Chapter 4 The Cursed Flame and The Cold Storm
When Roshni received the girl, she was shook and was going to discard her—
but no one knew what she read in the letter that made her keep the child.
She placed the girl in the crib beside Hatim, and somewhere in the shadows of the world, a whisper stirred:
> “Two immortals are born for each other.
To show the world what true love is.
They are going to be the most powerful in the whole universe.”
And just like that, the girl was sent to the servants' quarters.
Roshni never revealed her identity to anyone. She simply said,
> “She is destined to serve the royal family.”
---
10 years later...
Everything had changed.
The palace had grown grander, the people more bitter, and the whispers about Chandini... louder. Her name was still spat like venom, and her memory was cursed with every passing moon. No one remembered her with kindness—only with blame.
But one thing remained—hidden, yet glowing like a buried star.
Sana.
She was no longer a small child with uncertain eyes. She had grown into a breathtaking young woman, with eyes like stormy glass and hair that fell like moonlight. Everyone in the castle called her Sana. Just Sana. No one knew her bloodline, her truth, or her worth.
All they knew was that she was… different.
She had no magic, no visible powers. Not even a flicker of a spark. At twenty, she was considered cursed—untouched by the grace of Chandlok’s mystical bloodlines. The nobles sneered, the royals ignored, and the servants whispered when she passed.
Yet, no one dared question her place.
Because she held one strange, vital power—though it was not magical.
She made food… that tasted like heaven had kissed your tongue.
Her dishes brought peace to the most troubled minds, soothed broken hearts, and—even if no one dared admit it aloud—healed wounds faster than any potion. She was the cooking in-charge of the royal castle.
And there was another thing.
Sana… didn’t eat.
She didn’t need to.
She gained energy through sleep. The deeper she slept, the more alive she became.
---
Inside the palace kitchen…
Sana stood on a stool, balancing a tray of freshly baked honey-butter buns. Her face was hidden beneath a soft veil, as always, especially when male guards were nearby. Her beauty had started causing… problems.
But her mouth? Oh, that was never veiled. ??
> “Careful! That tray is hotter than Lady Roshni’s temper,” she teased a junior cook.
She turned, flicking a spoonful of sauce onto a guard’s boots by accident.
> “Oops. My hand slipped. Maybe next time, don’t stare at my ankles, hmm?”
The kitchen erupted in quiet laughter.
> “One day,” muttered the guard, wiping his boot. “You’ll get thrown out of this palace.”
> “And yet every prince and pauper wants a second serving of my stew,” Sana shot back with a wink.
Then she yawned.
> “Alright, peasants, I’m going to nap before the next shift. If anyone burns the dumplings, I’m throwing you into the royal soup.”
With a dramatic yawn, Sana vanished into her little corner room—barely bigger than a closet—and fell into a deep, peaceful sleep.
---
Meanwhile, in the Queen’s dining chamber…
Queen Roshni sat silently at the head of a long, jeweled table, nibbling at her lunch. Her eyes were tired, thoughts distant. And then…
The doors slammed open.
A sudden pressure filled the air.
Every candle flickered. The temperature dropped.
The maids stopped breathing.
Prince Hatim had arrived.
He was tall, terrifyingly handsome, with blue eyes like frozen lightning and a jaw carved by gods. His presence was power—undeniable and dangerous. And today, that power pulsed with barely contained fury.
> “Is this my food?” he asked, voice like sharpened ice.
Roshni nodded. “Yes. The royal platter, freshly—”
He picked up a spoon, tasted one bite… and froze.
His jaw clenched.
His eyes narrowed.
> “This isn’t hers,” he said, standing slowly. “This isn’t made by her.”
> “Hatim,” Roshni warned, rising to her feet. “Control—”
Too late.
In a blur, he raised his hand—and a swirl of dark blue energy shot out, striking the servant who brought the dish.
The man collapsed.
The room turned to stone.
Roshni gritted her teeth, fury masked by practiced calm. “You killed a royal servant.”
> “He served me poison,” Hatim said coldly. “He deserves worse.”
He sat down again and pushed the plate aside.
> “Bring me her food. Only hers.”
Roshni’s fingers trembled as she clutched her goblet.
She knew exactly who “she” was.
And she also knew…
Hatim was getting dangerously close to a truth that could change everything.
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? Author’s Note ?
Chapter 4 was a turning point—and if you felt the shift, you’re not wrong. Sana and Hatim have both made their long-awaited entrances… two souls raised apart, marked by fate, cursed by the world, and unknowingly drawn to each other.
This chapter had mischief, murder, mystery… and oh, just a tiny sprinkle of destiny. ??
Sana might be called cursed, but she carries something no one understands—yet. And Hatim? He’s dangerous, cold, and entirely unaware that the one person he’s been craving—through her food, her presence—is the very soul he was born for.
Things are about to get wild. Secrets will surface. Powers will awaken. And love? Let’s just say… it won’t come easy. But it will be legendary. ????
Thank you for reading, for dreaming, and for walking through Chandlok with me. If you’re enjoying the story, don’t forget to drop a comment or a reaction—it means the universe to me ??