Page 27 of A King's Oath

“To Badrinath…” she said tentatively. “I got Kresha ready, and her boyfriend…”

“Her boyfriend?”

“Hey, Sam!” Gopi's head shot out of the passenger window of the Defender.

“Hey!” Samarth strode up to Ava, lowering his voice. “Gopi is dating your sister?”

“Yeah!” Her shoulders hunched up. “How did you not know? They are the Timolinee of their class.”

“The what?”

“Timothy Chalamet and Kylie Jenner?”

“Oh… right. So, your parents allowed?”

“On the condition that we take a bodyguard, of course. Kirti didi. She is driving,” Ava pointed. Samarth noted a woman behind the wheel. She did not look like a bodyguard, not beefy or bulky. But he had seen enough of them in his life to know that the real ones seldom did. She looked to be about Harsh’s age. Or older.

“Aaaand,” Ava went on. “Kresha has left campus all of last year responsibly. My parents trust her, and now, by extension me too!” She grinned. “I first convinced her, she convinced Gopi and then we convinced our parents. They were actually happy that their girls were going to a temple.”

Samarth kept looking at her. She was so hyped and ready. In the best way.

“Umm…” Ava put her hands up. “I know you don’t like noise… so it’s fine if you don’t want to go together…”

“I want to go with you.”

Her face split into a massive smile, the last of the sun glinting off her eyes. “You do?”

“Yeah. But we already have a car…” he glanced back at their rugged Thar.

“It’s cool, put your stuff in ours. We got an 8-seater.”

Without a second thought, Samarth turned and marched back to Harsh’s open door — “Listen, change of plans. We are going with Ava and her sister.”

Harsh frowned, hands on the steering wheel. He shook his head.

“It’s ok. Gopi is there too. You know him.”

“Oooo!”No!

“They have a bodyguard, a lady bodyguard. You and her can take turns driving. It will be good for you too, getting breaks.”

“Oooo!”

“Harsh, please,” Samarth gave him THE look. “It’s Ava. Please. It will be good, I promise. Please?”

Harsh sighed. Then shut off the engine, grabbed the keys and phone, and got out. Samarth kept himself from skipping down to the Defender like Ava as he got their two backpacks and walked. Ava was waiting, the backdoor open.

“Hey, Kresha!” Samarth greeted.

“Hi, Sam!” She was busy checking her reflection in the rearview mirror. “You got my sister to act sanskari.’

“Apparently, your parents like it.”

She chuckled, her face very different from Ava’s except their noses. They crinkled identically.

“I am coming for the Valley of Flowers. You guys go do darshan and all, Gopi and I are going there.”

“Sure. Hey guys, this is my friend, Harsh. He will not talk but rest assured he will tell youeverythingwhen he wants to. Harsh, this is Kresha, you know Gopi…”

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