Myra hurried down the empty hallway, the dim palace lights casting long shadows on the marble floors. The photograph burned against her skin, hidden in the sleeve of her nightgown. Her heart still pounded from the confrontation with Ranvijay.
He knew something was off.
She could feel his piercing gaze lingering in her mind, the way he had held her wrist, the way his deep voice had almost trapped her in the study.
But she couldn't let him find out. Not yet.
Slipping into her room, she locked the door behind her, pressing her back against the cold wood. Her breaths came fast, uneven. Slowly, she pulled out the photograph and held it under the moonlight streaming through the windows.
Her mother's soft smile stared back at her.
Why was this in Ranvijay's study?
Had he kept it from her all this time? Or had he only recently found it?
Her fingers traced the edges of the photo, her mind a whirlwind of questions.
Then, something caught her eye.
The back of the picture had faint, almost faded handwriting.
A date.
15 years ago.
And beneath it, a name.
Rajeshwari.
Myra's breath hitched.
Rajeshwari?
Ranvijay's mother?
Why would her name be on the back of a picture of her and her mother?
A chill ran down Myra's spine.
Did Rajeshwari know her mother?
She clenched the photo tighter, her thoughts racing. There was only one way to find out.
She had to talk to Rajeshwari.
Tomorrow.
---
The Next Morning
Myra dressed carefully, draping herself in a soft lavender saree, the fabric light and flowing, adding a graceful elegance to her every step. She wanted to look composed, not like someone who had spent the night tossing and turning, haunted by unanswered questions.
The queen mother often spent her mornings in the temple room, offering prayers. Myra found her there, draped in a golden saree, her posture poised as she lit incense sticks before the deities.
Taking a deep breath, Myra stepped forward. "Mom?"
Rajeshwari turned, her kind eyes softening when they landed on Myra. "Myra, dear. You're up early."
"I couldn't sleep." Myra hesitated. "I wanted to ask you something."
Rajeshwari smiled warmly. "Of course, beta. Sit."
Myra knelt beside her, hands clasped tightly in her lap. Her pulse quickened as she pulled out the photograph and placed it on the low table between them.
Rajeshwari's expression changed instantly.
Her smile faded. Her fingers stilled.
And for a moment, Myra saw something in her eyes—shock, recognition… and pain.
"You know something, don't you?" Myra whispered.
Rajeshwari's hand trembled as she reached for the photograph, her thumb grazing over the image of Myra's mother. A deep sigh escaped her lips.
"Myra," she murmured, voice heavy with emotion. "Where did you find this?"
"In Ranvijay's study."
Rajeshwari's gaze snapped up to hers, surprise flickering across her face.
"Why was it there?" Myra pressed. "Why does it have your name on the back?"
Rajeshwari swallowed hard, looking away as if gathering her thoughts.
"Myra," she finally said, voice barely above a whisper, "there are things about your past that you don't know. Things that were hidden from you… for your own protection."
Myra's heart pounded.
"What do you mean?" she demanded. "Tell me."
Rajeshwari hesitated, then exhaled deeply.
"Your mother and I… we were close, once."
Myra's breath caught in her throat.
"You knew my mother?"
Rajeshwari nodded slowly. "Yes, child. And she—she was more than just a friend." She paused, choosing her words carefully. "She was someone I swore to protect."
Myra's fingers dug into the fabric of her saree. "Protect from whom?"
But before Rajeshwari could answer, the temple doors swung open with a loud creak.
Myra turned sharply—her stomach dropping when she saw him.
Ranvijay.
He stood in the doorway, arms crossed, his sharp gaze moving between them.
And in that moment, Myra knew—
He had heard everything.
The air in the temple room grew thick with unspoken tension. Myra felt her throat tighten as Ranvijay stepped inside, his piercing gaze locking onto her. His presence was commanding, and for a moment, she was frozen under its weight.
Rajeshwari, however, remained calm. With a deep breath, she carefully set the photograph down, her expression unreadable.
"Ranvijay," she greeted softly.
He didn't reply immediately. His sharp eyes flickered to the photograph on the table before meeting Myra's. "So, you've been digging where you shouldn't."
His voice was quiet—too quiet. But Myra knew better than to mistake it for indifference. There was an edge beneath it, a storm brewing beneath the surface.
She swallowed hard, willing her voice to remain steady. "I have the right to know the truth."
Ranvijay's jaw clenched. He stepped forward, closing the distance between them in slow, deliberate strides. "And what truth do you think you'll find, princess?"
His gaze burned into hers, but Myra refused to back down.
She turned to Rajeshwari. "Mom, please. If you knew my mother… if you promised to protect her, then tell me—what happened to her? And why was this hidden from me?"
Rajeshwari looked pained. Her fingers trembled slightly as she reached for the photograph again. "It's not that simple, Myra."
"It is for me," she countered, voice laced with determination. "I've lived in the dark for too long. If there's something I should know, tell me."
Ranvijay exhaled sharply. "Enough, Myra."
His tone was commanding, and for the first time in a long time, there was something dangerously close to desperation in his voice.
But Myra refused to be silenced.
She turned fully to him, eyes blazing. "Why, Ranvijay? Why don't you want me to know?"
He stared at her, his expression unreadable. Then, suddenly, he reached out, gripping her wrist—not harshly, but firm enough to make her pulse race.
"Because once you know," he murmured, his voice low and almost pained, "you can't go back."
Her breath caught.
For the first time, she saw something flicker in his eyes. Not just dominance or control, but something deeper. Something that scared her.
And yet, she refused to let it deter her.
"I don't care," she whispered. "I need to know."
Rajeshwari sighed heavily. "Then… come with me, Myra."
Both she and Ranvijay turned to the queen mother in surprise. Rajeshwari rose gracefully, her eyes holding a quiet sadness. "If you're truly ready, I'll tell you everything."
Ranvijay's grip on Myra's wrist tightened. "Mom—"
"Enough, Ranvijay." Her voice, though soft, carried a quiet authority that even he couldn't ignore. "She deserves the truth."
Ranvijay's jaw tensed, but he said nothing.
Myra felt her heart pounding in her chest as she looked between them. Whatever she was about to learn… it would change everything.
And she wasn't sure if she was ready for it.
But she had no choice.
Taking a deep breath, she nodded. "I'm ready."
Rajeshwari gave her a long, assessing look before finally turning away, motioning for her to follow.
And Myra did.
Even as she felt Ranvijay's gaze burn into her back.
Even as a deep, unsettling feeling settled in her stomach.
The truth was within reach.
And she was about to step into it.