Shehar so raha tha, lekin Ariana nahi.
Woh Riven ke hideout ke ek chhote se window ke paas baithi thi—ek purani, abandoned tower mein, jo shehar ki roshniyon se door chhupi hui thi. Moonlight floor par gir rahi thi, shaant aur silvery, jaise awaaz karne se bhi darr rahi ho.
Riven uske peeche kuch kadam door khada tha.
“Tumhe ghar chale jaana chahiye,” usne kaha. “Mere paas rehna tumhe already badal raha hai.”
Ariana ne mudkar dekha, uski aankhon mein softness thi par awaaz mein poori firmness.
“Maine apni poori zindagi ye mehsoos kiya hai jaise kuch missing ho. Tumse milne ke baad… lagta hai jaise woh cheez finally jaag gayi ho.”
Riven ka jabda tight ho gaya.
“Woh roshni,” usne dheere kaha, “insaano ki nahi hai.”
Uske jism mein ek thandi si sarsarahat daud gayi. “Iska kya matlab hai?”
Riven ruk gaya, phir woh sach bola jisse woh sabse zyada darta tha.
“Bahut pehle, jab curse mujhse bandha bhi nahi tha, ek prophecy thi. Ek aisi rooh jo andhere ko khatam kiye bina shaant kar sake.”
Ariana ki saans atak si gayi.
“Usse Lumina Heart kaha gaya,” Riven ne aage kaha. “Ek aisi hasti jo insaan ke roop mein paida hoti hai, bina jaane ki woh kya hai… jab tak pyaar use jagaa na de.”
Dono ke beech khamoshi phail gayi.
“Toh tumhe lagta hai… woh main hoon?” usne halki si awaaz mein pucha.
“Mujhe lagta nahi,” Riven ne narmi se kaha. “Main use mehsoos karta hoon.”
Woh khadi hui aur uski taraf chal di. Unke beech ka faasla kisi bhi jung se zyada bhaari lag raha tha.
“Agar main wahi hoon,” usne kaha, “toh shayad mera hona kisi wajah se hai. Shayad mujhe tumse milna hi tha.”
Riven ne haath badhaya… phir rok liya. Uski aankhon mein darr chamak utha.
“Agar maine tumhe waise chhua jaise main chahta hoon… toh shayad main tumhe kabhi chhod hi na paun.”
Ariana ne khud hi woh faasla mita diya.
Usne apna matha uske seene se laga diya. Uske kaan ke paas uska dil pagalpan se dhadak raha tha.
“Toh phir chhodna mat,” usne dheere se kaha.
Pehli baar, Riven ne kisi ko bina darr ke apni baahon mein liya.
Baahar, dono se anjaan, aasmaan mein ek nishaan jal utha.
Prophecy ko pehchaan liya gaya tha.
Aur duniya jung ke liye taiyaar hone lagi thi.
END OF chapter 6
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