Kali : The Awakening

Chapter Eighteen - Antra ❤ Ryhan

"I have loved you, and I will love you forever. Even if I am no longer in this mortal world, I will still keep on loving you, my Antra."

⨇⨈⨇⨈⨇

Ryhan was sleeping soundly on his bed, mumbling Antra's name in his sleep.

"Antra, where have you been?"

"Ray, I'm back. I'm sorry for leaving you."

"Don't be sorry, sunshine. I know there must've been a reason," he whispered, holding her close and wrapping her in a warm embrace. He kissed her head. "Now that you're here, everything will be alright."

Antra and Kritika stood on either side of his bed. Tears welled up in Antra's eyes as she listened to him. Even in his sleep, he somehow knew she was back. They had to find their daughter, but first, Ryhan needed to wake up.

They couldn't afford to take him legally—the involvement of mortal doctors would cause more chaos and draw unwanted attention to their situation. They had to smuggle him out, either by waking him or sneaking him away while he slept.

"Kritika, we need to wake him or take him with us as he is. What do you think?" Antra asked, second-guessing her decision. "What do you see?"

Kritika folded her arms, smirking. "Really, Antra? Do I have to see through time every time you need reassurance?"

Antra rolled her eyes. "Of course not! I just need help making a decision. And why would I ask you to look into the future for this?"

"You literally just did," Kritika shot back, raising an eyebrow. "'What do you see?' What does that mean in mortal language?"

Antra sighed. "I said it, but I didn't mean it *that* way."

Kritika shook her head with mock exasperation. "We've only been here for two hours, and you're already picking up human speech habits. It's confusing. When you talk to me, stick to the point. No metaphors or strange mortal sayings. Got it?"

Despite her stern words, a playful grin tugged at the corners of Kritika's lips.

"Yes, yes, my all-knowing Seer," Antra replied, mixing a joke with a hint of seriousness. "Now let's decide before the nurse checks in on him."

"You're right," Kritika agreed. "We should wake him first. I'll stand outside and keep watch while you do it. Take your time—but not too much. Clear?"

Antra nodded. Kritika gave her a quick glance before slipping out of the room, leaving her alone with Ryhan.

"Ray," Antra called to him in a soft whisper. "Wake up. I'm here," she whispered in his ear.

She kissed him gently—first on his eyes, then on his nose, slowly moving towards his lips. The beautiful lips that once called her Sunshine. Holding his face in her hands, she whispered again, "Ray, wake up. Your Sunshine is here."

She rested her head on his chest, listening to the soft rhythm of his heartbeat—dum-dum, dum-dum. A tear slipped from her eye, falling onto his chest.

"Sunshine?" Ryhan murmured, stroking her hair. "You're back! Am I dreaming?"

Antra looked up at him, her eyes brimming with emotion. "No, you're not dreaming." She kissed him softly on the lips. "I'm here."

Ryhan sat up in bed, still holding Antra's hand. He stared at her, as if trying to capture this moment forever, wishing to freeze time and keep her with him.