priya. Prepare for whatever came next. He wouldn’t let these fanatics win.
Priyank’s footsteps quickened as he neared the house, mind racing with implications. He burst through the door, startling Priya, who looked up from the couch, eyes wide with concern.
“What happened?” she exclaimed, rushing to his injuries, unsure where to begin.
“I was attacked,” he said grimly. “A woman and man, armed. They were after you.”
“After me?” Priya paled, eyes darting to windows, expecting another attack. “Why?”
“I think it’s because of your royal lineage,” Priyank replied, wincing as he touched his cut cheek.
Priya’s eyes widened further. “How did they find out?”
“I don’t know, It’s complicated,” Priyank said, shaking his head. “But one thing I know, it’s dangerous.”
Priya shook slightly as she saw how much Priyank was bleeding, not a single spot untouched by mud and blood, a testament to the danger he had faced.
But how did anyone even know about her royal lineage? It was a closely guarded secret, known only to Maya, Jackson, Levi, Rish.
So how had the attackers discovered it?
Priya’s brow furrowed as her mind raced. “I don’t understand. We’ve been so careful to keep it hidden. Who could have found out?”
Priyank grimaced, gingerly touching the gash on his arm. “I’m not sure, but we can’t take any chances. Clearly, there are people at work that want to get to you because of your bloodline.” His expression hardened. “And they don’t care who gets hurt in the process.”
Priya felt a shiver run down her spine. The weight of her heritage, once a source of pride, now felt like a dangerous burden. “What do we do?” she whispered, fear seeping into her voice.
Priyank met her gaze, his eyes intense but reassuring. “We need to call Maya and inform her of everything.”
Priya nodded, realising how right he is.
“You’re right,” Priya said, already moving toward the desk where her phone rested. “Maya needs to know what’s happening.”
As Priya’s fingers moved across the dialogues of landline phone, dialling Maya’s number, a million thoughts raced through her mind.
The line rang once, twice, before Maya’s concerned voice came through. “Priya? Is everything okay?”
“Maya, thank the gods you picked up,” Priya rushed out. “We got attacked here, here at the house. By people who seemed to know about my lineage.”
There was a sharp intake of breath on the other end of the line. “Attacked? Are you both alright? What happened?”
“Priyank is hurt only,” she concluded. “But Maya… we need to figure out how they found out who I am.”
There was a pause, then Maya’s voice came through, firm and resolute. “Of course. You know I’m with you both, always. We’ll get to the bottom of this, I promise.”
Priya felt herself relax slightly at Maya’s words.
“Thank you,” she said fervently. “When will you come here?”
“Tonight itself,” Maya replied grimly. ” Till then stay safe.”
As Priya ended the call, she turned to see Priyank watching her, a mixture of determination and worry etched on his face.
“Let’s see if we can bandage your wounds with something.”