𝐏𝐭.𝟏 𝐨𝐟 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝟏 𝐨𝐟 𝐕𝐢𝐤𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐒𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐤𝐬𝐡𝐚 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 ⋆₊˚༺𖦹❖𖦹༻ ˚₊⋆ Silence surrounded me, as if this place existed outside of time itself. No sound at all except for my own heartbeat, pounding in my ears. A single step onto that path could mean death. I stood still at the threshold, my hands gripping the rough, weathered stone of the open doors. I didn't step forward. And then; A whisper. Low. Soft. Almost- 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨. "प्रिया विक्रमेश्वरी... वे आप हमारे साथ आएगी ना? विक्रमात्मिका, मेरा समिक्षा |" ("Beloved Vikrameshwari [Vikram's Queen/ Vikram's Goddess].... won't you come with me? Vikramātmikā [Vikram's soul/essence/embodiment], My Samiksha.") The voice slid through the air, curling around my name with an unsettling familiarity. It was neither a demand nor a question. It simply... was. My heart pounded. My breath caught. Who was it? I turned my head sharply to the right. No one. Swallowing, I turned to the left; And there he stood. A figure, towering at least a feet above me. Gazing at me with those unreadable-Amber eyes. I gasped. And then I woke up. Gasping. Soaked in sweat. As if I had truly been there; lived it, breathed it, barely survived it. "Samiksha...", A voice - real - behind me. I turned. Vikram Rao Nandan. My alliance husband. Sat there... eyes the same amber, but this time they burned like the ones in my dream. Before I could speak, he did. And his voice was different. Final. Like a verdict. "You and I are always meant to be, my beloved. Even if I have to hunt you down from the ends of the world... even from the depths of darkness itself. We belong together. 𝐕𝐢𝐤𝐫𝐚𝐦 & 𝐒𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐤𝐬𝐡𝐚- 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳."