The night had drawn a silver veil over the resort. The laughter and shouts from the cricket game had long faded; the Kotharis had retired to their suites, still teasing each other about who truly won.
In their room, soft golden light spilled from a bedside lamp as Gauri stood by the window, her hair still damp from her shower, watching the stars shimmer across the sky.
Vihaan came up quietly behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, resting his chin on her shoulder. She smiled faintly, her fingers brushing against his.
"Do you ever think," she whispered, "that life is strange? A few months ago, I was just Gauri—simple, ordinary. If someone had told me I would face witches, and discover I was the Jalpanchi… I would've laughed."
Vihaan smiled, his breath warm against her ear. "Life had its own plans for you, Mrs. Kothari."
She turned slightly toward him, her eyes glimmering. "Sometimes I still wonder if I deserve all this—this peace, this family, you…"
Vihaan shook his head, placing a finger on her lips. "Don't ever doubt that. You deserve every dream you couldn't even imagine."
He paused, a mischievous spark lighting his gaze. "Actually… I can help you live one right now."
Gauri frowned softly. "What do you mean?"
"Close your eyes," he whispered.
She hesitated, then obeyed. Vihaan's hands gently tightened around her. A cool breeze brushed her cheeks, and for a heartbeat, she felt the floor vanish beneath her feet.
"Now open them," he murmured.
Gauri gasped.
They were standing on a cloud, soft as silk beneath their feet, floating high above a sea of stars. The sky stretched endlessly around them, glittering like spilled diamonds. A faint aurora shimmered across the horizon, painting the heavens in hues of violet and gold.
"Vihaan…" she breathed, her voice trembling in awe. "You… you brought me to the stars."
He smiled. "I promised you a view only the Jalpanchi could appreciate."
The wind whispered around them as he pulled her closer, their hands entwined. Gauri's eyes sparkled with tears—not from sadness, but from wonder.
"I never imagined," she said softly, "that my story could have this much light."
Vihaan pressed his forehead against hers. "That's because you were always meant to shine among the stars."
They stood together in silence, surrounded by the endless sky—two souls who had fought the darkness and finally found their peace above it.
The resort had gone quiet for the night.
Soft wind brushed through the palm trees, carrying faint laughter and the distant sound of ocean waves.
In the grand hall, where only dim golden lights glowed, Charvi stood hidden behind a marble pillar. Her eyes stayed fixed on the door—the same one the hooded stranger had entered earlier.
Minutes passed. Then the door creaked open.
The man stepped out again, still cloaked in that dark sweatshirt, his face shadowed beneath the hood.
Charvi's pulse quickened. That's him… the same one from my vision.
She waited until he walked past the corridor before following silently, her bare feet padding against the cold floor. The man moved like a shadow—silent, deliberate, as if he knew she was behind him but didn't care.
He led her past the gardens to the resort's swimming pool, where moonlight danced across the water like silver dust.
Charvi ducked behind a palm tree, watching him.
He stood at the pool's edge, the wind tugging faintly at his hood. Then, without warning—
He jumped in.
Charvi gasped and rushed forward. "Hey—wait!"
She reached the poolside and looked down.
The water rippled quietly… but he was gone.
No bubbles. No movement. Nothing.
She froze, heart hammering. "What in the—"
"Looking for me?"
The voice came from behind her.
Before she could turn, a strong hand shoved her hard.
"Ahhh!"
Charvi screamed as she plunged into the pool, the cold water swallowing her whole. She struggled wildly, unable to swim, her arms flailing as bubbles streamed upward. Her vision blurred; panic clawed at her chest.
Above the surface, the hooded man watched silently, his eyes glowing faintly crimson beneath the shadow of his hood.
He whispered to himself, his tone low and chilling,
"I can't let you warn them, oracle girl. The Kotharis must remain blind to their doom. You'll be the first… to drown in silence."
Charvi's hands slapped against the surface, desperate for air. The moonlight shimmered across the pool, illuminating her terrified face—then slowly faded as her body sank deeper into the cold, dark water.