That night, after Rohan finally left in a storm of disbelief ,Iris quietly arranged a room for Lotus one next to Sean's. The previous guests had checked out that morning, and the space was conveniently vacant, as if waiting for her.
It was spacious, with high ceilings and polished cream marble floors that cooled her bare feet. The walls were painted in soft, muted tones of sand and rose, with traditional jaali panels . Outside, gauzy white curtains swayed gently in the desert breeze, filtering the moonlight into fractured silver patterns across the floor.
A plush king sized bed dominated the center of the room, dressed in crisp white linens and topped with hand embroidered cushions in deep indigo and gold. On either side, low wooden nightstands held antique brass lamps fitted with modern dimmer switches.
Despite its beauty, the room unsettled her.It was too quiet. Too pristine. Like a room made to look perfect for a guest who might never truly feel at home.By all logic, Lotus should have fallen asleep immediately.
But she didn't.
She lay still for hours, eyes wide open, her body resting but her mind alert strangely awake, as if she had already slept long enough for one lifetime. The silence in the room wasn't peaceful. It was thick, unnerving. The kind that pressed down on you, crawling into the corners of your thoughts.
She had switched on the light earlier, just as Iris had shown her gentle guidance, soft hands tucking her in like a child. But still, she tossed and turned, her limbs restless beneath the sheets. Her gaze kept drifting toward the carved ceiling beams, her ears straining against the quiet, as if waiting for some forgotten sound to return.
Eventually, she couldn't take it. She slipped out from under the covers, wrapped her thin robe around her frame, and padded barefoot into the hallway.
She didn't know where she was going. Only that she couldn't stay still.
Past the restaurant Rasoda, its doors closed and golden nameplate gleaming in the dim light she wandered into the courtyard. That was when she saw it.
The pool.Still as glass under the moonlight, reflecting the full moon like a perfect mirror. Her breath caught in her throat. The sight was beautiful. Haunting.
Lotus stepped to the edge and sat down gently, letting her feet dip into the cool water.
A soft gasp escaped her lips,the cold was sharp but she didn't pull away. It grounded her. Anchored her to now.
She sat there, completely still, moonlight turning her skin almost silver.And then footsteps. She didn't look back.
Sean appeared behind her, silent but impossible to ignore. He stood tall and shadowed, his figure illuminated faintly by the lanterns lining the courtyard walls. His shirt was rumpled, his hair tousled with sleep.
"Couldn't sleep?" he asked quietly.
Lotus didn't reply.
He paused beside her. "Mind if I join you?"
Still no answer.
So, he slipped off his sandals and sat beside her anyway. The water rippled softly as he dipped his feet in, hissing quietly. "Damn. That's cold."
Silence stretched between them.
Then, Lotus spoke calm, distant. "The moon is beautiful."
Sean turned, surprised to hear her voice so clearly. "It is," he said after a beat, looking at her instead of the sky. "But that's not what I thought you'd say."
She looked at him sideways. "Why?"
He shrugged. "You're so quiet. I thought if you ever said something, it'd be about the past. Or pain. Not... beauty."
She stared back up at the moon ,her eyes distant and filled with saddness. "Yeah ,but what past if I can't remember anything,not even my name . That's just unfortunate and sad ."
Sean fell silent again, the words lingering between them like smoke.It was awakarwrd and he immediately regretted his choice of words but he thought fast and after a moment, he pulled out his phone. "There's something I wanted to show you."
He flipped to the image the one of the necklace they were supposed to find. Intricate.
Lotus tilted her head slightly, eyes narrowing in recognition or maybe just admiration."This," Sean said, "is what we were looking for. Before we found you."
She studied it for a long time,she wanted to trace it but kept her hands to herself ."It's beautiful," she said at last."That's what I thought too."
He turned the screen off and looked at her again. "I'm Sean, by the way. Full name: Sean Ashford. Archaeologist."
She repeated the word softly, like it was foreign to her tongue. "Archaeologist."
"Someone who digs through the past. Tries to make sense of things people forgot or tried to forget." He gave a crooked smile. "Mostly dirt. And guesswork.The only thing I like about this job is actual discovery and real proof and not guess work.It is satisfying to be able to contribute to the society in one way or the other."Lotus smiled faintly. Just for a moment.Another pause, softer this time.
"Do you remember anything?" he asked carefully.
She shook her head. "No. Only… shadows. Not memories."
Sean sighed. "You and Iris... You look uncannily alike , it's very freaky."
Lotus nodded. "I noticed."
"Perhaps does it mean anything to you?"
Her voice dropped. "Maybe everything. Maybe nothing."
She moved her feet in the water, breaking the moon's reflection.
Sean watched her. The delicate profile. The shape of her lips. The way the moonlight clung to her like it remembered her.She was beautiful ,but well she had Iris's face.
"Why are you out here?" he asked.
"I couldn't sleep."
"Me neither."
A beat of silence."Want to swim?" he asked suddenly, a hint of playfulness returning to his voice. "Might help."
She looked at him like he'd spoken in riddles. "Swim?"
He nodded toward the water. "Unless you'd rather sneak into the kitchen and steal dessert. I could be persuaded."He winked
Her head tilted she was amused and also considering the idea. "Do people... often do that?"
Sean laughed softly. "Not the kind of people who wake up buried ."
She laughed too. Barely, but it was real.
And then,for a while they said nothing.