Just as expected morning came with a quiet tension thick in the air.
As he wake up the first thing Aaryaksh sensed was… eyes. Two pairs of them, watching intently.
As he blinked into wakefulness, the puzzled, slightly judgmental stares of Kiyana and Rahul met his. It was disorienting at first, until he registered the slight weight in his lap—soft and warm.
He looked down.
There she was… Vaidehi. Still asleep, her head peacefully resting in his lap.
Her head lay nestled in his lap, cheek brushing the fabric of his robe, lashes casting faint shadows across her skin. She was still asleep, breathing soft and even. The faintest smile played at her lips, as if even in dreams, she felt safe there.
Aaryaksh froze for a second, piecing it together. Right. Last night. Her quiet confession. Her tear-filled eyes. Her trembling lips. Her head slowly lowering onto his thigh as she exhausted complaining and sleep claimed her.
As he remembered all this his lips curved involuntarily, a satisfied smile crept across his lips.
It wasn't just for a moment. It had meant something.
It was… something more.
But just as he was remembering past night he felt a sharp and deadly gaze upon him.
The heat,
As his eyes met with Kiyana's an electrified shock of fear runs through his whole body.
A burning gaze that flared like a wildfire across his skin.
With trembling hands he gently shifted Vaidehi's head and slipped a pillow underneath, trying not to wake her.
Kiyana, of course, wasn't about to let that pass silently.
He could feel it—her jaw was clenched, arms folded so tightly across her full chest they seemed welded there. Her expression was carved from equal parts betrayal and jealousy.
"So, Master," she said with a wickedly sarcastic smile, voice laced with silk and poison in which you can already feel the anger rise with each passing second.
"what an... interesting sight to wake up to."
"How did the two of you get so close in just one night? What did I miss, hmm? Must've been something special." Kiyana asked carefully pointing each word as a possessive wife.
She is staring furiously to Vaidehi like if he left her alone even for a while she might slice her open.
He didn't replied her instead raised a finger, silently gesturing toward Vaidehi.
She was still asleep,
He slipped a cushion beneath her head with painstaking care, lifting her without waking her, then covered her curled body with a nearby soft blanket.
But his silence didn't stop the intensity of Kiyana's angry glare.
Even more that quiet act only seemed to put oil in the already raising tsunami of fire.
"How touching," she hissed under her breath. "Did she cry herself to sleep in your arms, or was it after you whispered sweet things to her?"
Rahul tried to speak, lifting a cautious hand. But one glance from Kiyana—a look that could freeze fire—shut him down immediately. He visibly shrank back. Something had definitely gone down between those two.
As he saw Kiyana's furious gaze shifted to Rahul. Aaryaksh quickly stood, leaving them behind to sort their unspoken conflict, and headed to the wash room.
The private coach facilities were clean—thankfully. No bath, of course—it was a train—he wiped himself down with a cool towel and changed into a fresh set of clothes: a crisp white shirt, black jeans, and a matching black coat, set his hair with gel.
The monochrome contrast was sharp, clean. A perfect reflection of the clarity He needed as soon the train will reach its destination and after the emotional storm of last night.
When he returned, Vaidehi was awake. Her cheeks flushed a delicate pink the moment her eyes met Aaryaksh's. But what caught his attention more was Kiyana—smirking like the devil ready to eat him alive.
'Since she know that this would be early to lay claim of me, and due to the master-disciple relation she don't have any right to rebel or question me anything. She'd definitely plotted something against me and told something to Vaidehi. Probably everything.'
Aaryaksh thought looking at creepy smile of Kiyana.
"Out," Aaryaksh said quietly to Kiyana, gesturing toward the door.
Although he had decided to console Kiyana but for now it would definitely better for her to leave.
To the surprise, despite her jealousy and anger she grabbed Rahul by the arm and dragged him out with her without any question.
"definitely something is fishy." Aaryaksh murmured
"S-Sir!"
"Please! Don't leave me with this demon! She's terrifying!"
Rahul cried out pitifully as being pulled like a dog.
His feet scraped the floor, trying to hold onto anything. But Kiyana had already yanked him out of the coach, before he could even finish his plea.
