But Nala did not rise. She could not. She tried, but her legs flew out from under her and she landed on her arse, senses blotted out by the pain that shot up her spine. She bit her tongue as her head cracked down on the floor. Then there was only merciful blackness.

‘Hardly an auspicious start.’ Parshuram shook his head ominously over Nala’s sprawled body.

I

Karna had never been in this chamber before. The maps of the palace, for the protection of the Royal family, included only the hallways and routes through the kitchens and servant quarters. The far wall had a door leading out to the balcony, but there were no other exits. It had been six moons since the arson at Varnavrat. Purochana’s confession had calmed the riots and protests but there were still parts of the Union where effigies of Duryodhan were being burned. Two assassination attempts on the Prince, one on the King, and even one on Shakuni, had the Palace in lockdown. Karna had dedicated all his wits to keeping Duryodhan safe. He had insisted on taking over command of Duryodhan’s personal guard, which the Prince had grudgingly acceded to even though the King had been aghast at the arrangement. Dhritarashtra heard the rattle of the guillotine in anything remotely revolutionary.

The King was pacing back and forth beside a large teak wood desk. His blind eyes were much darker in truth than the paintings of him showed. He was speaking to Queen Gandhari, an elegant woman, showing the first strands of grey in her hair. A silken blindfold bound her eyes. Karna could only imagine the scandal that must have been the talk of the town when the Queen adopted a blindfold upon marrying Dhritarashtra, to mirror her husband’s world. Karna had always imagined it to be a noble sacrifice, till Duryodhan told him she had done it because she did not wish to look upon a husband she had not desired to wed.

‘Parakrama,’ Karna said to one of his men, pointing, ‘see where that door leads. Virya and Dharam, stand watch outside. None but a member of the Council of Eight comes in until you have checked with us in here.’

‘I do not recognize the voices of these guards.’ Annoyance sounded in Dhritarashtra’s voice.

‘They are new,’ Duryodhan told him. ‘Karna’s men. And Karna, can you stop fussing? There is no other way onto the balcony. It is three floors up. Anyone trying to climb up will fall to his death!’

‘Good to know,’ Karna said implacably. ‘Kalpa, join Parakrama on the balcony. Close the door behind you. Be alert for any movement.’

‘I just said there’s no way to reach the balcony from outside.’

‘Then that’s the way I’d try to get in if I wanted to,’ Karna said calmly.

Duryodhan smiled in amusement, but Bheeshma nodded. ‘That’s good, very good. You can see how a Resht might know places to crawl out from.’