Chapter 34: In the Secret Room


    Maya''s eyes fell on a huge painting hung on the musty wall. It was covered with dust and looked


    disheveled. "Look at this," said Maya and took a few steps towards it.


    The painting depicted a courtroom with the king sitting on his throne surrounded by 11 subordinates.


    They were all dressed in red robes with the king donning a golden crown on his head.


    "How many subordinates did King Himaqat have?" questioned Advika as she scanned the painting,


    trying to remove the dust from it. "Eleven," said Maya staring at the painting. "But we can''t conclude


    like that."


    "Of course, I was just-"


    There was a click that drew their attention. Advika''s heart skipped a beat as she turned to look at the


    door. Maya rushed towards it and pulled the door handles with all her might, almost swinging from it.


    Advika looked around trying to bring her breathing to normal. She spotted a window and rushed


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    towards it. "Maya!" she called and scanned for the opening of the hexagonal window. The edges and


    corners were covered in rust, making it impossible to open. Maya knocked on the window. "ss can


    be broken," she said.


    Maya lifted her right leg and fit the ss forcefully. Advika searched the room as Maya kept kicking the


    ss.


    Jewellery, swords, old velvet clothes, daggers, and some locked books were all she found. "Maya," she


    said and sat on the dusty ground. "It seems like some king, queen, prince, or princess lived here."


    Maya, breathing heavily, staggered towards Advika and sat on her knees. "Do you realise," she almost


    screamed, "that we are stuck in an unknown ce with nowork."


    Advika immediately checked the signal on her phone. She took a deep breath. "Maya," she said. "I


    know we are stuck and, rx we will get out of here."


    "How? How Advika!?"


    "Calm down," said Advika. "Remember the first poin-"


    "O! shut up!" said Maya and got to her feet. "I don''t need your tips. Just tell me, how are we going to


    get out of here?"


    Advika closed her eyes and pictured Zarna. She stretched her arms and sat cross-legged. She took a


    few more deep breathes rxing her body and senses. She felt the bond she had with Zarna and


    visualized her as though she was sitting right in front of her.


    "Zarna," she said in her mind. "Zarna, me and Maya are stuck here in this secret room of the temple.


    Please help. Do not tell Tej or Ray. Try the voice changer app I installed on your phone. Talk to my and


    Zarna''s parents. Tell them we are safe and will stay at your house."


    ~~~~~


    A ss slipped from Zarna''s hand and met the floor. "Zarna," said Swarna. "Are you alright?"


    "Yes," said Zarna. "I''m sorry, I-"


    "No problem, dear," said Swarna. "The maid will clean it. It''s okay."


    ~~~~~


    Daksh stepped inside what seemed like a small hut. It had several doors and windows to it. There was


    plenty of room inside. He failed to understand how this magic worked. These huts appeared small from


    outside but, the interiors were surprisingly not less than any hotel.


    He sshed some water on his face and rested his arms on the sides of the earthen pot kept in the


    corner of the room. The water droplets dripping off his face as he ran his fingers through his thick


    auburn hair that reached just above the nape of his neck.


    He closed his eyes; the memories from his childhood, spamming his mind with Dai Ma''s face running


    all over it. After his mother, Tara, Dai Ma was the one who had looked after him and his brothers, while


    they were alive. He felt as if someone had crushed his heart with their bare hands.


    Tears escaped from his eyes. He fell to the ground,nding on his knees.


    Rishi stood at the door, watching Daksh cry from a distance. A tear slid from his eye. He pursed his lips


    and punched the door slightly, sobbing.


    ~~~~~