• Is there actually a ghost or our mind is playing trick on us...

"Is everything alright here?" Veda asked, his voice calm despite the late hour and the evident distress in the air.

Arya, still slightly bewildered, turned to Veda. "Didn't you hear Isha scream? It echoed all the way down the corridor."

Veda frowned. "Scream? No, I didn't hear anything. I assumed the library was designed to be relatively soundproof, to maintain silence for reading."

Gauri gently disentangled herself from Isha's tight grip. "It's okay, Isha. It was just Veda. There's no one else in the library. Nothing to be scared of."

Veda, however, seemed less concerned with Isha's fright and more with the disruption. "Honestly, Gauri," he said, a hint of annoyance in his tone, "this is partly your doing. All that talk about safety and potential danger has clearly unsettled Isha. You've planted the idea in her head that this place is teeming with threats at every corner."

"Hey!" Arya interjected, stepping forward defensively. "Gauri was just looking out for us! There's nothing wrong with wanting to be careful in a place with this kind of history."

Jai stepped between Arya and Veda, his hands raised in a placating gesture. "Alright, alright, let's not start pointing fingers. Veda, what's that massive book you've got there?"

Veda shifted the heavy tome under his arm, presenting the spine. Emblazoned in faded gold lettering was the single word: "Devgiri."

Arya's eyes widened. "Devgiri! Isn't that what Gauri said the castle was called originally?"

"Indeed," Veda confirmed, a flicker of intellectual excitement in his eyes. "I found it on one of the shelves. It appears to be a historical account of the castle and the Rawat dynasty. I haven't had a chance to delve into it yet, but I suspect it might hold some answers, some clues to the… peculiarities of this place."

"Maybe we should read it now," Arya suggested eagerly. "It could tell us about the king and the knight!"

But Gauri shook her head, her gaze softening as she looked at her still-shaken sister. "I think what we all need right now is some sleep. Isha's clearly frightened, and we're all running on adrenaline. The book can wait until morning."

One by one, the others reluctantly agreed. Even Veda, though clearly eager to delve into his discovery, conceded that rest was probably wise. He returned the heavy book to its place on a shelf within the dimly lit library.

They made their way back down the corridor, the earlier tension slowly dissipating. When they reached their rooms, Isha clung to Gauri, her earlier fear resurfacing. "Gauri… can you sleep with me tonight? Just… just until I feel a little better?"

Gauri looked at her sister's pale face and the lingering tremor in her hands. With a gentle sigh, she nodded. "Of course, Isha. Come on." She led her back into room 211, a silent promise of comfort and reassurance in the haunted silence of Swarg Sadan.

The next morning, a gentle warmth spread across Isha's face as the sunlight, now unimpeded, streamed through the window. She groaned, burrowing deeper under the covers as she registered the sound of the curtains being drawn open. "Gauri," she mumbled sleepily, turning her back to the light, "close that. It's too bright."

Gauri, however, was already at the open window, a soft smile gracing her lips as the cool morning breeze, carrying the earthy fragrance of damp soil, filled the room. "Hmm, must have rained last night," she mused aloud, inhaling deeply. "What a pleasant morning, isn't it?"

She walked over to the bedside table and spoke to the Alexa. "Send a voice message to rooms 210, 212, and 213. Good morning, everyone. I'm planning to show you a bit of the castle grounds. Please be ready to leave in half an hour. Don't say I didn't warn you if you're late." She glanced at the still-slumbering form of Isha and chuckled softly. "And then there's you, sleepyhead."

With a mischievous glint in her eyes, Gauri gently tugged the blanket away from Isha. When her sister still didn't stir, Gauri leaned close to her ear and whispered, her voice conspiratorial, "We're going to explore the haunted palace."

The effect was instantaneous. Despite her terror of the previous night, Isha's love for all things spooky and mysterious was deeply ingrained. Her eyes snapped open, all traces of sleep vanishing. Her messy hair stuck out at odd angles, a comical sight that earned a soft laugh from Gauri. "Come on, sleepy beauty," Gauri chuckled, "let's get you presentable before we face any potential ghosts."

Isha, still a little disoriented but now wide awake and buzzing with a renewed sense of adventure, scrambled out of bed and practically sprinted towards the bathroom, a bundle of clothes clutched in her hand. The fright of the night before seemed to have momentarily faded in the face of a new day and the promise of exploration.