The days went on, slipping past like water between fingers. Some days, Veer angered Kaya to the point where she felt like throttling him with her bare hands. Other days, he transformed into what he proudly claimed to be the best cook in this place. And somehow, the end of the month began to draw near.
Kaya couldn't even tell when the cold stopped bothering her. Maybe it was because someone was always there now—someone talking, laughing, breathing beside her. That presence dulled the sharp edges of the winter air.
She had resumed her old routines—her training, her daily exercises inside the house. Veer turned out to be surprisingly good at it. Unlike the others who hesitated to strike her or refused to spar just because she was a woman, Veer watched her box one day and simply said, "Want to duel?" No dramatics, no hesitation.
