Chapter 21 Beneath the Veil
The palace bloomed with wedding preparations—silks from Surnoor, rosewater from the Valley of Yara, fire-petaled lotuses that only bloomed once a decade. Every corner of Chandlok whispered the same word now:
> “The wedding.”
But for Hatim and Sana… the days had grown heavier.
Because while love grew like a fever between them, so did fear.
---
Hatim trained in the palace gardens at dusk, his sword dancing through the air like liquid fire.
But this time—he wasn’t training with steel alone.
His palm lit up, golden flames spiraling from his fingertips.
> “Control it,” he muttered. “Bend it, not break it.”
He had never shown his powers before. Not like this.
But now that the world dared question his choice, he wanted them to remember—
> “I am the storm,” he whispered. “And she… is the calm.”
---
Sana stood in the temple courtyard the next morning, watching the ceremonial flowers being hung in garlands. She looked like she belonged nowhere and everywhere at once.
Her heart raced faster each day.
Not because of the wedding…
But because of a truth she couldn’t admit:
> “He still doesn’t know who I am. Or what I’m not.”
She had no powers. She had no name.
Only love.
Was that ever enough?
---
That evening, Hatim dragged her away from the chaos into the moonlit observatory tower.
> “Why did you bring me here?” she asked.
> “Because this tower doesn’t belong to the court. It doesn’t belong to the Queen. It’s mine.”
“And if we’re getting married, I want something to belong to us.”
Sana turned to him, eyes soft beneath the veil.
He stepped closer, voice low.
> “I want to see you.”
Her breath hitched.
> “I told you… after we’re married.”
Hatim didn’t move. He reached up, slowly, fingers trembling as he brushed the edge of her veil.
But then—he shut his eyes.
Completely.
He removed it with his eyes closed.
> “I won’t open them. Not yet. But I want to feel you without walls.”
He leaned forward… and kissed her forehead.
> “I don’t care what you look like,” he whispered. “I already love what I see.”
Sana was shaking. Because no one had ever loved her like this.
No one had ever seen her without truly seeing her.
---
The wedding was announced for the 13th night of the Red Moon—a day when love was said to shine brighter than any magic.
The palace flooded with guests. Noble blood. Distant royals. Envoys from other lands. Some smiled. Most stared.
And behind fans and silken sleeves, the whisper never stopped:
> “She must have tricked him.”
> “No magic. No name. And he’s obsessed.”
---
On the morning of the wedding eve, Sana found her way blocked.
A group of maids stood in the hallway.
One of them, Soraya, sneered.
> “The servant becomes queen. Must be nice to fool a prince.”
Sana’s hands tightened.
> “I didn’t fool anyone.”
> “Didn’t you? No powers. No history. Just a veil and pretty words.”
Sana turned to walk past—but Soraya whispered just loud enough:
> “Maybe the prince deserves someone with real blood. Not a—”
Suddenly, a wind surged through the corridor.
Papers flew. Lamps flickered.
Hatim’s voice boomed from behind.
> “SAY IT AGAIN.”
Everyone turned.
Hatim stood there. Glowing.
His palm burned gold with power.
> “Say one more word against her,” he growled, “and I’ll melt your tongue myself.”
Silence. Trembling.
The maids dropped to their knees.
> “Forgive us, Your Highness!”
Hatim walked straight to Sana and took her hand.
> “No one will ever speak to you like that again.”
Sana stared at him.
His hand was shaking.
Not from anger—but from how badly he’d needed to protect her.
---
That night, alone in her chambers, Sana looked at herself in the mirror.
The veil was beside her.
And for the first time, she whispered:
> “Maybe… I am enough.”
---
?? Author’s Note:
HELLO???? That observatory kiss?? Hatim literally removing her veil with his eyes closed??? STOP I'M CRYING ???? And the way he pulled out his magic for her in public??? We are EATING, bestie.
The wedding is next. The Red Moon is rising. And fate is holding its breath.
Chapter 22 will be a DREAM ?????