Page 120 of A King's Oath

“Yeah, no, I understood. No problem. It happens. And we can’t let that awkwardness pull us down every time. We will slip up and say something stupid. How will we talk all our lives if we keep freezing up every time?”

“All our lives? Ava, are you sure you will never meet somebody? You say it now but…”

“Are we doing this again?” She turned on her back and set the phone on her stomach. “If yes, then goodbye and goodnight…”

“No, no, ok, I am sorry. I was just saying that… how do you derive this willpower?”

Her eyes rose from the darkness in front of her to the mild Paris lights pouring across the skyline. She had never questioned that after the first time when she had walked away from him at Saraswati Crest and known that she would never find anything even close to him in her life again. Ten years later, she still knew that to be true. And what was true didn’t need any willpower to sustain.

“Ava? Are you there?”

“I’m here.”

“You went silent this time.”

“I didn’t know what to say,” she answered honestly.

“I know.”

“What?”

“If you were a king, you would reign over all the kingdoms. If you were a commander, you would conquer all the lands. If you werea vizier, you would conquer all the people, keep them in your thrall…”

“And if you were a poet…” she giggled.

“But the problem is,” he continued, unaffected by her comic comment. “You are all of it.”

22. Cuffing Season

SAMARTH

Landed

AVANTIKA

I know

Your flight was tracked, my friend.

SAMARTH

Stalker :’)

AVANTIKA

I had to rush to the office for a call

Have asked the concierge to let you in

SAMARTH

I can check into a hotel, I’ll see you when you are done

AVANTIKA

No way

Go home, take a shower, rest

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