Gali Riven ke kadmon se kaanp uthi. Uske aas-paas shadows zinda saapon ki tarah lapetne lagi. Hunters ruk gaye—unka confidence ab darr me badal chuka tha. Unhone pehle kabhi aisa killer nahi dekha tha—jo sirf khoon ki bhookh se nahi, balki pyaar se driven ho.
Cage ke andar se Ariana ne yeh sab dekha. Uski aankhen phail gayi. Riven ke ird-gird uthti dark energy usse mehsoos hui—aur usi pal, uske seene ke andar bhi kuchh jag utha. Ek garmahat si phail gayi—aisi taaqat jise woh samajh nahi pa rahi thi, par phir bhi us par bharosa tha.
Riven ki awaaz chaos ko kaat-ti hui nikli.
“Hatt jao. Woh meri hai. Aur mujhe koi nahi rok sakta.”
Hunters hichkichaye. Ek ne blade uthaya. Usi pal, Ariana ke seene se roshni chamki. Woh andhi kar dene wali nahi thi, par usey nazarandaz bhi nahi kiya ja sakta tha. Cage ki salakhain kaanpi, phir uski taraf jhukne lagi—jaise uski marzi se khinchi ja rahi ho.
Riven beech me hi ruk gaya—dekhne se pehle hi mehsoos kar liya. Uska dil ek pal ko ruk sa gaya.
“Ariana?” woh dheere se bola.
Woh aage badhi, darr aur himmat dono saath.
“Main… main tumhari madad kar sakti hoon.”
Hunters ka leader aankhen sikod kar bola,
“Namumkin! Woh toh sirf ek insaan hai!”
“Sirf insaan nahi,” Riven ne kaha, uski nazar us par tik gayi.
“Woh Lumina Heart hai. Aur usey main protect karunga.”
Ariana ki power phir se dhadki—iss baar aur zyada strong. Roshni aur andhera mil gaye jab Riven ne uska haath thaama. Jaise bijli dono ke jism se guzar gayi—power aur emotion ek saath ulajh gaye.
Ek pal ke liye sab kuchh tham gaya. Shehar, ladai, khatra—sab jaise ghul sa gaya.
Phir hunters ne dobara attack kiya, darr ab desperation me badal chuka tha.
Riven muskuraya, shadows jaanleva roop lete hue.
“Aane do,” woh dheere se bola.
“Main unhe dikhaunga ke pyaar kya kar sakta hai.”
END OF chapter 9
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