Seeing this Aaryaksh almost laughed, and even Vaidehi's lips curled into a small smile.
As they left, he shut the door behind them and turned back to Vaidehi.
She was seated on the edge of the berth, fidgeting slightly. Shy. Nervous. Maybe even a little scared. He sat beside her, gently tilting her chin to face him.
"How's the swelling?" he asked softly with deep care.
"Is it hurting?"
She shook her head, eyes dropping.
He gently brushed her curly hair aside, watching how her lashes fluttered,
Then fondling her in his cover whispered coquettishly, as him arm touched her weights.
"I'll get a painkiller patch brought in… but first, go freshen up. Or should I come to help?"
Hearing this her whole face turned burning red. Without a word, she jumped to her feet and rushed toward the wash room
her cheeks are now glowing a deeper red.
As the door shut behind her, He chuckled under his breath.
"Vaidehi.. Vaidehi ah your smile… it's dangerous. It's making me fall for you. Once again." Aaryaksh murmured leaning flat in the seat.
Barely a moment passed before Kiyana burst back in, dragging Rahul like luggage again. The poor guy looked like he'd aged ten years.
"So?" Kiyana asked abruptly.
"Had you took the benefit to your hearts content? Spill! How was it?!" still filled with anger Kiyana asked with disgust.
Aaryaksh raised a brow, ignoring her question entirely.
"What's going on with the two of you? You've been acting strange since morning." Now seeing Aaryaksh ignoring her question all of her accumulated anger from the morning burst out.
Her amber eyes filled with tears as she sat on the opposite seat clenching her blonde curly hair.
Rahul opened his mouth—but Kiyana instantly clenched his shoulder hard enough to make him wince.
"Kiyana," Aaryaksh said, raising voice suddenly cold.
"Leave him."
Reluctantly, she released her grip. She sat down.
Seeing how furious she was and how furious she looked now with all her makeup ruined due to crying.
Making her look terrifying like pure rage wrapped in beauty.
Rahul's lips quivered as fled from the cabin.
Just Rahul left Aaryaksh sat beside Kiyana placing her head in his shoulder as she continued to whimper. Twitching to breath.
"Kiyana—" Aaryaksh began, softly, gently stroking her back.
"No." Her voice cracked as she interrupted Aaryaksh.
"Don't say anything master I understand?" she said with stammering voice due to excessive crying.
As Aaryaksh heard her calling him master he understands that now seeing him her crush whom she admired whole heartedly with her best friend totally broke her heart.
"Kiyana listen to me I admire your talent but still. I've different feelings for Vaidehi."
"And for you knowledge last night nothing happed as your dirty brain is thinking. Due to some incident she needed comfort so."
Aaryaksh tried to explain.
Kiyana laughed bitterly,
"Comfort. Of course master. That's what you're calling it." as more drops started falling from her eyes.
Her eyes never leaving his she asked. "Tell me, Master—if it had been me crying last night… would you have held me too?"
Of course you are my only disciple and as your master it's my duty to solve all of your problems and comfort you.
"Oh yeah sure master. May be I had forgotten my limits and thought for aiming high." her eyes filled with tears of disappointment.
But due to their current relation she had no right to argue of question him. So she silently endured controlling her tears as Aaryaksh left the cabin after comforting her.
'Do you even realise what you had done to me Aaryaksh. Now my whole brain is filled with only you, I didn't asked to feel this way had I, then why me.'
'Am I any inferior to Vaidehi in all I am also a spirit now and I all had the bigger one then her." She fondled her bigger ones
"Then still why Vaidehi not me'
Even though she tried hard to compress her feelings for her best friend but compelled by love. She can't endure to see her only best friend with the one she started to love with all of her.
'And what hurts most is that you had noticed how Vaidehi felt for you but even with my direct approach you didn't even care to look how I started falling for you. And with our current status how can I even question you.'
'haha wonderful master. But still one day I'll claim you it doesn't matter either you take me as your wife, lover or a mare concubine'
'you had made your choice so did I'
Kiyana talked to herself as Aaryaksh exited.
Here as Aaryaksh left the cabin he raised his head and took a deep breath.
