Kriti's POV

I woke up to the shrill vibration of my phone shattering the silence of the room. I glanced at the clock. 4:38 AM. I took the phone from the bed side table and glanced at the caller id.

Bhai sa calling....

Without any another thought, I picked up the call. As I knew, if he calls at the time like this, something is going to happen or has happened.

"Yes Bhaisa." My voice slightly hoarse from sleep.

"Kittu...." He was never nervous like this before. Yet today, tension was woven into every syllable he spoke. 

My grip tightened around the phone. "What happened?"

A brief silence followed. Then—

"We have a problem."

"Talk."

"One of our inner-circle commanders sold information."

The room fell silent.

My expression didn't change. But something inside me did.

A commander. Not a soldier. Not a messenger. A commander. Someone trusted. Someone who had sat at my table. Someone who knew things they should never have known.

Ashok continued.

"The leak has already spread through three sectors."

"How much damage?"

"Enough."

My jaw tightened.

"Where are you?"

"KAAL DARBAR."

Of course.

The only place this could be handled.

The heart of the Rajasthan underworld.

The place where kings, queens, warlords, smugglers, financiers, and commanders gathered beneath one roof. The place where power wasn't claimed. It was proven.

Ashok's voice lowered.

"You need to come here. Now."

I swung my legs off the bed.

"I'm leaving."
"Kittu."

I paused.

"The atmosphere is bad."

My eyes hardened. A storm settled behind them.

Cold.
Silent.
Deadly.

"Then let it be."

The call ended.

For several moments, silence filled the room.

Then I stood. Someone had betrayed me.

And by sunrise—
Someone would regret it.

—————————————————————————————————

Author's POV

Twenty minutes later, the woman known to the world as Dr. Kriti Rajput no longer existed.

In her place stood KAALRANI. Black combat attire. Tailored. Elegant. Intimidating. A long dark coat fell to her ankles. Black gloves concealed her hands.

A black mask hid her identity.

No jewelry.

No distractions.

Only authority.

Only power.

She descended into the parking area beneath the penthouse. Rows of luxury vehicles occupied the space. Her gaze never wandered. She walked directly toward a sleek black BMW. The engine roared to life.

And moments later—
The car disappeared into the darkness.

——————————————————————————————

KAAL DARBAR.

The name alone was enough to send fear through the underworld.

The enormous hall resembled a royal court more than a criminal gathering. Black marble pillars stretched toward a ceiling decorated with intricate carvings. Massive chandeliers illuminated the chamber with a cold silver glow. Rows of seats lined both sides of the hall. Every seat occupied.

Every eye watchful. Every breath measured. At the far end stood two thrones.

Two rulers. Two empires. Two forces powerful enough to shake the foundations of the underworld.

One belonged to AGNIRAJ.
Other belonged to KAALRANI.

Agniraj sat upon his obsidian black throne with effortless authority.

Black attire. Black gloves. Black mask. The silver lion insignia engraved on his ring gleamed beneath the lights.

His posture remained relaxed.
His gaze wasn't.

The atmosphere inside the hall grew heavier with every passing minute.

Everyone was waiting.

Then—

The enormous doors opened.

Silence fell.

KAALRANI had arrived.

Every person in the hall stood instantly. Not because they were ordered to. Because instinct demanded it. She walked through the center aisle without haste. Without hesitation. Without acknowledging anyone. Power followed her like a shadow. The long black coat flowed behind her as she approached her dark steel throne.

Then she sat.
Directly opposite AGNIRAJ.

Eyes locked. Neither spoke. Neither needed to. The silence itself was enough.

Minutes passed.
Five. 
Ten. 
Twenty. 
Thirty.

Then hurried footsteps echoed through the chamber.

A commander rushed inside. He bowed immediately.
"Ranisa. Rajsa." 

Every gaze turned toward him.

"We found the man who betrayed us."

The hall became even quieter.

Then—

"Drag him in."

Both rulers spoke simultaneously. Both locked eyes. Neither raised their voice. Neither needed to. The command carried across the entire hall effortlessly.

Within seconds, a battered man was dragged through the massive doors. Fear radiated from him. Sweat covered his face. His knees nearly buckled.

The moment he entered, AGNIRAJ rose from his throne.
Slowly.
Deliberately.
Dangerously.

He descended the steps and stopped before the traitor. And without warning—

His fist connected with the man's jaw. The crack echoed throughout the hall. The man's face turned sideways with a loud cry.

Blood stained the corner of his mouth.

Yet nobody moved. Nobody dared.

