Prologue
CHANDRIKA ANF THE GUARD OF FLAMES
They told her princess must never touch fire.
But they never warned her what would happen when fire knelt before her.
Born behind silks and shadows, a girl with stars in blood and silence on her lips.
A delicate name whispered through palace halls.
Trained to bow, trained to smile, trained to obey.
Until he arrived.
Agnivardhan.
The guard of flames.
The King's sword. The kingdom's ghost. A man carved from flame and vengeance, bound by loyalty, shadowed by war.
He wasn't sent to love her-
he was sent to watch her, protect her, contain her.
But destiny doesn't bend to rules.
When her eyes locked with his,
When fire met the storm inside her-
a rebellion was born in silence.
A craving neither dared name.
A bond forged not by duty... but by something far more dangerous.
This is not a fairytale.
This is a story of power wrapped in silk.
Of longing buried under law.
Of a girl who was never afraid to burn-
and the man who was born to burn with her.
And when the kingdom trembles,
When loyalty demands sacrifice,
When even gods look away from what unfolds-
All that will remain...
is Chandrika -
and her Guard of Flames.
"I was taught to fear fire... but when i look at you, Agnivardhan, I wonder- what if i was born to Dance in it ?"
--- Chandrika.
"And i was made to burn, Chandrika. But if you ask me to, I'll burn slower... just to last longer in your shadow."
--- Agnivardhan.
