20. A CROWN OF SHADOWS

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Qismat se humein aap humdam mil gaye
Jaise ki dua ko alfaaz mil gaye
Socha jo nahin woh hasil ho gaya
Chahun aur kya ke khuda de ab mujhe

Rab se mila ek ayaan ban gaye
Khwabo ka mere muqaam ban gaye
Aap ki tareef mein kya kahe
Aap humari jaan ban gaye

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The ballroom was grand but cloaked in shadows, its gilded edges dulled under the dim light that barely flickered from overhead chandeliers

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The ballroom was grand but cloaked in shadows, its gilded edges dulled under the dim light that barely flickered from overhead chandeliers.

Hushed whispers and murmurs filled the space as figures from every corner of the underworld gathered, each eyeing one another with suspicion, calculation, and a touch of curiosity.

Every face was known, each person here someone powerful or ruthless in their own right.

Yet the question lingered in every glance they cast around the room: why had they been summoned tonight?

I stood next to Ghost, feeling the weight of their collective gaze settle on me, the outsider, the unknown.

I forced myself to keep my posture strong, even as their stares grew sharper, sizing me up.

The air was thick with tension, the kind that only grows when dangerous people are left to wonder.

Someone near the front broke the silence, his voice carrying a note of impatience.

"Ghost, what’s the meaning of this gathering?" His tone held the weight of a threat, a challenge to the king himself.

A few others murmured in agreement, shifting in place, their eyes narrowing.

It was rare for Ghost to call them all together, and rarer still without reason.

They were here for more than drinks and small talk—they wanted answers.

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