Meanwhile—

KAALRANI took a slow breath.

Then rose. The entire hall seemed to tense. One step. Then another. Then another. She descended the black marble staircase with impossible calm. Her gaze never left the man. Never blinked. Never softened.

She stopped directly before him. "Who?"

Her voice remained quiet. Controlled.

The man said nothing. Silence.

KAALRANI tilted her head slightly. "That much loyal?"

No response.

A few nervous glances were exchanged throughout the hall.

Still—

Nothing.

KAALRANI nodded once. Almost thoughtfully. Then spoke again. 

"Even if you possessed one percent of this loyalty for us, you wouldn't be standing on the edge of death." 

The silence stretched. Then— 

A gunshot exploded through the chamber. 

The traitor screamed. His left leg gave out instantly. He collapsed onto both knees. Panic filled his eyes.  

Yet KAALRANI didn't turn to acknowledge who fired.  She simply continued looking at the man.   

"I don't like interference in my work, Rajsa." 

AGNIRAJ merely folded his arms. Unbothered.  

KAALRANI crouched before the prisoner. The barrel of her gun lifted his chin. Forcing him to meet her gaze. "Fine." 

Her voice remained terrifyingly calm. "Don't tell me who is behind this." 

The man's breathing quickened. 

"Tell me what they want." 

For a moment— 

The man smiled. 
A broken. 
Terrified. 
Yet strangely confident smile. 

And suddenly— 

Every instinct in the hall screamed danger. 

"They don't want your throne, Rani sa." 

"They want your identity." His smile widened. 

"They want KAALRANI."

The words struck the room like lightning. Several commanders froze. Others exchanged armed looks. But the man wasn't finished.

"What the hell are you saying?" Agniraj gritted his teeth. He took a step forward. "Do you—"

Kaalrani raised her hand, cutting him off.

"They've already reached Jaipur." 

A ripple of shock moved through hall.

"The target isn't your empire. It's your real identity." His gaze locked onto hers. He smirked, his voice dropped lower, wanting only her to listen. "Dr. Kriti Rajput." 

"By sunrise, half your commanders will switch sides." 

His smile almost became manic. "They don't want to kill KAALRANI. They want the world to watch her fall."

Several people shifted uneasily. Others looked toward Kaalrani.
Waiting.
Watching.
Fear spreading through the chamber.

Waiting to see how Kaalrani would respond. Only one person appeared unaffected. KAALRANI herself.

Still crouched before the traitor.
Still calm.
Still unreadable.
As though the storm threatening her empire had merely become another problem waiting to be solved.

She slowly stands. No anger. No shock. Nothing. Just silence. Then—

"Finished?"

The traitor blinks.
The hall blinks.

The reaction was not anyone expected. She took a step back. "You know what your problem is?"
"You were given a script."
"And you repeated it."

She circles him slowly. Like a predator that already knows the hunt is over. 

"Somebody told you exactly what to say." 

"The throne."  
"The identity." 
"The commanders." 
"The fall." 

"Very dramatic."

A few nervous glances exchanged throughout the hall. She stopped infront of him.

"The problem is...."
"You forgot to ask them whether I was stupid enough to believe it."

The traitor's breathing became uneven. Because he understood. Kaalrani isn't reacting. She's dissecting.

Kaalrani remained standing before him, her gaze unreadable behind the black mask. The entire KAAL DARBAR waited.

No one dared to speak.
No one dared to move.

Then she asked. "Do have any last wish?"

The question echoed through the chamber.
The traitor remained silent.
Not a word.
Not a plea.
Not a prayer.

Kaalrani tilted her head slightly. "Nothing?"

Silence.

A soft chuckle escaped her.
Calm.
Dangerous.

"How disappointing."

She turned slightly. "Kyle."

Her personal bodyguard stepped forward immediately. "Ranisa."

"It seems our guest wishes to remain stubborn."

Her voice grew colder. "Take him."

She ascended the stairs slowly and sat on her throne gracefully. She nodded, allowing everybody to take their seats. 

Within seconds, the man was dragged toward the elevated platform situated in the center of KAAL DARBAR. The platform wasn't merely a stage. It was a warning. A reminder of what happened to those who betrayed the underworld.

AGNIRAJ leaned back against his throne.
Watching.
Analyzing.
Waiting. 

"How much were you paid?" Kaalrani asked, her eyes locked on the traitor.

The man smirked. "Enough"

"Chop off his fingers."

Kyle did without hesitation. The man's voice echoed in the hall.

"Hammer nails into both of his hands. Slowly. Painfully."

