"Let her go, Zafar!" I screamed, shaking the bars with everything I had.
But Zafar ignored me, dragging Aliza away into the darkness.
He had only taken a few strides when another voice, heavy and trembling with a sudden spike of vulnerability, cut through the gloom.
"Zafar… son, please. Let her go."
It was Iqbal Sahab. The raw, shaking cadence of his voice caught me completely off guard. I turned my head, staring at him in disbelief.
The words seemed to hit Zafar like a physical blow. He froze. Slowly, his grip loosened, and he let go of Aliza's arm. Turning on his heel with explosive fury, he marched back toward our cell. He slammed both palms against the iron bars with such terrifying force that the metallic boom reverberated through the entire prison structure like thunder.
I instinctively recoiled, stumbling backward to put distance between myself and his rage. Iqbal Sahab, however, did not flinch. He remained exactly where he was, standing right at the edge of the bars, his calm, unyielding eyes locked onto Zafar's turbulent gaze.
"You! Every single time, it's you!" Zafar snarled, his voice trembling with a toxic mixture of malice and deep-seated agony. "Aren't you tired of ruining people's lives?? Huh?" He leaned in closer, his knuckles tightening around the iron. "Weren't you satisfied after killing my parents? Did that not give you peace? Is that why you've dragged new people here to die?"
The anger in Zafar's eyes began to glaze over with unshed tears. "Just stop it, Iqbal Sahab. For God's sake, just stop!"
I watched them, my chest heaving, utterly bewildered by the history unfolding between them. Next to Zafar, Aliza stood paralyzed, her expression mirroring my own shock. It was clear this revelation was entirely new to her as well.
Slowly, Iqbal Sahab slipped his hand through the gap in the bars and gently placed it against Zafar's cheek.
"You need to stop too," Iqbal Sahab murmured, his voice softening into something deeply paternal as he ran his fingers through Zafar's hair. "Stop punishing yourself for my sins. It's enough now. Be a human being again."
A single tear spilled over Zafar's lashes, tracing a path down his tense face. The sudden display of vulnerability lasted only a second before he snapped back to reality. He abruptly brushed Iqbal Sahab's hand away, aggressively wiping the tears from his eyes.
"Don't worry," Zafar said, his voice instantly dropping back into a cold, detached monotone. "Nobody is going to touch Aliza. You two should worry about yourselves."
"We can handle ourselves," I interjected, stepping forward to confront him. "Just keep Aliza far away from all of this."
"We don't need to protect Aliza, she—" Zafar began, but before he could finish his sentence, Aliza forcefully grabbed his arm and yanked him back.
"We are going to talk about this alone," Aliza commanded, her tone leaving no room for argument as she began pulling him away into the corridors.
My mind raced, completely unable to process the hidden layers of the confrontation I had just witnessed. Within moments, the shadows swallowed both Aliza and Zafar, leaving the dungeon heavy with silence.
Iqbal Sahab turned away without a word, walking back to his corner to sit down heavily on the floor.
"What on earth was that?" I demanded, walking closer to him. "What just happened?"
"Zafar caught us. That's what happened," Iqbal Sahab replied flatly, refusing to meet my eyes.
"You know exactly what I'm talking about," I pressed, stepping right up to his seated form. "What is between the two of you?"
"Stay away from these matters, Bilal," he warned quietly.
Frustration flared hot in my chest. I sharply turned my back on him, crossing my arms. "Fine. If you're going to keep secrets, then I won't tell you anything either."
I waited for a retort, but Iqbal Sahab remained completely silent. Intrigued by the lack of defense, I glanced back over my shoulder. He looked profoundly sad, his shoulders slumped under a weight that had nothing to do with the physical prison surrounding us.
One thing was absolutely certain: there was a deep, unresolved history between Iqbal Sahab and Zafar.
My mind flashed back to the moment of our capture—the terrifying memory replaying vividly in my head:
> *"ZAFAR!!" Iqbal Sahab screamed again, the name echoing with raw authority.*
> *This time, something shifted. The murderous tension in Zafar's face flickered; the hard lines of his features softened ever so slightly, and the crushing pressure on my windpipe eased.*
>
Even when he claimed to hate him, Zafar listened to Iqbal Sahab. He couldn't help it. There was an undeniable bond buried beneath the animosity.
Now outside the cells, deep within the walls of Ahmed Khan's sprawling mansion, Aliza and Zafar stood in a secluded corridor.
"You are not going to tell anyone anything," Aliza whispered urgently, blocking his path.
Zafar looked down at her, his eyes cold. "No matter what you say, no one can save those two now."
"Zafar, please," Aliza pleaded, her voice cracking as she searched his face. "Why have you become like this?"
"I have always been like this," Zafar replied, casually arching his eyebrows, completely indifferent to her distress.
Aliza rubbed her temples, overwhelmed by the wall she was hitting. Zafar watched her in silence for a brief moment before a thought seemed to strike him.
