CHAPTER 190: CHAPTER-190.

Kaya didn’t move. She just stood, eyes twitching slightly.

Veer, still hiding behind her, gave a small relieved sigh, "Thank God, it’s gone..."

Kaya didn’t reply.

She was too busy praying for her own sanity.

Then Veer—brushing off his shoulders like he’d just fought off a dragon instead of being protected from a bug—fixed his nose with a proud little sniff and said, "Seriously, listen. You don’t have to be scared of these cockroaches. I’m here."

He even had the audacity to pat her back. Like he was the hero of the hour.

Snap.

That was it.

The last damn line of Kaya’s patience cracked like dry twigs underfoot.

Before he could blink, Kaya grabbed him by the collar and yanked him down to her eye level. Her eyes were burning, sharp and furious, like two blades pressed against his ego.

"You damn bastard," she hissed, her voice low but boiling. "You were shouting like your entire bloodline just got wiped out—because of a cockroach. A small, shivering, confused cockroach."

Veer, caught in her death glare, tried to look brave but his eyes flickered—slightly to the side, not daring to meet hers. "I... I wasn’t scared."

"Not scared?" Kaya barked, stepping closer, her chest heaving with rage. "You damn bastard, because of you, I ran all the way here barefoot. Do you even understand that I’m sick? That I can’t even come close to the river in this damn cold? That’s why I asked you to go!"

Her voice echoed along the riverbank, sharp and relentless.

Veer’s lips parted, but no words came. His gaze dropped to the side, wilting. "Um... but... I, uh... it was... scary."

"Scary?" Kaya snapped back, voice cracking under fury. "Then what the hell are you for, huh? If you’re scared, fine. But at least flap your wings once and that thing would’ve been halfway to another planet. But no. No, no. You had to scream like a pampered princess on fire."

Veer stood there, collar still in her grip, his pride melting like butter on a skillet.

Suddenly, Veer’s eyes dropped to Kaya’s foot.

And then he froze.

Her bare foot had turned slightly red—frostbitten from the snow, no doubt. The skin looked raw, irritated, like the cold had started sinking in deep. He blinked, realizing how long she must’ve been standing there—barefoot, in the cold, all because of him.

Cough, cough, cough, cough, cough.

The sharp sound jolted him. Kaya bent forward, coughing again, and this time it wasn’t just a normal cough—it was rough, deep, like her chest was being clawed from the inside. The sound scraped through the air, tearing through both silence and Veer’s composure.

Without a second thought, he stepped forward and scooped her up in a princess carry—his grip protective, one arm holding her close while the other awkwardly balanced the water bowl he still hadn’t let go of.

"Kaya—are you okay?"

His voice was low, tight with panic. He looked down at her, eyes flicking over her pale face, her trembling lips.

She didn’t answer right away.

He gently shook her, almost like calming a small baby—careful, jittery, uncertain. "Say something," he murmured, trying not to let the fear slip into his tone. "You can’t just cough like that and then go silent, you—"

But Kaya’s eyes snapped open, hazy with fever and rage. Her voice rasped, yet sharp as ever.

"You—what the hell—do you mean by... cough, cough, cough—"

Another coughing fit cut her off, more violent this time. Her whole body shook in his arms.

Veer’s heart dropped.

"Kaya..." he whispered, holding her tighter, as if by just holding her close, he could force the sickness to leave her body. "I’m sorry. I didn’t know. I didn’t think it was this bad..."

Veer hurriedly brought Kaya back to the cave at full speed. His arms tightened around her as he ran, panic silently racing through him faster than his steps.

Kaya’s forehead was burning. Burning like something wasn’t right anymore.

But thank God—really, thank God—Kaya had left the fire going when she had stepped out. The flames had died down a little, sure, but the warmth still lingered around the ground where it had burned the strongest. Not too warm, but still better than the biting cold outside.

The moment they reached inside, Veer didn’t waste a second. He gently placed Kaya down near the fire and quickly set the bowl of water aside—hands shaking slightly as the bowl made a dull thud on the stone.

Then he sat directly parallel to the fire, legs stretched out, back hunched forward—and pulled Kaya into his arms.

He hugged her tight. Really tight. Not the soft, careful kind—no. This was raw, full of fear, full of urgency, as if he was scared she might disappear if he let go.

One hand cradled her head, the other moved in slow, firm circles on her back—rubbing warmth into her skin, trying to ease her shivers, trying to do something to make up for what had just happened.

Kaya’s breath was uneven against his chest. Her body curled into him instinctively.

Veer placed the water bowl near the fire—quite close, actually—carefully watching the steam begin to rise. His other hand never left Kaya, still gently rubbing her back as she lay weakly in his arms.

The moment the water warmed just slightly—not too hot, just enough—he quickly poured some into a smaller bowl he’d grabbed earlier. No way he was going to bring the big, half-boiling one to her lips.

He crouched close, cupping the warm bowl in both hands, and leaned in.

"Here," he whispered softly, nudging it toward her. "Just a small sip, okay? Slow... take it slow."

Kaya blinked slowly, eyes half-lidded from fever. Her lips were pale and dry, and she could barely lift her head—but somehow, she leaned forward, letting Veer tilt the bowl gently to her mouth.

She took a small sip.

And the moment the warm water touched her throat—

She flinched.

A sharp pain shot through her chest like someone had rubbed crushed chillies straight onto an open wound.

It burned.

She coughed immediately, her body jerking slightly in Veer’s arms, and let out a tiny, cracked gasp as her eyes squeezed shut from the pain.