Chapter 34

Sat, 20 Jun 2026 08:39:52 +0000

The morning was crisp, the kind of deceptive calm that only deserts knew how to wear. The air held the faint bite of dawn, though the sun was already climbing. Soon, its blaze would scorch the sands, but for now, there was a fragile gentleness. Aaradhya walked swiftly, her ankles jingling faintly with silver payal that she had forgotten to muffle. Her cotton sari was plain, her faded dupatta pulled low enough to shadow her face. She gripped the basket in her hands as if it was a shield.