Echoes Of Destiny | Multicouple ✓

21. ECHOES OF A LONELY CASTLE

Hridhaan (8)
( Twenty years ago)

"I don't care about anything, Abhinav. I want my children safe!" Mom's voice cut through the air like a knife, and it made me flinch. She was yelling again. She'd been doing that a lot lately.

"Mythila, try to understand," Dad said, his tone exasperated. "I'm looking into it. Nothing can harm my family."

I stood in the hallway outside my parents' bedroom, trying not to breathe too loudly.

Eavesdropping is bad, Mom always said, but how could I not listen when they were fighting this much?

Something was wrong, even though Mom kept telling me everything was fine.

"No, Abhinav! I can't just sit around. They are threatening us, Abhi," Mom's voice cracked, and I felt a twist in my stomach.

She sounded so scared.

I wanted to rush in and hug her, to tell her that everything would be okay. But I knew I had to stay hidden.

It was wrong to eavesdrop, but it was worse to interrupt.

"Mythila," Dad's voice softened as he tried to calm her.

I could almost see him reaching out to hold her, to bring her close.

"Let's go to your father, Abhi. He'll protect us. He has power," Mom said, her words trembling.

The room fell silent.

I couldn't hear anything except my own heartbeat, thumping loudly in my ears.

"Mythila," Dad said again, but his voice was strained, like he was holding something back.

A warning.

"What?" Mom snapped. "We're in danger, Abhi. We need security. Only your father can protect us from them."

"He is the reason we are in this danger in the first place!" Dad's voice rose, and I jumped. "Besides, I left that life for you, Mythila. Don't ask me to go back into that dangerous and wicked place."

Grandpa?

I had never met him. Grandma used to say I had his confidence, but I'd never even seen a picture of him. He was just a name, a ghost, someone they never talked about.

I heard Mom start to cry, and I felt my heart ache. Why was this happening? Why were we in danger? I wished I could make everything better.

Dad's voice softened again. "Mythila, we're safe here. I won't let anything happen to you or our kids. I promise."

But Mom's sobs only grew louder, and I knew that promises couldn't always keep you safe. The world was a scary place, and it was getting scarier.

I wished I could run in and hold her, tell her that we'd be okay, but I stayed where I was, hiding in the shadows, afraid to move.

I didn't want to hear any more, but I couldn't help myself. I needed to know what was going on.

I just hoped that whatever was coming, we could face it together. Because I didn't want to lose my family. Not to anything, not to anyone.

___________________________

I walked back into my room to find Vrit playing with his blocks, building some intricate design that looked way too complex for a five-year-old.