"You haven't told them, have you?" he asked, narrowing his eyes.
Aliza snapped her gaze up to meet his. "And don't you dare tell them either," she warned sharply.
A bitter, humorless chuckle escaped Zafar's lips. "I suppose I can grant you that much, considering they don't have much time left anyway. It's only a matter of time before Uncle returns."
Aliza looked at him with an overwhelming sense of helplessness. Taking a deep breath, her expression turned dead serious. "Iqbal Sahab?"
Zafar's face went entirely devoid of emotion as he gave a slow, curt nod.
"What happened between the two of you?" she questioned.
"Stay out of it, Aliza. You've already crossed too many lines," Zafar snapped, before deflecting the conversation. "And that boy... Bilal, right? That's his name?"
Aliza immediately looked away, her silence confirming his suspicion.
"Hmm. I am going to kill him with my own hands," Zafar stated with chilling certainty.
"You will do no such thing!" Aliza fired back.
"And why shouldn't I?" Zafar asked, stepping closer, his tone dripping with sarcasm.
"Because you love me... right?" Aliza said, her voice dropping to a soft, vulnerable whisper.
The venom instantly drained from Zafar's face. His eyes softened, a sudden wave of exposed emotion flickering across his features. Caught off guard, he quickly averted his gaze to hide his reaction. "No... stop using my feelings against me."
"Zafar, if you truly care about me, you won't tell Ahmed Khan anything," Aliza pressed, seizing the advantage and forcing him to look at her.
"Ahmed Khan?" Zafar asked, genuinely bewildered.
"Yes, Zafar. Ahmed Khan!" Aliza said, her gaze drilling into his.
Zafar stared at her for a long moment, disgust washing over his face. "Shame on you," he muttered coldly, turning around to walk away.
"If you tell anyone anything," Aliza shouted after him, her voice echoing down the hall, "I will leave this place. I'll disappear, and I will never come back. You will never see my face again!"
Zafar stopped dead in his tracks. Without fully turning around, he tilted his head sideways, his profile rigid. "You wouldn't dare do that."
"Try me. I will do exactly that, and you know I mean it," Aliza threatened, her voice shaking but resolute.
Zafar clutched his jaw, his eyes flashing with a mix of fury and helplessness. He ground his teeth in sheer frustration, but unable to counter her threat, he stormed off down the corridor. Aliza remained standing alone in the empty hallway, tears finally spilling over her eyelids.
Ahmed Khan arrived at his mansion, dismounting from his horse with practiced authority. As he strode toward the main entrance, a servant hurriedly stepped into his path.
"Master!"
Ahmed Khan paused, glancing at the servant.
"Master, Zafar Sahab ordered that I inform you to meet him as soon as you arrive. He said he has something urgent to discuss with you."
"Okay," Ahmed Khan replied curtly, dismissing the servant as he walked inside.
Heading straight to his private quarters, Ahmed Khan settled into a chair. He called out to another attendant near the door, "Send Zafar in."
A few moments later, the door opened and Zafar stepped into the room. Ahmed Khan was sitting on his bed, casually flipping through a book.
"Uncle," Zafar greeted quietly.
Ahmed Khan closed the book and set it aside on the table, looking up at his nephew. "What is it that you needed to discuss so urgently?"
"I... I needed to... tell you something. Something important," Zafar stammered, the words catching in his throat.
"Go on," Ahmed Khan urged.
"It's... about..." Zafar's eyes darted around the room, a rare flash of anxiety breaking through his usual stoic demeanor. "Those..."
"Out with it, Zafar," Ahmed Khan pressed, his patience wearing thin.
"Uncle, it's just that..." Zafar struggled to find the words.
*"If you tell anyone anything... I will leave this place and I will never come back. You will never see my face again."*
Aliza's final warning echoed relentlessly in his mind, paralyzing him.
"ZAFAR! If you have something to say, say it! What is wrong with you?" Ahmed Khan demanded, his voice rising in irritation.
A look of utter defeat crossed Zafar's face. He closed his eyes for a brief second, forcing himself to compose his thoughts, and shifted his strategy.
"Iqbal Sahab," Zafar finally said.
Ahmed Khan's brow furrowed instantly. "What about Iqbal?"
"Why don't you make a final decision regarding him? How long are you going to keep him locked away in that cell?" Zafar asked, his voice gaining stability. "I mean, you bring so many prisoners here, but you either sell them off or eliminate them. Why have you kept Iqbal Sahab alive for so long?"
"You know the answer to that question perfectly well, Zafar," Ahmed Khan replied coldly.
"I know, Uncle. I know you enjoy looking at him, that seeing him caged makes you feel victorious, and all of that... but—"
"ZAFAR!" Ahmed Khan roared, slamming his hand down.
Zafar went completely silent, pulling himself to attention.
"Never forget that man is the murderer of your mother and father!" Ahmed Khan shouted, his eyes blazing with rage.
