The city was a beast, restless and awake beneath a bruised sky. Every alley whispered secrets, every shadow could be an enemy. But tonight, beneath the heavy clouds, the air shimmered with a promise — or perhaps a threat.

Meera's footsteps were light but sure as she moved through the maze of streets with Veer at her side. A low growl punctuated the quiet, the deep, rumbling sound of Phantom, Veer's black panther, slipping through the darkness like a living shadow. His golden eyes burned like twin stars in the gloom.