Everywhere they turned, things were chaotic. Shiv was feeling so stressed as he tried to find the spy among his men.
On the other hand Ira was brainstorming with the medics her brother brought to find some temporary solution for Araa, Aarav and Lady Mia.
But nothing helped...
A messenger pigeon suddenly flew into the castle with a thunderous message from one of the men Virat sent.
'My Lord, our location got spotted and many of our people have been massacred and some were taken as hostages. I have taken with me a few who managed to survive into hiding. We don't know how long we can hold. Please hurry back!'
That single message made their blood run cold... Both Virat and Ira looked extremely angry that they were fuming with murderous intent.
Ira wanted to find the culprit behind all of these happenings and kill him for good. Her brother calmed himself as he approached her.
"Ira, this is not the time for us to lose ourselves in anger. We must get to the bottom of this. I will go back and aid our clansmen. You must save our Aunt!" Saying that he left.
Ira was truly angry, but her brother's words made sense.
****
Before they knew, it was already the day of the banquet. Shiv ordered the banquet to be cancelled.
Ira was in no mood to enjoy a fancy banquet.
Suddenly, the right hand man of General Sai, Lady Mia's husband, barged into Shiv's court room covered in blood.
"What happened? Why are you here?" One of his ministers questioned him while the late queen's brother was having a smug look on his face.
"My lord! I am sorry to inform that we were not able to protect the capital. A war broke out near the border of Amora and Surasena. We tried to suppress them, but they outnumbered our men. But General Sai is trying his best to hold them back. We need some immediate reinforcements." He carefully explained the situation to Shiv in the presence of the ministers.
Shiv immediately ordered the medics to treat his wound. But he refused as he told the blood on him was not his but the men he killed. He also told Shiv that the general wanted him to bring the message of war to the palace as early as possible.
Shiv didn't have enough time to think it through. He just ordered Minister of Warfare to take the necessary steps in aiding General Sai to defend the country. If it were not for the spy, Shiv would have loved to join the battle. The sudden appearance of the Varma's, poisoning of Araa, Lady Mia and Aarav and now a war... everything seemed to be too coincidental to be true... It felt like someone was pulling strings from behind...
Little did he knew that the moment he received the authority to mobilize the troops that minister would join hands with the late queen's brother and attack the palace himself.
Within a short span of time, the kingdom of Amora fell. Shiv was cornered. There were still people within the palace that he wanted to protect. Ira was trying her best in defending along with Shiv. The people who were loyal to him were all killed.
Little Araa was unconscious due to high fever, while Abi continued to stay by her side. Aarav tried his best to protect his mother even though he himself was not well. Ira, Shiv and Aditya were the only people who were in a good condition to put up a fight. But if it continued like that, even they will not be able to keep up. They already lost...
The stench of blood was thick in the air. The traitors didn't even hesitate to kill even the general public who opposed them on their way to the capital... They controlled the citizens with terror.
A man dressed in pitch black stepped out from the army of traitors. He looked stunning with black hair and blue eyes. With one single glance one could say that he was the leader of those traitors...
The moment Shiv saw his face, his eyes became furious as he balled his fists.
But the man on the other hand, looked extremely pleased to see him in such a state.
"Hahaha! Look at you! If only you had given me the Title of Demon Lord earlier, you wouldn't have been in this state." The moment the man clapped his hands, the men behind him brought the people of Varma's.
A kid from the group recognised Ira, "Lady Ira, Please kill them for us! These people killed our clansmen in the most unjust way! These cowards! Kill them all!!" With the man's next signal, the little boy's was beheaded. Seeing such a scene, none of her clansmen flinched. They all looked like they were determined to die.
Ira really lost it this time that she casted a very powerful spell. Her mystic blue eyes started shining as an unbelievable amount of energy were concentrated on her. The moment she finished casting the spell a strong and fierce wind hit her targets tearing them into shreds. Even the man dressed in black was wounded as he tried to withstand the force of the attack.
Shiv and Aditya were dumbfounded. They didn't expect her to be that strong. She was even strong enough to hurt that man.
Ira didn't stop there she started chanting another spell.
"You are just going to stand there and watch me die? Don't forget! If I die, your mother and brother are coming with me." Hearing that man's words, Aditya stiffened.
"Stop that girl! Now!" Aditya's mind was clouded. His heart was torn between the friendship that he shared with Shiv and his family. But before his mind could think straight, his body was already moving. He pointed his sharp sword towards Ira as he ran towards her from behind.
The floor was covered in blood. The one that his sword pierced was not Ira but Shiv! Shiv coughed out blood as he spoke in a shaky voice. "Wh... Why...? Why... did... you... betray me? Aa... Aditya..." He coughed out more blood as he spoke.
His legs became weak as he fell to the floor.
"SHIV!!" Ira screamed his name in horror as he hugged him tightly in her embrace.
Shiv's eyes were fixed on Aditya. "You... know, I shared my blood... with... her *Coughs* Hurting her... is equivalent to... hurting... me... How.. could... you?"
Aditya kneeled before him in guilt as his eyes were muddled with tears. Ira was trembling as she continued to hold him in her arms. He was bleeding heavily. Even though she had the ability to heal, she couldn't at that moment as she used up most of her energy in casting that previous spell. She placed him on her lap as she continued to cry. Her whole body was covered in his blood.