Chapter 15: Borrowed time

Rhea kept her forehead close to mine—way too close. For a moment, my brain short-circuited. Was she… planning to kiss me?

For a split second, I forgot how to breathe. Rhea’s face was so close, her eyes holding mine in a way that made the world shrink. It wasn’t just close—it was intimate, like a moment that shouldn’t belong to two people who weren’t in love. But then my brain, being the genius it is, remembered: Oh God, I haven’t brushed my teeth. Abort mission, Rhea. Abort mission. This is a terrible idea. Unless she had a thing for mint-free, slightly questionable morning breath, this was bound to end in disaster. But then she locked eyes with me. And not in that awkward way when you accidentally make eye contact with a stranger across the room. No, this was different. It was intense. For a brief moment, I swear I saw something—a spark, maybe?—jump from her eyes into mine.

I wasn’t sure what it was, but it did something to me. At first, I didn’t notice it. My head was too busy freaking out about the whole forehead-touching situation. But then... wait. Something was different. The heaviness in my limbs? Gone. The feverish dizziness? Vanished. I stretched my arms experimentally. Nope, no pain. What the hell?

All of a sudden, I felt better. Miraculously better. My body, which had been on the verge of collapsing for days, was suddenly fine.

It took me some time to realize what was happening. I turned around and saw Reena and Vaishak, both of them staring at us like we were part of a circus show. Alright, Krishna, this isn’t the time for distractions. Don’t let anything deter you from asking Rhea the most important question.

Alright, first things first—self-preservation.

I squared my shoulders, looked Rhea dead in the eye, and asked the most pressing question on my mind.

“Alright, now tell me everything. First thing first—are you going to drink my blood?”

“You serious? I thought I had already established to you that I am not a vampire.”

Listen, I had to ask. I’ve read Twilight, okay? And while Rhea doesn’t sparkle in the sunlight (which would be cool), I wasn’t about to take any chances.

She rolled her eyes like I was the dumbest person she’d ever met. “Krishna, if I wanted to do that, you wouldn’t be alive today.”

And you know what? Fair point. Can’t argue with logic. That was a huge relief because I definitely preferred the first option between being her potential boyfriend and her potential dinner.

I exhaled dramatically. “Okay, good. Now that we’ve established you’re not a vampire—what is it? Tell me your secret. Wait, wait, wait—before we get into the whole ‘magical healing stare’ situation, can we address something very important?”

Rhea blinked, probably wondering what absurd thing I was about to say next.

“Can you just tell my mates I’m not some weird daydreamer and that you actually exist? Like, in real life? You know, give them their memories back?”

real—my reputation was on the line here. I’ve spent too long being the guy who talks about a girl no one else remembers. At this rate, I was one step away from people patting me on the back and saying, “Sure, Krishna, Rhea is real. And so is Santa Claus.”

Not that I had anything against Santa, but come on.

in front of you, Krishna, they got their memories back.”

Now, can you please tell me what in the blue hell is going on here?”

“Krishna, you might need to sit down.” Rhea’s voice was steady, but something in her eyes wasn’t. It wasn’t like her usual deadpan sarcasm or casual confidence—no, this was something else. Uncertainty? Doubt?

She hesitated, just for a moment. And that was enough to make my stomach knot.

Whatever she was about to say, she wasn’t sure if I could handle it.

"Wait, I need to ask you one question before you explain everything! Did you come into my life as Sowmya before?"

I saw—Sowmya, no, I mean Rhea—ugh, goddamn it, I don’t even know what to call her anymore.

Her eyes widened, just for a fraction of a second, before she masked it. Bingo. Gotcha.

I needed to be honest with myself here—I felt a little proud for figuring that one out all on my own.

Rhea took a deep breath, her gaze flickering to Reena and Vaishakh before settling back on me. “Krishna… this isn’t easy to explain.”

I crossed my arms. “Try me. I’ve had a really weird week. What’s one more insane thing on the list?”

She exhaled sharply, then took a step back, as if putting distance between us made it easier to say whatever she was about to say. “You’re right about one thing—I didn’t just appear in your life. I’ve always been watching you.”

