The Lost Crown.

chapter 15 - The crown's betrayal.

Chapter 15: The crown's betrayal.

Ishaani’s heart raced as she stood before the door. The mansion loomed behind her, a silent witness to years of secrets buried deep in its foundation. The weight of what she had discovered pressed heavily on her chest, but she couldn’t afford to stop now. This was the moment she had been searching for, the moment where every shattered memory began to make sense.

Her fingers trembled as she pulled the envelope from her coat pocket, the one she had stolen from Vikram’s office just hours earlier. It bore the royal insignia, a crest she had only seen in passing, yet something about it felt painfully familiar. As she carefully unfolded the delicate paper inside, her eyes scanned the letter, the words blurring before sharpening into clarity.

"To the heir of the Nareshwar throne—"

Ishaani’s heart skipped a beat. Nareshwar? The same royal family whose line had mysteriously vanished decades ago, the same kingdom that had fallen into chaos after the disappearance of their princess.

But the words that followed were even more chilling.

"The truth has been hidden long enough. You were never meant to know, but circumstances have changed. You are the last of the line, the rightful heir. It is time for you to reclaim your place, Ishaani Nareshwar."

Her knees buckled. Me? She staggered, catching herself on the doorframe. How could this be true? How could she—a girl abandoned at the doorstep of an orphanage, raised in the shadows of a cruel world—be royalty?

Her thoughts raced back to her childhood. The blurry faces, the half-formed memories of laughter, warmth, and then—darkness. It had always felt like something had been missing, like a piece of her past had been torn away. And now, the truth hit her like a cold wind, filling the gaps with a bitter clarity. Ishaani Nareshwar, the lost princess. It sounded absurd, but the letter in her hands was proof.

Suddenly, the creak of footsteps echoed through the empty hallway, and Ishaani snapped out of her reverie. She shoved the letter back into her coat and turned toward the sound.

"Who’s there?" Her voice was steady, but her heart pounded in her chest.

From the shadows, a figure emerged. Tall, cloaked in a long black coat, his face obscured by the dim light. But she recognized that presence instantly.

"Arnav."

He stepped forward, his dark eyes locking onto hers with an intensity that sent a chill down her spine. "I see you’ve found what you were looking for."

She clenched her fists, willing her emotions to remain in check. "You knew, didn’t you? All this time, you knew who I was."

Arnav’s gaze softened, just for a moment, before the cold, calculating mask returned. "Yes."

"Why didn’t you tell me?" she demanded, her voice rising with a mixture of anger and betrayal. "Why keep me in the dark? You could’ve—"

"Protected you?" Arnav interrupted, his tone sharp. "You think you would’ve been safe if you knew the truth? There are forces at play far beyond what you understand, Ishaani. If you had known, you would’ve been dead long ago."

His words cut deep, but Ishaani refused to back down. "I deserved to know. I’m not some pawn in your game, Arnav!"

He took another step toward her, closing the distance between them. "You are more than that. You are the key to everything." His voice dropped to a whisper, but it carried the weight of a thousand secrets. "The reason the Nareshwar line was targeted in the first place was because of what you represent. Power, Ishaani. Unimaginable power."

Her breath caught in her throat. "What are you talking about?"

"Do you really think this is about a crown? A throne?" Arnav’s voice was laced with frustration. "It’s not about the title. The Nareshwar family holds something far more dangerous. A power that can control kingdoms, destroy nations. And you are the last vessel for that power."

Ishaani took a step back, her mind reeling. The ground felt like it was shifting beneath her feet. "No… this can’t be real."

"It is." Arnav’s voice was eerily calm. "And the ones who took your family? They’re still hunting you. They’ve always been watching, waiting for the right moment to strike."

Her blood ran cold as the realization sank in. All her life, she had been running from shadows she couldn’t see, dangers she couldn’t name. And now, the truth was unraveling before her, piece by horrifying piece.

"What do they want?" she whispered.

"They want what’s inside you," Arnav replied, his gaze locking onto hers. "The power of the Nareshwar line. They believe that if they can control you, they can control everything."

A sudden crash from behind jolted them both out of the moment. Ishaani whipped around, her instincts flaring. The door she had entered through moments ago was now shattered, the sound of footsteps rushing toward them.

"They’ve found us," Arnav hissed. "We have to move—now!"

Before she could respond, Arnav grabbed her arm and pulled her toward the back of the mansion, toward the secret tunnels he had once shown her in passing. Her mind was still spinning, trying to process the magnitude of what she had learned, but there was no time.

As they disappeared into the darkness of the tunnel, Ishaani felt the weight of her destiny pressing down on her. This wasn’t just about finding her past anymore. This was about survival.

And the game had only just begun.