After the baby was washed and gently cleaned, the midwives wrapped him in linen straps and brought him to Inayat. Her arms reached out eagerly to receive him. For a moment, she simply stared — gazing at the child in silent wonder. He was pink, fair, and delicate — beautiful in a way that made her breath catch. She looked at him as if seeing a miracle, awestruck by how God had blended her and Samarth’s features so perfectly into this tiny creation. In his face, she saw divine artistry — and the undeniable mark of Samarth. The realization that this was their son brought fresh tears to her eyes. She drew the baby close. Her motherly warmth soothed him instantly, as though this comfort was the one thing he had been longing for all along. Once she had held him, the midwives allowed Aabroo and Akshara into the room. Aabroo stepped forward first, her smile soft and full of awe. She leaned down, touched the baby's cheek, and whispered, “He’s so cute.” Akshara giggled quietly b
A few more days had passed since Samarth’s burial. Inayat had not spoken much since then. She could not bring herself to. The only words that echoed in her mind were the ones Aabroo had said to console her — “He’s gone to be with the Lord.” Those words gave her a fleeting peace, but now, silence had become her constant companion. She smiled at times, but used her voice only to read scripture or answer the occasional question from those around her. Beyond that, there was no idle talk, no laughter, no unnecessary chatter. It was as if she were sinking quietly into the comfort her environment could offer. During that time, Akshara, Raj’s daughter, had arrived safely. Raj was relieved to see her unharmed — not a single scratch on her. Her arrival brought joy to the household, especially for Aabroo, who now had a companion of her age to dance with, sing with, play with, and learn skills beside. Among the children of the village, the two girls were forging new and beautiful bonds. Both w
Inayat gently dismissed the women gathered around her and walked toward Aabroo. Her boots pressed softly against the smooth pebbles that filled the path, each step slow and deliberate as she approached the girl seated alone by the riverbank.The water whispered quietly in the stillness of the night, its surface glowing under the canopy of stars. Yet Aabroo seemed lost in a different world — until Inayat spoke her name.“Aabroo...”The girl turned at the sound, a small smile blooming on her lips without hesitation. She remained seated on the rock, looking over her shoulder.“Inayat, you should be in bed,” she said gently. “It’s late. You need your rest.”Inayat paused for a moment, struck by the calm wisdom in the child’s voice. Aabroo had changed — there was something older now in her gaze, something that pain had etched into her.“And so should you,” Inayat replied, her voice carrying across the hush of the river. “You think I shouldn’t be out, but don’t you think the same goes for y
They found shelter in the centre of the village, where life was bustling. The village was neatly laid, just as only fairytales could show.At the heart of it stood the House of the Lord, where they gathered every morning and every evening to stand in the presence of God. The village was spiritual, no doubt — the scent of that spirituality lingered softly through the people who could understand it.Around the House were the dwellings and the narrow streets, and beyond them, mountains and forests — rich in herbs, woods, and many other blessings. Rivers emerged from the mountains, encircling the village, giving life to the trees planted beside their flowing banks.The leader of the village welcomed the exhausted group warmly, even though their clothes were torn and bloodied, their appearances marked by battle. The men looked dangerous, with cuts and scars drawn across their faces, especially with the armour they wore and the swords they carried. Yet no fear was shown. Only stillness. Onl
Tziyonia was falling.The cries of the dying tangled with the clang of steel and the roaring fires. Smoke curled around the palace walls like black serpents, and the golden flags of the kingdom — once symbols of hope — now burned as ash in the wind.Even though the royal army had arrived, they were no match for the Everians. They came like locusts, endless and ravenous, darkening the skies with their numbers. They surged forward, relentless, and the soldiers of Tziyonia were swallowed whole. With the king dead, their spirits fractured.Samarth had fallen.Raj stood frozen, the battlefield howling around him, as his eyes locked on the lifeless body of his friend — his brother in arms. Samarth’s back was riddled with arrows, each one lodged deep, fletching stained red. None had dared face him. None had braved his front. Only his back bore the tale of their cowardice.Raj knelt beside him. His hand trembled as he touched Samarth’s shoulder, still warm. He wanted to scream, but the grief
Prologue: As Spoken by the Elder of the Flame Circle “Come, child. The fire does not burn for warmth tonight—it burns to remember.” “They speak of the fall of Tziyonia like a storm no one saw coming. But I remember the sky darkening for days before the end. I remember the wind carrying screams before swords. I remember the legends turning their faces.” “The Everians came like hunger, with a queen of ice and iron— Sabrina, born of shadow, forged in blood, daughter of Calantha, whose name is still a curse upon this earth.” “She did not conquer a kingdom. She consumed it.” “Temples were torn. Children made to bow before stone and flame. The old names were scrubbed from memory, and the crown that once knew honor now drips with rot.” “But in the wild—beyond the reach of the false queen’s hand— a woman endured. She bore no sword, only a child. No armor, only grief. She raised him not with lullabies, but with warning. She taught him not to hope—but to listen. To watc