The Draven estate's council chamber hummed with quiet energy. Mukul and Anaya stood at the head of the table, Astra and Kaelen seated opposite them, with the sextuplets peeking curiously from the doorway. For days, the bond between the two families had been growing stronger. Mukul's calm authority, Anaya's sharp instincts, and the Dravens' loyalty were beginning to intertwine like threads in the same tapestry.
That morning, Kaelen finally placed his palm over the sealed contract table, the holographic crest of his mercenary guild glowing between them. "From this day forward," he declared, his voice steady, "the Draven family stands as part of your inner circle. Your mission—to find your sister—will be our mission too."
Mukul inclined his head in gratitude, though his jaw remained tense. "This path won't be easy. Every ally risks becoming a target. But with you, we may finally begin closing the distance."
Anaya smiled faintly, her dark eyes softening. "Then let's walk this road together."
Before the ink of their vows could settle, the table flickered. A secure incoming call: Avni Raichand.
Mukul exhaled slowly, adjusting his composure. "Mother," he murmured, answering.
The projection bloomed to life, Avni's face illuminated with a mixture of maternal warmth and razor-sharp focus. Her gaze landed first on Mukul, her expression softening. "My son. Tell me the progress."
Mukul delivered his report calmly—the reconnaissance near Astra's region, the growing alliance, and the hints of Aria's presence they had traced. Avni listened in silence, her fingers curled against her lips, her sharp eyes absorbing every detail.
Then Anaya stepped forward. "There's someone I want you to meet," she said, her voice carrying both excitement and hesitation. She angled the projection toward Astra, Kaelen, and the six children clustered around them.
The sextuplets waved shyly, their laughter brightening the room. "Hello, Auntie!" Lyra piped up, her braids bouncing. "Mukul saved us!" Selara added proudly.
For the first time in weeks, Avni's face lit with unguarded joy. A smile spread across her lips, radiant, motherly. "So many little ones…" she whispered, her voice trembling with warmth. "You remind me… of the family I once dreamed to gather again." Her eyes shimmered, almost as if some invisible thread connected her to them.
But when Astra stepped closer into view, everything shifted.
Avni froze. Her smile faltered slightly, though she tried to hold it steady. Across the connection, Astra's heart thudded painfully in her chest. The moment she saw Avni's face, it was as if her world tilted sideways. Her healer's instincts screamed recognition—not of a stranger, but of someone woven deep into her story.
Her fingers clenched unconsciously against the table. That face… those eyes… why does it feel as if I've known her all my life? Astra's composure wavered, her breath catching. A strange pressure settled in her chest, somewhere between longing and fear.
Avni tilted her head slightly, sensing Astra's silence but not voicing it. "And you must be Astra," she said softly, her tone warm but measured.
Astra opened her mouth, but no words came. She only stared, her mind racing, memories flickering like shadows at the edge of her vision. The connection of healer to mother, of something far deeper, twisted in her chest. She felt as though the truth lay just one step beyond her reach—something she wasn't ready to admit aloud.
Before either could bridge the silence, the projection shimmered violently. Static cut across the screen, breaking their locked gazes.
"No!" Mukul hissed, adjusting the console. But the secure line collapsed, the hologram fading into fragments of light. The network was gone.
Silence hung heavy in the chamber.
Mukul straightened, frustrated but composed. "We'll reestablish the connection soon."
Anaya, however, had her eyes locked on Astra, who still hadn't moved. Her hands trembled slightly, her lips pressed tightly together. For the first time, the unshakable Astra Lys seemed… unsettled.
"What did you see?" Anaya asked quietly, her voice cutting into the silence.
Astra drew in a shaky breath, forcing a small smile. "Nothing… not yet." But deep inside, she knew it wasn't nothing. The face of Avni Raichand had carved itself into her heart, stirring questions she wasn't sure she was ready to face.
And far away, Avni sat alone in her study, staring at the frozen last frame of Astra on her screen. Her hand lingered against her lips, her eyes glassy. For the first time in years, she felt something stir—a whisper of recognition.
The connection was gone. But the bond had already been made.