'I know... I know about your feelings Kiyana but still now is not the time. And I never meant to hurt you'
While Aaryaksh was looking outside through train's door thinking about his current situation.
Rahul approached him
He began to speak in a wounded tone. "Sir… she beat me. For total half an hour."
Hearing this Aaryaksh's eyes nearly bulged out.
"Who.. who beat you."
"Sister Kiyana"
"Why would she beat you?" Aaryaksh asked, with a serious face.
"She was sitting like a statue all night," Rahul began, voice trembling.
"Eyes closed. Didn't move. I got scared when I woke up at four a.m. to drink water. I thought maybe she fainted… or worse."
"So, I approached her… gently shook her shoulder. No response. I got worried, so I just shake her a little. That's when all hell broke loose!"
He sniffled.
"She thought I was trying to do something of her or something… She twisted my arm so hard I couldn't scream. Then she covered my mouth and dragged me out—so you wouldn't wake up."
"But as I don't know why just as she looked toward you her aura become even terrifying."
"She beat me, sir. Head to toe. Left only my face untouched so you wouldn't notice."
"She went berserk!" Rahul cried,
After telling the whole story he lifting his shirt.
His torso was a map of bruises—black, purple, crimson blotches all over. It was… horrific. And hilarious.
Suddenly Aaryaksh's forehead was filled with small droplets of sweat.
"It is a relief that she is in deep love with me or god knows if I really were in relationship with her considering her attitude what she would have done to me. But still as her master I couldn't air her rampage behaviour. I have to discipline her.'
After thinking carefully and understanding the whole story he quickly moved to the cabin with Rahul.
"Kiyana!" he shouted.
As Aaryaksh entered the cabin seeing him with Rahul she instantly
understood the situation and all her previous thought vaporised.
Seeing how furious Aaryaksh is even her previous tears dried and she started trembling with fear.
Because after reading few book and understanding the laws of the spiritual realm she now understands that if Aaryaksh wanted as her master he could imprison her and torture her near death to discipline. This is the reason there are very less direct disciples with soul bound. They were literally nothing more than a slave type disciple.
"Did you seriously use your spiritual power on him?!" Aaryaksh asked her through their soul link.
She nodded hesitantly.
Aaryaksh sighed, pulling out a recovery pill and giving it to Rahul. "Eat this and Go rest, Take a nap. You've earned it."
Then he turned back to her, his tone stern now more fierce.
"Do you even realise what you've done? After spiritual soul activation, your strength increases tenfold—and grows with time. You used raw strength, Kiyana. Raw. He could've died. If he weren't trained, he'd be in a coma. For now he is just a martial artist noting more than a mortal"
He approached her and grabbed her by her arm. And pulled her towards the very cabin in which he train her yesterday.
Seeing how furious Aaryaksh was Kiyana now started trembling with fear near to wet herself.
As he throw her in the cabin she couldn't bear and really wet.
Seeing this first Aaryaksh was surprised because he was just going to give her some piece of mind but who knows what she was thinking this whole time that lead to this.
'She looked genuinely scared now. Although it is also Good.'
then he just broke the door lock from inside and locked it from outside.
"Master" she tried to stop but with Aaryaksh strength she just had to bear.
As he locked the door she stared to slam the door crying.
"Sorry master, please open the door. I'll never do this again. Please master."
but her pleas done nothing effect to Aaryaksh instead he activated the soul link and warned her fiercely.
"If you don't want me to become ruthless. Just endure this punishment."
"but master"
"And No buts!" he snapped. "You've got just to endure thirty minutes before Vaidehi's back."
But she knew that Aaryaksh had again placed the space-time dome. And slowed the time inside by 50x.
Mean half an hour outside equals nearly a days inside in deep darkness. Due to space lock she can't even go to her soul realm.
Leaning against the cool metal wall, Aaryaksh waited for Vaidehi to finish freshening up. He was still thinking was he too strict with Kiyana now.
But for keeping Kiyana at limit he had to do this. By this at least
form now she might compress her feelings.
While on the other side.
As the darkness engulfed Kiyana curled herself in fear but still no one can stop her from chasing Aaryaksh.