RAIWAN AGAINST THE DIVINE

Chapter 14: The Shelter and The Strain

Raiwan bowed deeply to Manika and her husband, his voice trembling with gratitude. "Thank you, thank you so much for everything you've done for me so far."

Manika reached out, gently caressing his face, her expression warm and maternal. "Don't mention it. Instead, tell us who you are, where you come from, and how you ended up in that strange ball falling from the sky."

Raiwan fell silent for a moment debating no what and what not to say.

Their kindness had touched Raiwan deeply, and he hesitated. These were good, honest people. He didn't want to lie to them or deceive them. He wanted to tell them the truth. But where could he begin? Would they even believe him?

For a long, tense moment, Raiwan remained silent. The atmosphere grew so quiet that the faint steps of ants could almost be heard. Finally, he began to speak.

He told them his name and his parents' names, along with who his parents were. The revelation left Manika and her husband utterly stunned.

To think they had taken in the child of sovereigns! It was a life-altering realization. Though they didn't fully understand what being a sovereign meant, they knew sovereigns were akin to royalty—people worshiped you, if you know one!

Their hearts raced as they realized the consequences they would have faced if they had abandoned the child of sovereigns while he was so vulnerable.

Unaware of their inner turmoil, Raiwan continued his story. He recounted everything that had happened earlier that day, from the moment his mother called for him to the harrowing scene of Idaam's death. Reliving those moments was painful for him. He kept his gaze fixed downward, his fingers fidgeting nervously.

When he finished, he wiped away the tears that had unknowingly streamed down his face and finally looked up. Only then did he notice something was off.

Manika and her husband were visibly shaking in their seats, their expressions frozen in disbelief. It was a reaction Raiwan had not expected, and the awkward tension weighed heavily in the room.

Unsure of what to do, Raiwan rose from his chair. "If you'll excuse me, I'd like to use the toilet," he murmured.

"There's… there's a toilet in the room," Manika stammered, pointing toward the guest room.

Once Raiwan disappeared into the room, Manika felt a hand grip her wrist. Her husband pulled her toward the kitchen.

He shut the door firmly behind them.

"What have you done, Manika?" he whispered harshly, his voice barely audible but filled with urgency.

"What do you mean, what have I done?" Manika's voice was rising, though she kept it controlled.

"You've put this family in danger! How could you be so reckless?" Veins bulged on his forehead as he struggled to contain his frustration.

Manika took a deep breath and met his gaze. "I understand you're scared about what might happen if whoever is after Raiwan tracks him here. I'm scared too. But think about it," she said, her voice softening with pity. "If it were Malina in his place, would you have turned her away? He's just a boy who needed our help. He would've died if we hadn't stepped in."

"Fine, you saved his life," her husband relented begrudgingly. "But he's leaving this house tomorrow."

"What?" Manika's rage flared, stepping closer to him with her face inches away from his. "He's not going anywhere!"

"You're defying me because of him?" His voice dropped dangerously low, his eyes narrowing into a glare.

"Ohhh yes, I am!" she shouted back, her body trembling with anger.

They stood in a silent standoff, glaring into each other's eyes with unyielding intensity.

The tension was thick enough to cut with a knife.

In that moment, the kitchen door suddenly swung open, And neither of them turned to look, too locked in their confrontation.

"Dad!" A small voice broke through the storm.

He finally looked away and turned to see Malina standing in the doorway. Her presence seemed to defuse him, if only slightly. He walked around Manika and patted Malina on the head as he walked past her, out of the kitchen, and then out of the house.

Malina opened her mouth but when she saw the stormy expression on Manika's face, she thought better of saying anything and began to leave.

"Wait," Manika called out, her voice firm but calm.

Malina froze, then turned back slowly. She watched her mother pick up a plate with a single ghost egg, add two more from the pot, before handing it to her.

"Bring this to Raiwan in the guest room," Manika instructed.

"Huh? Raiwan?"

"Yes, the boy from the sky. He's awake, and he must be starving. Now hurry."

A smile appeared on Malina's face.

Surprised but eager, Malina dashed out of the kitchen. She was astonished that Raiwan had already woken up, given what Anithya had said, but more than that, she was eager to meet him.

When she pushed open the door, she saw the dream of her life,

A brother.

Raiwan, a strikingly handsome, fourteen-year-old boy, standing about one hundred and sixty centimeters tall. He exuded a charm that naturally drew attention. His raven-dark hair, smooth and slightly tousled, Framed a face marked by sharp yet youthful features. Raiwan's effortless allure made him impossible to ignore, the type of boy any girl would find captivating.

Malina had already decided in her mind that Raiwan would be her brother from now on.

Raiwan was standing by the window when she entered unannounced.

A petite yet graceful twelve-year-old girl with a delicate frame that exuded quiet elegance. Her striking silver hair cascaded down her back, catching the light with a metallic shimmer. Her oval-shaped face was adorned with soft features, highlighted by dimples that appeared whenever she smiled, adding to her youthful charm. Her bright, curious eyes held a depth that belied her age. Malina's presence was a blend of innocence and quiet confidence, and she resembled her mother so closely it was uncanny.

She smiled brightly. "Hi!"

Despite the turmoil in his heart, Raiwan found himself smiling back. "Hi."

She set the plate on the bedside table. "Eat this before it gets cold," she said cheerfully.

"Okay. Thanks."

"Malina!" her mother's voice called from the kitchen.

Malina pursed her lips. "I'll be back when you're done... brother."

She left the room, and Raiwan's heart trembled.

Did she just called him brother? Wasn't this their first time seeing each other, and she was already calling him brother?

But he didn't mind it.

How long had he wished for someone to call him that? For his mother to have a little sister for him. Hadn't she always dismissed the idea with cruel laughter, telling him to dream on!

Raiwan straightened his back, and smiled in spite of his mother.

Raiwan then shifted his gaze to the steaming ghost eggs, he thought, 'I'll eat my fill, because Malina's father is right.'

He placed the plate on his lap and continued thinking, 'I can't let anything happen to them like what happened to Idaam. Once everyone's asleep, I'll leave them for good!'