SECRETS.....

The scent of damp earth and an unsettling quiet enveloped Nandini as she slowly regained consciousness. A dull ache throbbed in her head, and a cool, metallic tang filled her mouth. Blurry shapes swam into focus, revealing the rough-hewn walls of a small, unfamiliar hut.

She tried to sit up, but a wave of nausea washed over her, making her dizzy. Her body felt heavy, as if she'd run a marathon, and every muscle protested. A faint memory, a scream, a fall, flickered at the edge of her awareness, but it was hazy, elusive.

“Manik…” she murmured, the name escaping her lips before she fully understood why. His name felt… safe, despite the earlier animosity.

From the corner of the hut, a shadow detached itself from the gloom. Manik. He moved with a quiet efficiency, his presence a strange mix of reassurance and an unsettling enigma. His eyes, usually sharp with sarcasm, held a flicker of concern she hadn’t seen before.

“You’re awake,” he stated, his voice low, almost gentle. “Take it easy. You took a nasty fall.” He offered her a small, dark bottle. “Drink this.”