Bani’s eyes locked with Veer's. “What’s the plan?”

Veer’s gaze was intense, his jaw clenched. “We get what we need from Mayuri. They’re overconfident.They don't know we know.”

Bani’s arms crossed, her expression firm. “We can’t let them see through us. Jai thinks we’re behind. We prove him wrong.”

Veer stepped closer, his voice low. “I’ve been proving people wrong my whole life, Bani.”

Bani’s gaze was unwavering, her voice cold. “And I’ll do whatever it takes to end this war.”

For a brief moment, their eyes met—two warriors, bound by necessity.

Veer’s voice softened, but his tone was serious. “We’ll do it together."
Bani nodded sharply. “Let’s focus on Mayuri. She’s the key.”

Veer’s eyes darkened again. “She won’t escape this time.”

******
Veeranshu and Bani kidnapped Mayuri from her apartment. The darkness of the forest surrounding their hideout .

As Mayuri struggled, Veer and Bani exchanged a glance. They both knew that this was the crucial moment—getting the information from her was their best chance to move against Jai, Markaat, and their army. They couldn't afford any mistakes.

Bani stepped forward, her eyes hard with resolve. "Tell us what we need to know, Mayuri," she said, her voice cold, yet with an edge of anger beneath it. "Who is Markaat working with? What’s your role in this?What have you planned with Jai."

Mayuri's eyes widened, realizing her situation. She had always been overconfident in her dealings, but now she was trapped. Her usual bravado faltered. "You don’t know what you’re messing with," she snapped.

Bani’s gaze hardened. Without a word, she stepped closer and slapped Mayuri across the face. The sharp sound echoed in the room, and Mayuri flinched, her confidence visibly shaken.

"Start talking, or the next one won’t be so easy," Bani threatened, her voice low and dangerous.

Mayuri’s eyes flickered with fear now. She had underestimated the resolve of her captors. The slap had left a sting that rattled her composure. Veer stepped forward, his dark eyes gleaming with authority. "We’re not here for games, Mayuri. We want answers. Now."

Mayuri swallowed hard, left with no choice but to comply.

"Alright," she muttered, her voice trembling slightly. "I’ll tell you everything. But you won’t get anything from me without consequences."

Bani's expression remained unflinching as she leaned closer, her voice cold. "Tell us what we need to know. Who’s behind the attacks? What’s Jai’s role? And where is Markaat planning next?"

Mayuri hesitated, but the fear in her eyes betrayed her. “Jai... he’s planning something bigger. Markaat has a larger army—he’s got connections with the cheels and naags. Jai and Shukla... they’re in this together. They’ve been plotting for months.”

Veer’s eyes narrowed at the mention of Shukla. He already knew about Shukla’s betrayal, but hearing it confirmed from Mayuri’s mouth only fueled his anger. "Where is Markaat hiding? How do we find him?"

Mayuri’s voice wavered. "Markaat... he’s been operating in the shadows. But Jai has been in charge of distracting you—he work.with Maarkat ... he plans to strike soon, with all the power he’s gathered."

Bani exchanged a look with Veer, her eyes reflecting the gravity of the situation. They had what they needed, but they couldn’t let Mayuri know how much they had already pieced together.

"Enough," Bani snapped. "You’re not going anywhere until we say so."

Veer grabbed Mayuri by the arm and, without another word, dragged her to the deepest chambers of the Cheel Lok. He locked her in the high-security dungeon, where no one would be able to reach her.

With Mayuri secured, Bani and Veer returned to their quiet war room, the weight of their newfound knowledge pressing down on them.

"We need to act fast," Bani said, her mind racing. "But we can’t let Jai and Markaat know that we know everything."

Veer’s jaw clenched as he thought. “I’ve been dealing with Jai for years. He’ll underestimate us. Let’s feed him false information, make him believe we’re still in the dark.”

Bani nodded. "Exactly. We play the fool. Let them think we’re clueless about their plans. But we’ll be planning in the shadows. I’ll prepare my warriors, and you prepare yours. We’ll strike when they least expect it."

Veer’s eyes gleamed with a dangerous edge. "And we keep Shukla out of this. Mayuri mentioned his betrayal—he’s been working with Jai all along. He won’t know about our moves either."

Bani crossed her arms, her gaze sharpening. "I’ll make sure Jai doesn’t get wind of this. He still believes I’m on his side. He doesn’t know I’ve already figured him out. We’ll make him think he has control, while we prepare our counterattack."

Veer stepped closer, his voice low and filled with purpose. "And if we need to deal with Jai and Markaat once and for all... we’ll be ready. But we have to be patient."

Bani smiled coldly, the plan taking shape in her mind. "Patience is a luxury we don't have. But we’ll make them regret underestimating us."

As the two of them stood in the flickering light of the room, the walls seemed to close in, the pressure of the coming war building. But Bani and Veer were ready. They had the information they needed, and they had each other.

They exchanged a final glance. The game had begun.