I blinked. “Okay, stalker alert.”

She shot me a glare. “Not like that, idiot.”

Reena raised an eyebrow. “Wait, hold up—always? What does that even mean? Like, since kindergarten? Since before he was born? Are you some kind of… guardian angel or something?”

Rhea’s lips pressed into a thin line. “That depends on what you mean by ‘angel.’”

I frowned. “That’s not an answer.”

Vaishakh, who had been unusually quiet until now, suddenly spoke up. “Okay, so if you’ve been around forever, how come we not see you? You totally took away all the memories we hasd of yours untill now. When you magically appeared out of nowhere and now you’re telling me you were just hanging out in the shadows, being all mysterious? Sounds sketchy, dude.”

Rhea tilted her head slightly. “It’s not that you forgot me. It’s that you were never supposed to remember me.”

That sent a chill down my spine.

“What—” My voice cracked slightly, but I recovered. “What does that even mean? People don’t just… vanish from memories unless—”

My stomach twisted as a ridiculous but also terrifying thought hit me.

ghost?”

Reena inhaled sharply. “Krishna, don’t be stupid—”

But Rhea didn’t deny it. She just stared at me, her expression unreadable.

I felt my palms get clammy. “Okay. Okay. So you’re not a vampire. And you might be a ghost.” I swallowed. “But you healed me, didn’t you? Like, I felt like I was dying, and now I feel… normal?”

Something flickered in her eyes, but she quickly masked it. “You’re not normal, Krishna.”

Vaishakh snorted. “Yeah, we already knew that.”

I ignored him. “What does that mean, Rhea?”

She hesitated. For a second, just a second, I saw something raw in her eyes—guilt? Sadness? But then she squared her shoulders. “I didn’t heal you,” she admitted.

I frowned. “Uh, you kind of did. Exhibit A—me, not dying.”

heal you, Krishna. I put something over you. A… layer. A shield. It won’t last forever.”

The room felt like it got colder.

Reena stepped closer, arms crossed. “Wait. Are you saying Krishna’s still sick?”

Rhea didn’t answer right away. She just kept looking at me.

I felt something heavy settle in my chest. “Rhea,” I said, quieter now. “Tell me the truth. What happens when your ‘shield’ runs out?”

She glanced away. “I don’t know.”

I could tell she was lying.

Vaishakh let out a low whistle. “Well, that’s not terrifying at all.”

Reena narrowed her eyes. “Rhea, what are you hiding? You’re not just some random girl. You’re not human, are you?”

Rhea turned back to me. “I told you, Krishna. I’ve always been watching you. And I won’t stop now. I’ll fix this. No matter what it takes.”

what, exactly?”

She didn’t answer.

She just looked at me like she was already mourning me.

Rhea didn’t answer. Not right away.

Instead, she just looked at me—not like how a girl looks at a guy she might like, but like… like I was something fragile. Like I could break at any moment.

And I hated it.

“Okay, nope,” I said, forcing a laugh that sounded way too fake even to me. “That’s not an answer, Rhea. That’s a dramatic pause.”

Vaishakh, who was still clearly processing everything, crossed his arms. “Yeah, dude, I’ve watched enough horror movies to know that when someone avoids answering a question like that, it never means something good.”

Rhea exhaled. “Krishna, just—trust me, alright?”

I scoffed. “Oh, sure. That’s easy! Because nothing about this situation is weird at all. My childhood friend is apparently some supernatural being, my ‘sickness’ is apparently not actually gone, and now you’re looking at me like I’ve got an expiration date on my forehead.”

Reena’s arms were still crossed, her face unusually serious. “Rhea, if you know something, just say it.”

Rhea hesitated. Then, finally, she said, “I’m buying you time.”

The words slammed into me like a punch to the gut.

“What?” I asked, but my voice sounded smaller than before.

She glanced away for a moment, then back at me. “I’m buying you time, Krishna. That’s what I did. That’s what I can do.”

I stared at her. “So… so I’m not actually okay?”

Something flickered in her eyes. Panic? Guilt? Both?

“No,” she admitted. “Not really.”