The man cried in pain.

Kaalrani stood from her throne. She walked towards the man, stooping in front of him
She extended her hand; her voice laced with venom. "Bullwhip."

Kyle immediately brought and handed her.

Then she started her torture. Every lash painful than the last. The man's scream echoed on every lash. She continued until his skin was ripped of body. She extended her hand again. "Bucket."

Kyle handed her a bucket of boiling water. Then—

Agniraj stood. Within seconds chairs scraped across the floor. Commanders stood in respect.

He descended the steps toward Kaalrani.

"Ranisa."

Kaalrani looked at him.

"You will kill him. We still need answers." 

"We don't."

The certainty in her voice shocked everyone.

Agniraj stopped before her. "You know who is behind this?"

"I do."

The entire hall froze. Ashok remained silent. He had learned long ago not to question Kaalrani when she sounded this certain. Agniraj's gaze never left hers. "Then tell us."

"No."

The answer came immediately. The atmosphere grew tense. Very tense.

Agniraj lowered his voice. "Why?"

Kaalrani took a step closer. "For the same reason I haven't eliminated them yet."

"Which is?"

Her gaze remained locked with his. "They haven't realized they're already trapped."

For the first time all night—

Agniraj was genuinely intrigued. Kaalrani turned toward the man.

She slowly poured the water on the man. His screams felt music to her ears. Then she turned to Kyle. "Give his body to his master. And make sure, my message is delivered to him.
Tell him Jaipur is waiting.
Tell him the moment he stepped into my city....
He became my prey." 

"As you command, Ranisa."

The barely conscious man was dragged from the hall. No one objected. No one questioned. The decision had already been made. Then KAALRANI faced the gathering. "The betrayer has been judged."

Her voice carried effortlessly through the chamber. "The matter is closed."

Nobody moved.

"Meeting adjourned."

That was all. The hall emptied with remarkable speed. No one wished to remain when KAALRANI was in this mood. Ten seconds later—

Only five people remained.

Kaalrani. 
Ashok.
Kyle.
Agniraj. 
Roy. 

Silence filled KAAL DARBAR once again. Then Kaalrani spoke. 

"Leave us." 

Ashok glanced at her briefly. Then nodded. Kyle followed. 

Roy hesitated before Agniraj dismissed him with a look. 

Only two rulers remained. 

Agniraj studied her carefully. "Who are you protecting?"

"Wrong question."

"And the right one?"

She turned toward him. For the first time all night, her tone changed.
Not threatening.
Not mocking.
Warning.

"Be careful, Adhiraj Singh Rathore."

The name shattered the silence. Agniraj went completely still. Nobody in the underworld knew that name. Nobody. Yet she had spoken it effortlessly. As though it meant nothing. As though she had known all along. Kaalrani continued. "The game being played isn't limited to the underworld anymore."

A dangerous calm settled over her. "Watch your empire."

Agniraj's eyes narrowed.
"How do you know that name?"

She ignored the question. "Because if you keep looking in the wrong direction..."
Her gaze hardened.
"...you won't be the only one losing an empire."

Silence. 
Heavy. 
Oppressive. 
Unsettling. 

With that, Kaalrani turned away and left. Leaving Agniraj standing exactly where he was. For the first time in years—

The ruler known as Agniraj felt something unfamiliar.

Not fear.
Not uncertainty.
Curiosity.

Because somehow...

Kaalrani knew exactly who he was.
And he had absolutely no idea who she was. 

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HELLOOO MY LOVELY PEOPLE!!! 👀✨ 
2134 words today. 

So...
How are we feeling after this chapter? 😭🤌🏻 

Because personally, if I were sitting in KAAL DARBAR and heard someone casually say "Be careful, Adhiraj Singh Rathore." I'd be questioning my entire existence. 💀 

Our Ranisa really woke up and chose violence, intelligence, and mystery all at once. 👑🖤 

And our Rajsa...🤭 

For the first time, someone managed to genuinely surprise him. 🖤🔥 

I need your theories. 

Drop them in the comments because I LOVE reading them. 💌✨ 

🖤 Favourite dialogue? 
🖤 Team Ranisa or Team Rajsa? 
🖤 What do you think happens in the next chapter? 

And if you enjoyed the chapter, don't forget to: 

✨ Vote 
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Take care of yourselves, okay? 🌷I'll meet you in the next chapter.  

Until then... 

May KAALRANI keep your enemies awake at night and AGNIRAJ keep your standards high.  👑🖤🔥

Love you all! 🫶🏻✨ 
💌 Author