Rhea knew better than to feel safe.

Moments of peace in Hastinapura were like ripples in water—brief, deceptive, and always leading to something worse.

And the moment she saw Shakuni standing at the far end of the courtyard, watching her, she knew her time had just run out.

She forced herself to breathe evenly as he approached.

There was something about Shakuni's presence that felt unnatural, like the shift in air before a storm. His smile never quite reached his eyes, his movements always too smooth, too measured.

A man who played games for a living.

And Rhea was no player.

"Such a lovely sight," he drawled, stopping a few steps away. "A quiet courtyard, a troubled expression... and a girl who thinks she's invisible."

Rhea stiffened. Not good.

She knew Shakuni didn't waste words. If he was here, it wasn't for idle conversation.

She carefully schooled her expression into something neutral. "And yet, here you are. Watching."

Shakuni chuckled, slow and amused. "Ah, but I watch everyone, my dear. That's my nature." He tilted his head. "The real question is... why are you so concerned about being watched?"

Rhea forced herself to meet his gaze, to hold it.

"Should I be concerned?"

His lips curled. "That depends entirely on you."

She exhaled slowly. "If you have something to say, Shakuni, say it."

His gaze flickered—just for a second, but it was there. A sign that he was assessing her, calculating.

Then, smoothly, he stepped closer.

"Curiosity is a dangerous thing," he murmured. "It can make enemies out of powerful people. It can dig graves for the unwary."

Rhea's fingers curled slightly. This was a warning.

But it wasn't just that.

It was also an invitation.

A test to see whether she would cower—or step forward.

She hesitated.

Then, because her instinct for survival warred with something else—something reckless, she smiled faintly.

"And yet," she said, voice quiet, "it seems you value it enough to keep me alive."

For the first time, Shakuni actually looked surprised.

Then, slowly, he grinned.

"Oh, I like you," he murmured.

Rhea wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a very, very bad thing.

Shakuni didn't stay long after that.

He had come to deliver his message, to remind her that he saw her, that he knew she was looking.

And now, he was waiting to see what she would do next.

But as he disappeared into the palace corridors, a weight settled in Rhea's chest.

Because something about that conversation felt off.

Not just the warning. Not just the game.

But the fact that he hadn't asked her to stop.

That night, she lay awake in her quarters, staring at the ceiling, trying to piece it all together.

Vidura had given her a name. Karna had warned her that she wasn't as invisible as she thought. Duryodhana was testing her. The Pandavas were watching her. And now, Shakuni had spoken to her—not as a threat, but as if she was someone worth noticing.

That was the most dangerous thing of all.

Because it meant she wasn't just a bystander anymore.

She was becoming part of the game.

And she didn't know how to stop it.

Author's Note:

RHEA, WHAT ARE YOU DOING? 😏

👀 Shakuni didn't tell her to stop. 👀 He's testing her instead. 👀 And now, she's officially caught in the web of palace politics.