All Chapters of Shattered Veil: A Muslim Romantic Thriller: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

"You must pray five times a day," he continued, quieter now, almost like he was speaking to himself. "It is the rope to Allah. The pillar of faith that holds you up when nothing else can."I clenched my fists in my lap, my breath shaky as I absorbed his words.I hadn’t been able to keep up with my prayers.I hadn’t felt worthy of them.But Khalid was right.I couldn’t forget.I couldn’t let go of the one thing that had always been there.The thought was like a knife, painful and sharp, but it was the truth.My faith was all I had left.I wanted to say something, to tell him that it wasn’t that simple, that it wasn’t just about the prayers—it was about the pain.The memories.The scars.But when I opened my mouth, I found that nothing came out.All I could do was sit there, letting the weight of his words sink into my chest.30NOURAHe was still watching me, his face unreadable.It was like he could see right through me, and that terrified me more than I was willing to admit.But stil

1NOURAThe silence between Khalid and me was suffocating.We were hiding in the shadows of a dilapidated building, our breath shallow and urgent, our hearts hammering in our chests like wild animals.The moonlight barely cut through the thick fog, but I could see Khalid’s profile in the darkness, his eyes scanning every movement, every sound.His jaw was tight, and his fists clenched at his sides, a man preparing for war.We had arranged to cross into the neighboring country, a border heavily guarded by soldiers who had no mercy for refugees.The price of escape was steep—dangerous, unpredictable, and deadly.We had no choice but to rely on the smugglers who had promised us passage.I didn’t trust them, but I didn’t trust anyone anymore.The only one I trusted was Khalid, though even now I questioned the depths of his devotion."Stay close," he whispered, his voice rough, yet it cut through the tension.His eyes flicked to mine briefly before he turned back toward the dark road ahead

His movements were deliberate, careful, always watching, always assessing.I couldn’t shake the feeling that he was doing this for me, keeping me close, shielding me from a world I no longer recognized.And yet, the closer I got to him, the more I feared him.I didn’t know why.6NOURAWe passed a row of broken tents.I saw a woman crouched down, gathering scraps of food from the dirt.Her eyes were wide and empty.Her children huddled close by, faces drawn with hunger.I wanted to look away, but I couldn’t.I felt their suffering like it was my own.Was I any better than them?Just a girl lost in a world of fire and blood, seeking something that felt like safety, but maybe it wasn’t real?“Do you feel safe here?” Khalid’s voice cut through the air, breaking my thoughts.He was close, too close.I hadn’t realized how much ground we’d covered until I looked up and saw him watching me.His eyes were unreadable, but his gaze burned through me.I hesitated.“No,” I whispered. “I don’t.”H

I didn’t need to say his name.The shadow of that monster loomed over both of us, even here.She hesitated, then nodded again.I knelt beside her, close enough to feel the warmth of her body, but not so close as to make her retreat.“You don’t have to go through this alone,” I said. “I’m here.”Her laugh was bitter, almost mocking.“You say that like you can stop it.”I clenched my fists, anger rising in me—not at her, but at the thought of him, the man who had reduced her to this.“If I could, I would tear him apart with my bare hands,” I said.The words slipped out before I could stop them, and I saw the flicker of fear in her eyes.I softened my tone.“I mean it, Noura. You’re safe with me. He’ll never hurt you again.”She stared at me, her expression unreadable.“Do you ever think about the future?” she asked suddenly, her voice almost too quiet to hear.The question caught me off guard.“The future?”“Yes. Do you think about... what comes after this? After the war?”I hesitated.

“You’re right. I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking. I didn’t realize what I was doing,” I muttered quickly. “But I don’t have bad intentions for you, Noura. I respect you, and I respect your father. Why do you think I’m here fighting for you?”The truth was, she wasn’t ready for this world.She was fragile, too soft for the violence and chaos that surrounded us.But that was why she needed me.I could be the strength she lacked, the shield that stood between her and the darkness.I tightened my grip on my rifle, my mind already racing with plans to keep her safe.I didn’t care what it took—she was mine to protect, and I wasn’t going to let anyone or anything take her from me.Even if it meant becoming the monster she feared.13NOURAThe fire crackled weakly, barely holding its own against the cold, oppressive air that clung to the room like a second skin.Khalid sat by the door, his rifle propped against his knee, his gaze fixed on the darkened window as if expecting an ambush at any moment