The security quarantine remained absolute. The fortress had been purged, the air vents scrubbed, and the internal staff reduced to a vetted skeleton crew. Yet, the safety felt fragile to Adhya, a thin membrane against the violent reality that had nearly consumed her.

Ranvijay had not left the suite. He moved between his laptop, which displayed complex global security feeds, and her bedside, his focus relentless. He was a silent, imposing force, his presence the only barrier between Adhya and the terrifying chaos of the outside world.