Reena sucked in a sharp breath. Vaishakh muttered something under his breath that sounded a lot like a curse word.

My hands felt clammy. My mouth was dry. “Then why do I feel fine?”

She didn’t answer immediately. Instead, she took a slow breath, like she was choosing her words carefully. “Because I made you feel fine.”

Silence.

Dead, heavy, awkward silence.

“… Okay, so what? You gave me magic paracetamol?” I joked, trying really hard to keep my voice light. But my stomach was twisting itself into knots.

Rhea didn’t smile.

“Not exactly.”

I swallowed. “Then what exactly?”

She hesitated again. And that hesitation scared me more than anything.

Finally, she spoke. “Your body is still… shutting down, Krishna. But I layered something over it. Think of it like… a disguise.”

I blinked. “A disguise?”

Rhea nodded. “Your body still thinks it’s sick. But I made it forget. For now.”

Something cold crawled up my spine. “For now?”

Vaishakh let out a nervous laugh. “Oh, yeah, this sounds totally fine.”

Reena frowned. “So what happens when your little… disguise wears off?”

Rhea visibly stiffened.

I noticed. And suddenly, I didn’t want to hear the answer.

But she gave it to me anyway.

“…Then everything catches up.”

A beat of silence.

Then—

“What the hell does that mean?!” I blurted, my voice a little higher than I intended.

“It means you don’t have long,” Rhea said, her voice soft. Too soft.

And that’s when I realized it.

She knew.

She knew I was dying.

She knew this wasn’t a cure.

She knew… and she didn’t tell me.

The realization hit me like a wave—cold, unstoppable, and weirdly… calm.

I was dying.

And honestly? I wasn’t even that scared.

I mean, yeah, it sucked. But after everything—Reena’s rage, Vaishakh’s panic, Rhea’s eyes filled with something I really didn’t want to name—I just felt tired.

“I get it now,” I murmured. “That’s why you were looking at me like that, isn’t it, Rhea?”'

She didn’t say anything.

Didn’t deny it.

Didn’t look at me.

Reena’s voice was sharp. “Krishna, don’t talk like that. We—we can still fix this, right?” She turned to Rhea, her tone desperate. “Right?”

Rhea didn’t answer. But then, suddenly, her hands clenched into fists. She lifted her head. And I swear, the air around us changed.

The wind stilled.

The trees stopped swaying.

The distant hum of birdsong vanished.

A chill crawled over my skin. Not a normal cold, but something deeper. Older.

Rhea’s voice was barely above a whisper when she spoke.

“Hades.”

A gust of wind tore through the air.

Leaves lifted from the ground, circling around us in slow, deliberate patterns. The sky, once an endless stretch of blue, darkened—just slightly.

Reena took a sharp step back. Vaishakh muttered, “What the hell?” under his breath.

And then—a voice.

Low. Amused. Ancient.

“You summon me, little flame?”

Rhea stood her ground. “We need to talk.”

A pause. Then, the world answered.

The ground beneath us rumbled—just once, like a single heartbeat deep beneath the earth. The wind carried a low chuckle.

“You have always been bold, Hestia. What do you seek?”

Reena grabbed my arm. “Krishna, tell me you’re hearing this too.”

“Oh, yeah,” I muttered, watching as Rhea took a step forward, eyes burning with something fierce. “This is definitely happening.”

Rhea lifted her chin. “I want a truce.”

The temperature dropped.

The shadows stretched, curling at the edges of our feet like they were listening.

Hades’ voice was smooth. Silk over steel.

“A truce?” He hummed, thoughtful. “And why would I grant you such a thing?”

“Because you’re punishing him for something I did,” Rhea shot back. “You want retribution, fine. But let him go. He is mortal. He didn’t break the vow—I did.”

Silence.

Then, the wind picked up. The shadows flickered.

“Very well.”

Rhea’s breath hitched. “You—”

“I forgive him,” Hades said smoothly. “Take your shield away, and he will live.”

I swear I saw Rhea hesitate.

For just a moment.

But then she turned to me, eyes glistening, She looked at me with tears in her eyes.

" Thank you Hades, I will always be thankfull for this."

