One more week had passed, and now, finally, we were leaving Vyantara.

Rudraksha had been extremely protective of me since I had convinced him to let me come along. Not that I minded-I liked seeing this side of him, though I would never admit it to his face. The way he always kept an eye on me, how he made sure I never overexerted myself, how his expression darkened whenever I winced in pain-it all made something warm stir inside me. But I didn't want to name this feeling.

Not yet.

I stood at the edge of the palace courtyard, watching as Rudraksha conversed with his soldiers, giving final orders before our departure. The men stood in rigid attention, listening intently to every word he spoke. He had a natural authority that commanded respect, and I admired that about him.

As I watched, my eyes drifted to the row of horses saddled and ready for the journey. One of them-a tall, black stallion-was brought forward. I immediately recognized it as his horse.

Rudraksha turned toward me and extended his hand. "Come," he said.

I blinked. "You expect me to ride with you?"

He chuckled, clearly amused. "It's not the first time we've shared a horse, Aranya."

I narrowed my eyes at him, pretending to be skeptical. "That was different."

"How?" he smirked.

I opened my mouth to argue but stopped. Damn it, he's right. I had already ridden with him before-when we went beyond the kingdom's barrier to retrieve the first mirror shard.

Seeing my hesitation, he added, "Would you rather ride alone?"

I glanced at the horses. I could ride one on my own, but... I wouldn't be able to keep up with him.

I sighed, placing my hand in his. His grip was firm yet gentle as he helped me up onto the horse before effortlessly mounting behind me.

The moment he settled, I felt the warmth of his presence, his strong arms on either side of me as he took the reins.

I swallowed. Okay, this is fine. Totally fine.

The gates of Vyantara slowly opened before us. A thrill ran through me as I realized-I was finally going to see the world outside Vyantara.

The journey started smoothly. The soldiers rode ahead, clearing the way as we moved through the dense forests and open plains. The fresh air, the endless sky-it was breathtaking. We'll go with the soldiers and keep them at a perfect distance in a disguise of course.

Rudraksha's arm brushed against mine as he adjusted his hold on the reins. He was so close that I could hear his steady breathing.

Trying to distract myself, I decided to strike up a conversation. "So, Maharaja-"

"Rudraksha," he corrected without hesitation.

I rolled my eyes but complied. "Rudraksha, this is the first time you're leaving Vyantara since the loop broke, right?"

"Yes."

"How does it feel?"

He was silent for a moment before replying, "It feels... strange. As if I've been trapped for a lifetime."

I hummed. "Well, that's because you were trapped. But hey, look at you now. Free as a bird."

He raised an eyebrow. "A bird?"

"You know, flying, going wherever it wants. No restrictions."

He smirked. "I hardly think I'm like a bird, Aranya. I rule a kingdom."

I laughed. "Fine, more like a lion then. Powerful, terrifying, but still majestic."

His smirk deepened. "So you think I'm majestic?"

I scoffed. "Don't let it go to your head, Maharaja."

"Rudraksha," he corrected again, his voice lower this time.

I cleared my throat. "Rudraksha," I muttered under my breath.

He seemed satisfied with that.

We rode in silence for a while before I let out a sigh. "This would've been much easier if we had a car."

"A what?"

I blinked, realizing my mistake. "Oh, right. You wouldn't know what that is."

His grip on the reins tightened slightly. "Explain."

I grinned, already enjoying this. "A car is a metal box on wheels that moves on its own."

He gave me a flat look. "A metal box that moves on its own? Do you take me for a fool?"

I laughed. "No, really! It's a vehicle. People in my time use them instead of horses."

He scoffed. "Impossible. How does it move?"

"Engines, fuel, science-" I waved my hand. "It's complicated."

He shook his head. "Your world sounds absurd."

"Oh, it gets better," I said mischievously. "We have flying metal boxes too."

He stared at me. "Now you're lying."

"I swear, I'm not!" I laughed. "They're called airplanes. They fly across the sky and take people to different places."

Rudraksha exhaled sharply. "You live in a world of madness."

I grinned. "Oh, you have no idea."

As the journey continued, I noticed scars on his forearm. My fingers moved before I could stop them, lightly tracing one of the scars.

His body tensed slightly.

Realizing what I was doing, I quickly pulled my hand back. "Sorry-"

He caught my wrist before I could fully retreat.

"You always apologize," he murmured, his golden eyes studying me.

I swallowed, unsure of what to say.

"Aranya," he said, his voice softer than usual. "You don't have to apologize for touching me."

There was something in his tone that made my heart race.

I quickly looked away. "I was just curious..."

He let go of my wrist but didn't move away. Instead, he leaned in slightly, his voice dropping lower. "If you're curious, ask. I'll answer."

I hesitated before asking, "How did you get them?"

He exhaled. "Wars. Battles. Protecting my people."

I nodded, and for a while, we said nothing. The only sound was the rhythmic clatter of the horse's hooves against the ground.

Then he added, almost as an afterthought, "The scars don't hurt."

I looked up at him.

"But yours do."

My breath hitched.

He was talking about my whip scars.

I quickly glanced away, forcing a smile. "Not as much anymore."

He hummed, clearly unconvinced.

I knew he still blamed himself. And I didn't know how to make him stop.

To lighten the mood, I smirked. "You know, if I lived here permanently, I think I'd make a great queen."

He arched an eyebrow. "If?"

I huffed. "Yes, if. Hypothetically."

He leaned closer. "You already act like one."

I rolled my eyes. "I do not."

"You order me around."

I gasped. "Excuse me ? When have I ever ordered you?"

He smirked. "Just now. You demanded I explain my scars. That's a command."

I narrowed my eyes. "That was curiosity, not a command."

He chuckled. "Either way, I seem to be taking orders from you."

I smirked. "Good. Get used to it."

His laughter was deep, warm, and it did something to me I wasn't ready to acknowledge.

For now, I focused on the journey ahead.

The world outside Vyantara awaited.