Her attacker froze with his grip momentarily loosening. Prachi seized the fraction of a second, tearing herself free from his grasp. She stumbled forward gasping for air while her eyes fixed on her rescuer. The attacker momentarily stepped back and went back into the shadows. She watched as Mihir's his eyes swept the darkness where the attacker had vanished suddenly. His gaze then snapped to her with sharpness and assessment to it.

Mihir's presence was a shield, Prachi still trembling watched him take a step towards her. His eyes, dark and scanned her face then dropped to her trembling hands and her dishevelled self. He didn't ask if she was okay because the answer was written clearly in her fear stricken eyes. His jaw tightened and he simply reached for her. His hand rested on her shoulder like a physical anchor in a world that had just spun out of control