Meanwhile, under the pale glow of the lanterns flickering in the old house, Kesar tiptoed down the narrow corridor, her heartbeat echoing in the stillness. The wooden floor creaked beneath her feet, but she moved with the grace of fire — quiet, yet full of hidden intensity.
She reached the forbidden room, the one her adoptive parents guarded like a treasure vault, and placed her hand on the lock. A faint glimmer of red sparked from her palm — her magic. With a soft hiss, the lock melted away, and the door creaked open.
Inside, the air shimmered faintly with heat. In the corner stood the small golden cage, and within it — the mystical phoenix bird, its feathers faintly glowing orange, its tiny eyes weary.
Kesar walked forward slowly, tears already brimming in her eyes. She knelt before the cage, her fingers trembling as she touched the bars.
"I'm so sorry," she whispered. "We've both endured so much pain… but not anymore."
The bird let out a faint, sorrowful cry, and the fiery mark on Kesar's arm pulsed gently in response.
"They think they can control us, cage us forever… but I've made my decision." Her voice quivered, but there was a fire in it now — the kind that spoke of defiance and hope. "Aditya said we can leave tonight. He's waiting for me… we'll elope and start a new life, far away from this village, far from their cruelty."
She smiled through her tears, gently lifting the cage. "Just a little longer," she whispered to the bird. "Freedom is waiting for us."
Her phone buzzed — a message lighting up the cracked screen.
> Aditya: Meet me at the village square. I'm waiting.
Kesar wiped her eyes, took a deep breath, and looked toward the window. The wind stirred her hair as she whispered,
"Tonight… the fire will finally be free."
She wrapped a shawl around the cage, holding it close to her chest, and slipped out of the room into the night — unaware that unseen eyes were already watching her every move.
Meanwhile, inside the grand hall of Kothari Mansion, the atmosphere was heavy — fear, confusion, and tension lingered like mist in the air. The chandelier lights flickered faintly as if reacting to the unease spreading through the family.
Urvashi spoke first, wringing her hands anxiously. "First it was Kamini… and now it's Mohini. How many more witches are going to rise against us?"
Sharda nodded gravely, her eyes filled with worry. "Mohini isn't just another witch. From what Pratham Vanshi warned, she's far more powerful than Kamini ever was."
Vihaan, standing near the center of the room, his jaw tight, said, "And more dangerous. The way she cursed me tonight—it wasn't just a threat. It felt like she was invoking something ancient."
Gauri stepped closer to him, her voice calm but troubled. "I felt something was wrong even before she came. Vihaan… after you left my place earlier today, a dark fog appeared. It attacked me."
Yug, who had been pacing near the staircase, stopped abruptly. "Wait, wait—this is great. First Kamini, then Veer, then Laila, and now Mohini. Can our lives ever be normal again?"
Vihaan turned to Gauri sharply. "Hold on a second—what do you mean, after I left your place? I never came there."
Gauri blinked, confused. "What are you saying, Vihaan? Of course you did! You came home and acted all filmy…" She playfully imitated him, trying to lighten the mood. "'This feels like a movie moment,' you said—'where the heroine slips and the hero catches her. Now we just need some background music.'"
Everyone stared at her in silence.
Vihaan frowned deeply. "Gauri… I didn't come to your place. Not at all."
Yug stepped forward, his expression serious. "He's right, bhabhi. I was the one who went to wake up Bhaiya this afternoon. He was sleeping soundly in his room the whole time."
The realization hit Gauri like cold water. She turned pale, her voice faltering. "Then… who was the man I saw?"
A heavy silence followed.
Vihaan's brow furrowed, his hand instinctively reaching for his temple. "There's something strange… I don't even remember falling asleep. It's as if someone—someone wiped my memory."
Dadi gasped softly, clutching her beads. "Ya Bhagwan… if that wasn't our Vihaan, then who entered Gauri's house?"
The faint echo of thunder rolled across the sky outside, and Vihaan's expression hardened. "Whoever it was," he said grimly, "he's after us. And this time, he's already inside our world."