Page 258 of A King's Oath

Ava snarled at him.

“Come, Mama…” she pulled her mother’s hand and as soon as Ava lay down on her other side, her eyes closed. Over Brahmi’s head, Samarth reached out and tapped the top of Ava’s head. She raised her face and bit his finger.

“Don’t shake!” Brahmi scolded.

“Sorry,” he tightened the duvet around them all and pushed his face into the pillow smelling of his daughter. His hand remained curved over her, playing with Ava’s hair until he could hear two very feminine, delicate, breathy snores. Samarth closed his eyes to the best music of his life.

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Only a few days ago he had stood on the other side of the door of this house and heard the happy pandemonium of a morning. Now, he was at the centre of it.

“I am not doing that hairstyle for you!”

“Please! Only today!”

“You end up pulling it all out!”

Samarth smiled, walking to his phone charging on the TV console and checking for their breakfast order. Ava had an off today again because Brahmi wanted white dhokla. He went through his emails as he waited for the call to Parmeshwar to connect. It had been ages since he had found a minute to check what was going on in Nawanagar. Since he hadn’t gotten an SOS from Vishwajeet or Papa, he assumed things were in order.

The call failed and a message popped up on the top of his screen.

HARSH

Sharan is here in Loire

Samarth stopped scrolling.

SAMARTH

When?

Where is he?

Don’t tell him where I am. I will come this afternoon and meet him.

Why didn’t Papa or Rajmata call?

HARSH

He landed this morning. I don’t think Rajmata knows he is here.

SAMARTH

How can she not know? Let me call her

HARSH

He had a stopover in Paris before flying to US for some environment conference Bade Rawal was supposed to attend

SAMARTH

Then what is he doing in Loire?

“I am readdddy!” Brahmi came singing out of her room, Ava behind her. “Where is breakfast?”

SAMARTH

I have to go, keep Sharan there until I come

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