"I remember that very well, Uncle. That is precisely why I am bringing this up," Zafar replied, keeping his tone respectful but firm.
"Then what is it that you want?" Ahmed Khan asked, narrowing his eyes.
"I want you to kill them both," Zafar stated, his voice completely hollowed of emotion.
"And why should I do that right now?" Ahmed Khan asked, leaning forward to read Zafar's expression.
Zafar closed his eyes, standing in absolute silence. The truth about our meeting was right on the tip of his tongue, but Aliza's threat held his lips sealed. He wanted to speak, but he simply couldn't risk losing her.
Seeing his hesitation, Ahmed Khan nodded slowly, dismissing the tension. "Go back to your duties. Do not meddle in these matters. Understood?"
"Yes, Uncle," Zafar murmured, turning around and exiting the room.
Back in the dim light of the dungeon, I was pacing restlessly from one wall of the cell to the other, the anxiety eating me alive.
"Stop pacing. Take it easy," Iqbal Sahab advised, watching my frantic movements from his corner.
"By now, that bastard has probably told his uncle everything," I fired back, my voice dripping with venom.
"Zafar won't say a word," Iqbal Sahab countered calmly.
I stopped pacing and looked at him, dead serious. "How can you be so sure?"
"I don't know," Iqbal Sahab admitted softly. "But my heart tells me he won't."
"Oh, fantastic!" I scoffed, my tone dripping with heavy sarcasm. "Keep yourself happy with that thought! Though, who knows what kind of twisted understanding actually exists between the two of you."
Iqbal Sahab's expression hardened slightly. "I didn't arrive here yesterday, Bilal. I have been captive in this very spot for twenty years. I know exactly what kind of man he is, and I know what he is capable of."
"Oh, so you actually trust that pervert? Bravo!" I mocked, clapping my hands lightly in a cynical display.
"Watch your tongue before I slap some sense into you," Iqbal Sahab warned, though his tone was surprisingly gentle despite the threat. "Aren't you crossing the line with your disrespect?"
The reprimand worked. I shut my mouth, walked over to my side of the cell, and sat down quietly on the floor. The silence stretched between us for a few long minutes, the tension slowly evaporating.
"Look... I'm sorry," I muttered quietly, looking down at the floor to avoid his gaze.
Meanwhile, Zafar was storming down the mansion corridors, heading back from Ahmed Khan's room in a blind fury. Aliza was waiting in the shadows, her eyes wide with apprehension as she caught sight of him.
Zafar stopped and glared at her. "I didn't tell him. Happy now?" he spat bitterly.
Without waiting for a response, he marched into his room and slammed the door shut behind him with a resounding crash. Aliza let out a long, trembling breath, a massive wave of relief washing over her.
Inside the prison cell, the heavy darkness of the night slowly gave way to the pale light of morning.
My eyes blinked open to find Iqbal Sahab already awake, quietly eating the meager breakfast that had been provided. I dragged myself over and sat down beside him.
"Looks like Zafar really didn't say anything," I noted quietly, breaking the bread.
"I told you so," Iqbal Sahab remarked, a hint of quiet pride in his voice.
"Aliza must have stopped him," I mused, thinking aloud. "She's the only reason he would keep quiet."
To my surprise, Iqbal Sahab smiled gently at my comment.
"What?" I asked, confused by his reaction.
"Nothing. Eat quickly," Iqbal Sahab replied, shaking his head. "The guards will be here any minute to take us out for labor."
A short while later, we were out in the designated work area. I was focused on my tasks, sweat dripping down my brow, while Adi worked alongside me, moving at the same rhythm.
"Bilal, where do you find the courage?" Adi asked suddenly, breaking the monotonous sounds of labor.
"What do you mean?" I asked, wiping my forehead.
"I mean... the way you spoke to Zafar yesterday. It was crazy," Adi said, looking at me with genuine awe.
"Oh... to be honest, I don't really know. Maybe it's just because I have absolutely nothing left to lose anymore. That, and I utterly despise these people."
"I could never find the nerve to stand up to Zafar Khan like that," Adi said with a small, self-deprecating smile. "I guess I'm just a coward."
I stopped working and turned to look at him fully. "Really? Because I thought you were incredibly brave. After all, you're the one who saved me." I paused, letting the memory sink in. "If you're such a coward, why did you step up to Zafar without a second thought and claim you were the one who gave me that lunch?"
Adi's eyes lit up, a bright, genuine smile breaking across his face. "You know, you're actually right! Now that I think about it, maybe I'm not as helpless as I thought."
I smiled back, clapping a hand onto his shoulder reassuringly. "You are not a coward at all, Adi."
His smile lingered for a second before his expression turned serious again. He looked at me earnestly. "But Bilal... please don't do something like that ever again. It was incredibly dangerous."
I nodded at him, signaling my agreement as we both turned back to our work.