Secrets in the Corridors

Rajgarh Palace – The Dimly Lit Hallway

The moment the maid bolted, Meera ran after her.

She didn’t know why.

Maybe it was instinct. Maybe it was the tension already buzzing in her veins.

Or maybe it was the way Aryan’s entire body had stiffened the second the tray had hit the floor.

Like he knew something wasn’t right.

"Sharma!" Aryan’s voice rang out behind her, sharp with irritation. "I told you to stay back!"

"Yeah, I don’t take orders from you," Meera shot back, her breath quickening as she sprinted down the corridor.

The palace was massive, but the maid was fast.

She twisted down narrow hallways, darted past towering statues, and disappeared into the shadows.

Meera skidded to a stop, her heart hammering. She turned a corner—

And slammed straight into a locked door.

Her pulse spiked.

It was old. Heavy. The kind of door that wasn’t meant to be touched.

Aryan caught up to her, his breath coming slightly faster, though he barely looked winded.

His dark eyes swept over the door before snapping back to Meera. "What the hell are you doing?"

Meera ignored him, pressing her ear against the wood. Silence.

The maid was gone.

"Damn it," she muttered.

Aryan stepped in front of her, too close. "Who do you think you are, running around like this?"

Meera exhaled sharply, refusing to back down. "That maid saw something. She was spying on us."

Aryan’s jaw clenched. "And you think chasing after her like a lunatic is the solution?"

Meera’s brows shot up. "I don’t see you doing anything useful, Your Highness."

Aryan’s eyes darkened.

Then, before she could react, he reached past her and tried the handle.

Locked.

"That’s weird," Meera murmured.

Aryan shot her a look. "This part of the palace is restricted."

Meera crossed her arms. "Restricted to whom?"

Aryan hesitated.

And that was all she needed to confirm it.

There was something behind this door. Something he didn’t want her near.

"Okay," she said slowly. "What aren’t you telling me?"

Aryan exhaled, pinching the bridge of his nose. "This is a waste of time. Let it go, Sharma."

Meera scoffed. "You know that’s not happening."

Aryan exhaled sharply, stepping back. "Fine. Do whatever you want. But if you get yourself into trouble, I won’t save you."

Meera smirked. "Wouldn’t dream of it."

Later That Night – The Hidden Passage

Meera couldn’t let it go.

That door.

That maid.

The way Aryan had been too quick to dismiss it.

So, hours later—long after the palace had settled into midnight stillness—she crept back toward the corridor.

The guards had changed shifts. The halls were quieter now.

She moved carefully, her bare feet making no sound against the cool marble floor.

When she reached the locked door, she hesitated.

Then, slowly, she pressed her fingers against the wood.

Why did this feel familiar?

Something about this hallway, about this section of the palace—

It was like she had stood here before.

Her stomach twisted. That wasn’t possible.

Before she could think too much, a sound caught her attention.

A whisper.

She whipped around—

And nearly screamed when she saw a figure standing in the shadows.

A woman.

The same maid from earlier.

Meera’s heart pounded. "Who are you?" she demanded.

The maid hesitated, glancing around before stepping closer.

Her voice was low. Urgent.

"You shouldn’t be here," she whispered. "It’s not safe."

Meera swallowed. "Then tell me the truth. Why did you run earlier?"

The maid’s hands trembled. "Because I recognized you."

Meera’s breath hitched.

"What?"

The maid looked around again, panicked. "I—I have to go."

"No!" Meera grabbed her wrist. "What do you mean you recognized me?"

The maid hesitated.

Then, barely above a whisper—

"I knew your mother."

Meera froze.

The room tilted.

Her mother?

Before she could recover, the maid yanked her hand free and disappeared down the hall.

Meera stood there, heart pounding, her mind spinning.

Her mother.

This palace.

What the hell was going on?

The Next Morning

Meera barely slept.

By the time the sun rose, she was already storming through the palace.

She found Aryan in his study, going through a stack of documents.

He barely looked up when she entered. "Did you lose your way again, Sharma?"

Meera slammed her hands on his desk. "Why didn’t you tell me my mother was connected to this palace?"

Aryan stilled.

For a moment, there was nothing but silence.

Then, slowly, he set down his pen.

"What are you talking about?" he said, his voice eerily calm.

Meera exhaled sharply. "The maid from last night. She told me she recognized me. Because she knew my mother."

Aryan’s jaw tightened.

Meera leaned forward, her voice dropping. "You already knew, didn’t you?"

Aryan’s fingers curled against the desk.

And then—softly, but dangerously—he said:

"Your mother left this palace a long time ago. And if she never told you about it—" His eyes darkened. "—there was a reason."

Meera’s stomach twisted.

He wasn’t denying it.

She took a step back. "Who was she?"

Aryan hesitated.

Then—

"You don’t want to know."

A chill ran down Meera’s spine.

But it was too late for warnings.

She wanted the truth.

And she wasn’t going to stop until she found it.

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