Sanjana clutched the reins tightly, hoping the thunderous gallop of the horses would mask the wild beating of her heart.
Then she felt it—two strong hands gripping the reins alongside hers. She glanced down, and realization struck. This position… It was almost an embrace. No, it was 75% a hug, wasn't it? The warmth of him on either side, his presence engulfing her without crossing any boundaries.
She shut her eyes, trying to suppress the chaotic thoughts flooding her mind. But that only made things worse. Now, she could hear his deep, measured breathing, feel the slight shift of his muscles as he adjusted the reins.
Frustrated, she forced herself to focus on the road ahead. But her mind betrayed her, drifting back to him—the way he spoke, the way he carried himself, the way he extended his hand like a true gentleman. No unwanted touches. No unnecessary words. Nothing she could dismiss as ‘just another man.’ And that was precisely the problem.
No, this won’t do. If this continued for another hour, she would forget all the carefully studied treatment procedures she needed to serve. She’d stand there, dumbfounded, instead of tending to Aavya.
Determined to ground herself, she retreated into her mental abode.
To her surprise, the Destiny Chamber had a new quest notification:
Side Quest: Help Aavya successfully give birth.
Success Rewards:
? Reputation Increase: +10%
? An Eternal Sister – Chayya (Ability Unknown)
? New Ability – Pathosight
Failure Consequences:
? Reputation Decrease: -5%
Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.
Accept or Reject?
Sanjana barely hesitated. How could she turn away from someone in need? With a firm nod, she chose Accept.
A quick glance at the Karma Chamber showed a surge in the blue meter. Was that a good or bad sign? She made a mental note to discuss it with Sam later. For now, she retreated to the Accumulated Fortune Room, flipping through her mental collection of medical books until she finally found some peace.
---
A slight jolt shook her back to reality.
Her eyes fluttered open, only to meet a pair of fire-lit eyes staring straight into hers.
For a fleeting moment, she felt like she was still dreaming. Her gaze traced downward—the high nose bridge, sharp and proud, like the slopes of the Solar Kingdom’s mountains. No wonder even the great Lord Sun loves to fell for them at dusk.
She exhaled softly, utterly mesmerized. “So beautiful…” The words slipped out before she could stop them.
A burst of laughter jolted her awake.
Heat flooded her face as she realized what she’d just said—out loud.
Shit!
She hastily covered her face, but there was no hiding from this humiliation. The man responsible for her predicament, however, remained composed.
“Are you tired?” His voice was steady, as if he hadn’t just heard her foolish confession. “The horses can’t go any further. We have to walk from here.”
“No, no, no, no!” The words tumbled out too fast. She winced. Too many no’s, idiot. She forced herself to slow down. “I mean—I can walk. I’m perfectly fine.”
Without another word, he dismounted. Just as he reached to help her down, Soori brought over a horse ladder. Sanjana wasted no time climbing down, determined to maintain what little dignity she had left.
Before she could dwell on it further, his voice cut through the air, sharp and authoritative.
“Take the horses. Find water. Feed them properly. I want them well-rested.”
The command to his subordinates, though reasonable, carried an unmistakable edge of irritation.
She turned around to look thinking what's up with him. But the ethereal scene before her shocked her even further.
The handsome stranger stood with both hands full—carrying all of their medical equipment.
All of it.
Stuff that had previously been strapped to two horses.
Her brain short-circuited. Are you serious?!
Her gaze traveled from his hands to his forearms—taut muscles, bulging veins.
She swallowed hard.
Her friends had gushed about a man’s musculature before, but she’d never given such things a second thought. Now, standing before this human embodiment of strength, every word they’d said suddenly made sense.
Feeling her stare, she quickly averted her gaze. Thankfully, he had walked ahead, putting some distance between them.
Sanjana let out a small sigh of relief.
Then, out of nowhere, an image flashed in her mind—him walking ahead of her, two children on his shoulders, two more clinging to his arms.
A small, inexplicable smile played on her lips.
Wait. What the hell am I thinking?!
She smacked her forehead—loudly.
Her assistants jumped.
“What happened, Lady? You’ve been acting weird this whole trip.”
“Can’t you see? She lost something valuable,” one of them said sagely.
“Don’t tell me—it’s our lady’s heart?” another teased.
“Shut it, all of you!” she snapped, desperate to steer the conversation elsewhere. “We have important business. Focus and walk quickly.”
“Ah, so she finally realized,” murmured one of them, far too smug for her liking.
---
