Inside the nursery—
Kiaan happily tapped his toy car against the floor, making little baby noises of triumph. Kiara shook her head, half amused, half exhausted, when her phone rang.
She checked the caller ID.
Yuvaan.
She picked up. "haan, Yuvaan?"
His voice came out breathless—almost panicked.
"Kiara—you will not believe what just happened. The car… my car—just reversed all the way back home. On its own. Steering wheel was spinning like some new supernatural force is playing games with us—"
Kiara slowly looked at Kiaan.
Kiaan giggled.
The toy car in his hand honked.
Outside, faintly, the real car honked too.
Kiara pressed her palm to her forehead and burst into laughter.
"Yuvaan… relax," she said, still laughing. "It wasn't a supernatural force."
"What do you mean it wasn't?! Our car literally dragged us back home!"
"It's Kiaan," Kiara said, trying to control her giggles. "Baby has been riding his toy car… and apparently controlling the real one. He must have been missing you."
Yuvaan went silent for a full two seconds.
Then—
"Oh my God… my son hijacked my car?"
Kiara laughed even harder. "Exactly. So go finish your boring meeting and come home quickly. Someone is very desperate to see his papa."
"Put the phone on speaker," Yuvaan said immediately.
Kiara switched it to speaker and held the phone in front of Kiaan.
Yuvaan's voice softened instantly—warm, gentle, full of love.
"Kiaan… champ… pops will be back soon, okay? Just a little—just a tiny bit of work. I promise."
Kiaan stopped tapping the toy car.
He blinked.
Then his lips curled into a huge baby smile.
"Pa…pa…"
Yuvaan melted.
"Awwww—Kiara, did you hear that?! He said papa!"
"He did," Kiara said, smiling wide. "Now don't be late."
"Never. I'm coming home fast—before he drives the car again."
They both laugh, and Kiara hangs up.
She picks up Kiaan and kisses his forehead.
"You naughty little magic boy… controlling cars at nine months old?"
Kiaan giggles proudly.
Kiara swirls him gently in her arms, twirling around the room while he squeals with joy.
She playfully pokes his stomach, and he wiggles, laughing.
"Come on, mister mischief," Kiara teases, nuzzling him.
"Let's go play before you summon a helicopter next."
Kiaan claps and babbles happily as Kiara carries him out, both mother and son glowing with love and laughter.
---
Kiara carried a giggling Kiaan down the stairs, his tiny fists gripping the fabric of her kurta as if he owned her completely.
Bhoomi was waiting at the bottom, arms folded, eyebrows raised.
"Kiara! Finally. We have to go to the temple, remember?" she reminded, tapping her watch.
Chandrika appeared beside her, adjusting her dupatta.
"Yes, bahu… the priest said we mustn't delay today's darshan."
Kiara blinked—right, the temple visit. In all the chaos of car-hijacking son, she had completely forgotten.
Before she could panic, Susheela rushed forward with her warm, motherly smile.
"Arre, don't worry," she said, holding out her arms toward Kiaan.
"I'll babysit him today. Go peacefully. I'll handle this little cyclone."
Kiaan stretched his arms toward Susheela without hesitation—adorable, trusting. His little fingers hooked around her necklace the moment she took him.
Kiara gave a relieved smile. "Are you sure, Susheela Mummy? He's been very… active today."
Susheela bounced Kiaan gently, unfazed.
"Active? He's Yuvaan's son, what else do you expect? Go, Kiara. Before Bhoomi scolds you again."
Bhoomi narrowed her eyes playfully. Kiara laughed and touched Kiaan's cheek one last time.
"Be good, okay? No climbing walls… no car magic… no flying," Kiara whispered to him.
Kiaan flashed an innocent smile.
Too innocent.
Kiara squinted suspiciously.
Susheela chuckled, patting Kiara's shoulder.
"I'll call you if he tries to eat the furniture or fly to the roof, haan?"
Everyone laughed, and Kiara finally turned to leave with Bhoomi and Chandrika, glancing back at her mischievous son—already playing with Susheela's earrings.
The moment Kiara stepped out of the house—
Kiaan looked at the closed door, eyes twinkling.
And he grinned.
Something magical buzzed in the air.
🌒 Meanwhile… deep inside the jungle
(Late afternoon, sunlight fading)
The wind no longer whispered.
It waited.
As if the forest itself sensed that something ancient… something terrible… had awakened.
Beneath the twisted banyan whose roots clawed at the earth like starved beasts, the Tri-Kaalishini stood in a perfect ritual triangle—three shadows carved out of nightmares.
A pulse of dark energy slithered across the soil.
---
Urvi — the Daayan
Her matted braid coiled and uncoiled behind her like a venomous serpent.
Her burnt-ember eyes narrowed toward the distant Pratap Singh Mansion, glowing faintly in the dimming light.
Urvi's lips curled into a jagged smirk.
"The house is empty…" she hissed.
"No family… no guards… only the baby and one mortal woman."
Her grin deepened.
"Tonight… the walls are weak."
Even the forest stilled; birds froze mid-flight.
---
Ratri — the Pishachini
Hovering just above the ground, her form flickering like smoke and dying fire, she let out a low, delighted laugh.
"The protections around that mansion work only with united strength," she whispered.
"When the family leaves… the magic thins. The wards turn lazy."
Her fangs caught the last traces of daylight.
"Perfect time to steal what we came for."
---
Nishigandha (Nishi) — the Daakini
The runes glowing across her arms pulsed brighter, tasting the magic in the air.
Nishi pressed her palm to the soil again, eyes half-lidded in concentration.
"I can feel him…"
Her voice trembled with hunger.
"The baby's aura. The Sheshnaag-blessed one."
A cold thrill flickered in her pale eyes.
"His power grows faster than expected."
---
Urvi stepped closer, voice sharpening into a venomous whisper.
"Then we take him before that divinity awakens."
Ratri's smile stretched inhumanly wide.
"And deliver him to our Boss… exactly as promised."
At the mention of Boss, the trees shuddered violently.
Even the shadows recoiled.
A name unspoken.
A presence unseen.
But powerful enough to command the deadliest three.
---
Nishi rose, her runes burning white-hot.
"Our Boss wants the child alive," she said.
"Alive… and unbroken."
Urvi licked her lips.
"Oh, we won't harm him."
Her braid twitched with anticipation.
"We'll only tear apart anyone who stands in our way."
Ratri's voice dipped into a near-purr.
"And tonight… no one is home."
---
The three moved closer, their energies intertwining—Daayan-shakti, Pishachini-darkfire, Daakini-mantra-shakti—merging into one horrific pulse.
A black wind spiraled upward, clawing at the fading sky.
Urvi whispered:
"Let the mansion tremble."
Ratri hissed:
"Let the child fear."
Nishi finished, cold as death:
"And let our Boss receive what belongs to them."
Their silhouettes stretched unnaturally long… like claws reaching across the land.
And then—
With a flicker of living darkness…
They vanished.
Moving toward the now-vulnerable mansion.
Toward the nine-month-old miracle boy.
Toward Kiaan.
---