Her hand hovered over my chest. “Krishna… it’s over,” she whispered.

“You’re going to be okay.”

And then, with a flicker of golden light—she let go.

The moment she did, the world shifted back.

The wind returned. The birds sang. The sky brightened.

Rhea’s face split into a tearful, relieved grin. “You’re fine,” she whispered, as if saying it made it real. And before I could even react, she threw her arms around me and—

She kissed me.

Right then. Right there.

And you know what? It was the best damn moment of my life.

Reena and Vaishakh made gagging noises in the background, but I couldn’t even care.

Because for once—just once—I wasn’t dying.

Rhea held me on my waiste She took me home , Along with Reena and Vaishakh. I don’t even remember the walk back. Just the smell of her breath, the warmth of her presence, and the overwhelming sense of relief that I wasn’t going to die today.

My mother was already waiting at the door, eyes red, hands trembling. The moment she saw me, she broke down completely.

I barely had time to register before she crushed me in a hug, sobbing into my shoulder.

“My baby—Krishna, oh my God—you’re okay,” she choked out, holding me so tight it actually hurt.

I hugged her back, feeling a strange mix of warmth and guilt. Guilt, because… for the first time in years, I realized just how much she had been holding onto me.

“Mom,” I muttered, trying to pull away. “Oxygen. Kind of need it.”

She let go, but not really—her hands stayed cupping my face, scanning me like she needed to see for herself that I was real.

“I thought—” she started, her voice cracking. “I thought I was going to lose you.”

I forced a grin. “Nah. You’re stuck with me.”

From the corner of my eye, I saw Rhea watching us, her expression unreadable.

But before I could say anything, I turned to my mother.

“I, uh… need to see Grandma,” I blurted out.

The words surprised even me.

Mom hesitated. “Krishna…”

“I know,” I cut in quickly. “I know she… she doesn’t remember me. But I just… I just want to see her.”

My mother nodded slowly, then turned toward the hallway. “She’s resting, but… okay.”

The room was dimly lit, the scent of old books and faded memories hanging in the air.

My grandmother sat by the window, eyes blank, staring at something far beyond the walls of our home.

I swallowed hard. She looked so small.

I hadn’t seen her in years—because I was too scared. Too scared to face the fact that the woman who ruled my family like a dicatotor … didn’t know who I was anymore.

Rhea placed a gentle hand on my back, nudging me forward.

I knelt beside my grandmother’s chair, my fingers hesitating before finally taking hers.

“Hey, Grandma,” I whispered. “It’s me.”

Nothing.

She blinked, as if registering my voice but not understanding who I was.

My chest felt tight.

I had spent so long avoiding this moment. Pretending that if I never came to see her, she would just… exist in my memory the way she had always been—sharp, witty, full of life.

But now, here she was. Fading. And I had wasted so much time.

I squeezed her hand.

“I love you,” I said, voice barely above a whisper. “Even if you don’t remember me.”

For the briefest moment—just a flicker—her fingers tightened around mine.

And then she smiled.

A small, fragile thing. Like the ghost of a memory she couldn’t quite grasp.

Tears burned the back of my eyes.

That was enough.

That was all I needed.

As soon as we left the room, my mother turned to me with a suspicious look.

“So,” she said slowly, arms crossed. “You and Rhea.”

Rhea stiffened beside me.

I coughed. “What about us?”

Mom raised an eyebrow. “Are you going to pretend you don’t know what I’m talking about?”

I shifted uncomfortably. “Um. No?”

She sighed dramatically. “Krishna, you were literally holding hands when you walked in. And don’t think I didn’t see how she was looking at you.”

Rhea went bright red.

I rubbed the back of my neck, avoiding eye contact like my life depended on it. “So… uh. We’re not—” I exhaled. “We’re not just friends.”

My mother blinked. “No shit.”

I nearly choked. “Mom!”

Rhea groaned, covering her face.

Mom just smirked. “Oh, don’t be so dramatic. I’ve been waiting for this day.”

I narrowed my eyes. “You knew?”

She rolled her eyes. “Krishna, I been seing you since the day you came to earth. I can easily see the difference in you everytime."

