Page 176 of A King's Oath

AVANTIKA

Hi Harsh, I am in your palace. Can you come get me?

It wasn’t even a full minute before his message popped up.

HARSH

Where?

She glanced around, and zeroed in on the temple.

AVANTIKA

Dwarkadhish temple

HARSH

Wait there, don't talk to anyone

She pushed herself to the side of the alley outside the temple and waited. Mourners went into the temple, came out, then continued inside the palace, or wherever the left alley went.

“Rawal padhare chhe!” A roar echoed, similar to the one that echoed in her own place when Kaka Maharaj walked out in public. Her eyes widened even before she saw him. In a white kurta-pyjama, phone in hand, the other hand behind his back,walking with courtiers and ministers, guards surrounding him. People cleaved away, folding their hands and bowing their heads. He met their eyes and nodded. There was nothing in his eyes though. No smile, no sorrow, no grief. Nothing.

He was walking past the alley she was hiding in when his eyes panned over her, then stuttered back. Their eyes met. His irises flared. She took one step at the sight of that recognition but he looked away, continuing down the alley and turning the corner. In a blink he was gone, out of her line of sight. Like he had never been.

He was in the middle of his courtiers. Of course he wouldn’t speak to her.

But now he knew she was here. Avantika waited. She waited there for long minutes. The alleyway grew empty. Announcements were made to empty the court and the East Wing. She pushed deeper into the corner of the temple exit, praying nobody would find her before Harsh did.

AVANTIKA

Where ar eyou?!

A tap on her shoulder. She whirled.

“Harsh!” Avantika sighed. “Thank god. Where were you? I need to see him. He passed from here twenty minutes back. He knows I am here…”

Harsh’s hand rose and he offered her a piece of paper. A folded piece of paper.

“What is this? You can text me.”

He pushed it into her hand. Avantika opened the four folds and peered at the two neat sentences in familiar handwriting.

I am telling this to you one final time, I am not available for marriage, family, kids or anything else.

Please don’t waste your time here. Leave. Harsh will take you home.

She swallowed. Read it again. Hated him. Hated herself for what she was about to do. And swallowed her pride again.

“He could write this but not meet me and tell this to my face?” She held the letter up.

Harsh’s impassive face scowled. For some reason she believed that scowl wasn’t for her, but for him. But she also knew he was more loyal to that man than his own shadow. Avantika turned and began to follow the path Samarth had traced with his entourage earlier.

“Eehh!” Harsh ran behind her. “AaHhaaa! Eeee! Huh!”

“You did what you were asked to. I will not leave here without meeting him.”

Unbidden, her tears began to fall. Nowadays they fell at any time they bloody well pleased. Avantika wiped them with the back of her hands like an uncouth girl and kept going, the palace alleys empty.

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