Page 15 of Sumanika

I immediately looked at my wrists. The marks from the Jutes had faded, yet they had left me with a lasting fear for the rest of my life.

I pressed my palms against my face and tried to remind myself,‘This is Suryagarh. You are safe here. No one is going to burn you alive. You are safe, Suman.’

I inhaled deeply and glanced at the metal jug beside my mattress. Leaning forward, I picked it up, but let out a frustrated sigh when I realized it was empty.

I stood up and walked out of my room towards the kitchen. It was well past midnight, and I couldn’t understand why the morning light felt scarier to me than the darkness of the night.

Maybe, in the darkness, I could hide from the light.

Without taking a lamp, I entered the kitchen to fill the jug and noticed a few attendees still awake.“Why are you awake?” I asked one of them, who was lighting the stove before looking at me.

“Prince Agastya has returned. He’s asking for something to eat,” she informed, and I lowered my gaze for a moment.

“Oh,” I nodded, looking at her and the other attendees, chopping vegetables, crushing dried chilies, and boiling milk. I gulped as I watched them and placed the jug in the corner, saying,“Let me…” The attendees glanced at me and frowned.

“You should get some rest. Ranisa will want you bright and early tomorrow morning,” she said, making me smile and shake my head.

“I can’t sleep,” I insisted, sitting down and grabbing another knife to chop vegetables. After slicing and assisting the attendees with the cooking, I glanced at the bowls filled with four vegetable curries, two sweets, and chapatis and frowned slightly.

“He doesn’t like beans.” I pointed to a bowl, and the attendee turned to me.

“Oh, I’m sorry, I forgot,” she said, lifting the bowl off the plate and looking at me with a confused expression.

“Onion,” I reminded. She set a bowl of diced raw onions before lifting the plate in her hand. I watched her walk away with the plate.

Taking a deep breath, I immediately stood up to follow her.

“Listen,” I called.

She glanced back at me, and I nervously swallowed as I looked at the plate.“You should rest. I’ll take it to him,” I offered, extending my hands. She stared at me momentarily before leaving the plate without a word.

I smiled and said,“You look tired.”

She smiled back and walked away quietly.

My heart raced faster with every step I took toward his chamber at night. The moon shone in the sky, and stars scattered like a blanket. The chilly winds made me shiver before I entered.

Illuminated softly with a few lamps, the chamber glowed, and as I breathed deeply before going forward, I saw the light streaming from his bedroom.

I bit my lower lip as I entered the bedroom and glanced at the couch, expecting to find him sitting there. He wasn’t.

I quickly scanned the bedroom, but he was nowhere to be seen.

Feeling anxious, I called out,“Kunwarsa.” My voice came out slow and slightly shaky, as it was my first time entering his chamber past midnight. It was painfully silent.

I noticed a soldier outside his bedroom, who informed me,“He’s in the resting area.”

I nodded, and he walked away. He must have come to inform me.

As I approached the resting area, I noticed him near a pile of burning wood at the end of the gallery. The surrounding darkness intensified my fear as I moved closer. He was facing away from me, looking out at the open garden. The clattering of metal made my brows furrow in confusion.

Quietly stepping forward, I noticed him sitting with a large bowl of dark powder. His hands were smeared with the gray substance. A heavy iron mortar rested beside him, and his expression appeared serious from this angle. I focused intently on his eyes, observing the powder between his fingers and faintly catching its scent, bringing it closer to his nose.

The confusion was evident; he bit his lower lip as his hand instinctively brushed against the dagger at his side.

My heart raced as I watched him pull the knife from its golden sheath, beads of sweat glistening on his forehead. Holding the knife, he scraped a small amount of powder onto the blade’s tip and leaned closer to the fire.

He placed the blade into the flames, and suddenly, a bright spark erupted from the powder. For a moment, the fire transformed into shades of blue and dark orange.

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