Thakur Ratnesh glanced down as he felt movement beside him. He inhaled deeply, his chest tightening as he waited for her to open her eyes. Rajni, still semi-conscious, instinctively curled closer to the source of warmth, her delicate fingers wrapping around his strong arm. She nestled closer, her soft, bare skin brushing against his chest. The unexpected contact made him draw in a sharp breath, his body responding instinctively as he fought to keep his emotions-and reactions-in check.

He observed her closely, the subtle shift of expressions on her face holding him captive. Her lips twitched slightly as if something annoyed her in her half-sleep state, and she pressed her eyes shut tighter before slowly fluttering them open. Confusion clouded her features at first, quickly replaced by fear as reality sank in.