‘The Evacuation has begun. Some soldiers have gone ahead to clear the way. But now with the Red Cloaks streaming into the city, I doubt we will find any foes when we emerge. I suggest the Council start moving with the first batches—’

‘NO!’ Kritavarman and Balram cried in unison.

‘We will exit last. Guerrilla tactics is one thing,’ Kritavarman said. ‘Running away and abandoning your people is against the creed of war and honour.’

So is dying, Krishna thought. ‘Against the creed of Ksharjas,’ he corrected, ‘which we incidentally are not.’

‘What are the words we live by, Krishna?’ Balram interjected. ‘Deeds, not birth.’

I could just leave them here to die, Krishna reflected, knowing he never would. Why did they have to be such fools?

‘Where is Satyaki?’ Kritavarman asked suddenly. ‘Taken a headstart into the tunnel, has he?’

‘I have sent him on a mission,’ Krishna said.

‘Of course, you have.’

‘I for one, stand with Krishna,’ Akrur said. ‘We should leave when the going is good.’

‘I won’t die a craven!’ Kritavarman hissed through clenched teeth.

‘Or a fool!’ retorted Balram. ‘Why are we sending soldiers with the people when we are desperate for defenders? If we were at full strength here, even without the Walls, they could never have taken us down.’

‘So much talk,’ Bheem complained, massaging his temples. ‘Let us go out and kill them. Without their blue fire, they are nothing.’

‘You stay out of it!’ Akrur bristled. ‘You’re no Mathuran. You shouldn’t even be here.’

‘Make me leave then.’ Bheem twirled his mace.

‘Boys,’ Satyabhama said in a voice that wasn’t really loud but hurt their ears as much it hurt their egos. She walked to one of the other windows and squinted out before saying, ‘Be Men.’

‘My apologies, Senators,’ Krishna sighed. ‘The stress of a siege gets to the best of us. But we cannot bicker amongst ourselves. Look at our Walls! The Greeks can fling themselves at the Iron Curfew all day for all the good it will do them. We have enough time to evacuate and escape, all of us. No one will be left behind.’

‘I have one doubt,’ Satyabhama said, squinting into the distance. Krishna was annoyed at being interrupted but her voice was uncharacteristically low. ‘I am sure Kalyavan knows all this. Not about the tunnels, but he must know that he cannot climb the Curfew for it is a lot taller than the Second Sister, and has a smaller circumference, making it easier to guard. So why the half-hearted attempts? It must be a distraction…’ She murmured this more to herself than to the others. ‘Any reports on movement in Magadh?’

‘Not that we know of,’ replied Balram. ‘And if the Emperor comes, it will be for Kalyavan, not us.’