The night wrapped the Rao Mansion in an unsettling silence, thick with shadows that clung to the walls like silent spectators. Somewhere in the depths of the house, Bhundi was still performing her rituals. I should pray to Kuldevi and to the Sati Asara. Their blessings were the only thing standing between us and whatever lurked in the dark.

I sat cross-legged on the cold marble floor, closing my eyes. My breathing slowed, the rhythmic chants forming on my lips. But as my mind sank into meditation, an image flickered into existence behind my closed lids Samiksha.

She stood before me in a soft pink kurta, the ends of her dupatta fluttering as if caught in an invisible breeze. Her smirk was sharp, teasing.

"Shouldn’t you thank me?" she asked, tilting her head. "You're rich now, Mini. Richy rich."

A tear burned its way down my cheek.

"Don't cry," she said, her voice strangely light, as if she were already slipping away. "This is ending soon. We've been fighting for years, haven’t we?"

I tried to call out to her, to make her stay, but she was already dissolving, her outline breaking apart like mist. My eyes flew open. The room was exactly as I had left it dim, silent, unchanged. But the weight in my chest remained.

No time to dwell. It was still 2 a.m., and I had to keep praying. Bhundi needed all the strength she could get.

I pressed my palms together again, focusing on the Sati Asara’s blessings. The air around me thickened, the room feeling distant, as if reality itself was unraveling at the edges.

Then

"Child, don't fret. We are always with you."

The voice was soft, melodious, and all-encompassing. It settled around me like a whisper carried on the wind, then vanished into nothingness. My breath hitched. Had I imagined it?

Before I could process it, a series of sharp knocks shattered the silence.

Bang. Bang. Bang.

I stiffened. Someone was at the door.

The knocking stopped before I could gather my bearings. My hands trembled as I reached for the clock beside me. 3:00 a.m. The air was colder than before, the chill seeping into my bones.

One more hour until Brahma Muhurta.

"Mini! Minitai!"

Ramya’s voice.

What was she doing here?

I stayed still, heart hammering against my ribs. Aunt Radha had been clear tonight, there would be no servants in the house. So why was Ramya calling me?

Her footsteps retreated. Silence returned.

I forced myself to breathe. I had to wait. I had to be careful.

A few moments later, another knock softer, more measured.

Aunt Radha.

I opened the door a crack. She looked drained, her face pale under the dim hallway light.

"It’s done," she murmured. "Is everything well here?"

I leaned in, whispering about the knocking. About Ramya.

Her expression didn’t change. She only nodded, her voice hushed but firm.

"Don’t open the door until sunrise."

I shut the door and locked it.

Then, I waited.