𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐇𝐞𝐫 𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧

57⚚ Cracking

Author POV:

Daksh and Rithvik held Viraj down with all their strength, their arms bracing his trembling body like anchors against a storm. But it wasn't enough.

Not when the man between them was on the verge of combusting. Every inch of Viraj's body radiated fury — a rage so raw and blinding that even the walls seemed to shrink back from it.

His veins throbbed, his breath came in harsh, uneven gasps, and his eyes—God, his eyes—looked like molten fire, desperate to find her. To hold her.

To make sure his baby and the baby growing inside her are safe. If he didn't see Amaira soon, he is going to explode—rip through every man, wall, and kingdom in his way.

Just few minutes before, Gaurav had grabbed him by the collar and shoved him back down onto the couch with a force that shook the entire room. His voice thundered with more power than any sword ever could.

"Listen to me, Viraj!" he roared, eyes blazing. "Amaira is my sister. I will tear kingdoms apart and paint every throne with the blood of the men who dared touch her. I swear on my life—I will bring her back."

"But you don't move. Not a damn inch. You leave this room, and I will never forgive you."

Viraj had closed his eyes then, his jaw clenched so tight it ached, fists trembling like they were ready to snap bones. He wanted to scream. To rip apart everything in his path.

But he had made a promise—a sacred one to Amaira. He had promised to listen to Gaurav, no matter what. And even in this unbearable moment, he would not break his word.

Because that promise was the only thing keeping him from becoming a monster.

Ash stepped forward then, placing a hand on Viraj's shoulder, he lifted his eyes glancing at X-King tone gentle but resolute. "Your Majesty... please rest. We'll take care of the rest. I give you my word."

Across the room, the former king sat silently, worry etched deep into the lines of his face. He hadn't spoken a word since the outburst.

But the way all the boys moved, the tension clinging to the air, the fury sparking off their skin—it told him everything. Something was terribly wrong. And Amaira... his daughter... she was at the heart of it.

He didn't ask questions. He had no right to. Not after what he'd done. But one thing he knew is that these boys, his daughter's brothers, are warriors of a kind he had never seen.

And he had full faith in them. They would burn the world before they let a single scratch touch Amaira.

With that quiet trust, he turned away. Two guards silently fell into step behind him as he left the room and made his way back to his chambers, heart heavy but hope alive.

Ash turned now to Agastya, who sat frozen like stone.

His face was eerily blank, devoid of emotion, as if someone had hollowed him out from the inside. His eyes stared into nothing, lips sealed shut, and his hands resting limply on his knees. He hadn't moved since the start.

Ash's sighed at the sight. He motioned silently to Rithvik and Daksh to stay close to Viraj. Both of them nodded, understanding the weight of the silence that had wrapped around them all like a storm waiting to break.

And somewhere, not far from that storm's center, Amaira was preparing to end it.

***

Viraj growled, the sound low and guttural, eyes blazing as they locked onto Agastya—who stood there like a lifeless shell, head bowed, eyes empty, his entire body frozen like a statue.