Rhea peeked out from behind her hands, still bright red.

I sighed, running a hand down my face. Great. Fantastic. My last big confession, and my mother had basically already predicted it years ago.

I don’t know why, but suddenly, I felt exhausted.

Like someone had taken all the energy out of my body in an instant.

Rhea must have noticed, because she touched my arm, frowning. “Krishna?”

I forced a smile. “I’m just—” I swallowed. “Just a little tired.”

Mom reached up, brushing my hair back. “You should rest.”

I nodded slowly. “Yeah. That sounds good.”

But then—

Everything stopped.

My vision blurred. My chest tightened. Something was wrong.

I opened my mouth to say something, but no sound came out.

Then—pain.

Searing, all-consuming pain.

The world tilted. My legs buckled.

And then, I was falling.

“Krishna!” Rhea’s scream shattered the air.

The sky turned black. The wind howled.

In the distance, thunder rumbled.

And somewhere, just beyond the veil of the living—a god laughed.

“Foolish girl.What I can never have no one should"

My mother caught me before I hit the ground. “Krishna? Krishna?!”

Reena was yelling. Vaishakh was calling my name.

Rhea—she was shaking.

“No,” she whispered. “No, no, no.”

She pressed her hands to my chest, like she could force life back into me. Like she could take back whatever terrible thing had just happened.

I felt myself slipping.

I reached up, brushing my fingers against her cheek.

And I smiled.

“Rhea… I love you.”

Her breath caught.

Her eyes widened.

I saw the words forming on her lips.

But she was too late.

Because by the time she spoke—

I was already gone.

No.

No, no, no.

This wasn’t happening.

It couldn’t be happening.

“Krishna?” Rhea’s voice cracked as she grabbed his face, desperately searching for something—anything. “No, you’re not—”

She pressed her fingers against his pulse point. Nothing.

She shook him. Hard. “Krishna, wake up! Come on, this isn’t funny!”

He didn’t move.

He didn’t even breathe.

The truth hit her like a blade to the chest.

He was gone.

Rhea let out a sound—a broken, choked, animalistic sound—as she clutched him against her.

“NO! NO, NO, NO! THIS WASN’T SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN!”

She could feel Reena and Vaishakh staring in stunned silence. Her mother was still screaming his name, clutching his hand, but Rhea couldn’t focus on anything except the rage and grief tearing through her.

Her hands clenched into fists. Her breathing was ragged.

And then—she lifted her head to the sky.

“HADES!”

The ground shook.

The wind screamed.

A rumble of thunder cracked across the sky, as if the entire world flinched at the force of her fury.

“YOU LIED TO ME!”

Nothing.

The world stayed silent.

“SHOW YOURSELF, COWARD!”

Still, nothing.

But the sky—it darkened. The sun seemed to fade, swallowed by heavy storm clouds. The temperature dropped.

And then, in the cold, hollow voice of the Underworld itself, he spoke.

“I never promised you a happy ending.”

Rhea’s blood ran ice cold.

Her nails dug into her palms so hard that she didn’t even feel the pain.

She had trusted him. She had given up her shield.

She had let Krishna die.

The betrayal hit her so violently that she screamed—pure, raw agony tearing from her throat.

The earth shook violently beneath them. A gust of wind tore through the yard.

Reena grabbed Vaishakh’s arm. “Holy shit.”

Vaishakh whispered, “What… what the hell is she?”

But Rhea wasn’t listening.

Tears poured down her face, hot and furious.

“BRING HIM BACK!” she roared.

She pressed her hands against Krishna’s chest, gripping his shirt like she could somehow hold him together.

“PLEASE!” Her voice cracked. “PLEASE, YOU CAN FIX THIS!”

The wind howled. The trees bent and twisted. The sky thundered with a deep, eerie laugh.

“Even you cannot undo fate, little goddess.”

Rhea’s eyes widened.

For a split second, Reena and Vaishakh both froze.

But then—before they could react—

Everything went completely still.

The wind stopped. The ground settled. The sky, dark and raging, went deathly silent.

And just like that, Hades was gone.

Taking Krishna with him.