‘Are you sure you weren’t the elephant?’ Satyaki asked.

‘Funny.’

But it was not the Greek’s invincibility in battle that was causing these powerful Senators concern, it was the Greek Fire Kalyavan possessed. Blazebane. A nasty liquid that, on catching fire, seeped into wood, cloth, leather and even steel and stone. If the Greeks joined hands with the Magadhans, the Sisters would burn and the Mathurans would be caught like foxes in a shepherd’s trap.

‘What about our allies?’ Satyaki asked.

Balram and Krishna both laughed. They had no allies. Mathura was backed into a corner. He knew it was futile to expect help from any neighbouring kingdom. Most dared not affront Jarasandh. The rest would refrain, envious of Mathura’s monopoly on the trade routes. Mathura, located at the junction of several important caravan routes, had earned the ire of less fortunate Vedan Kings, who would gladly watch Mathura burn.

‘Alright, alright,’ Akrur rubbed his arms as if he were alight with blazebane. ‘I see why shifting Mathura might make sense. The sea as a protective border is as good, if not better, than the Sisters. My problem is one of manpower and psychology. Shifting the Mathurans out in small numbers could work. But that would mean a reduction of men here. Fewer guards to man the caravans, fewer field-hands, fewer foragers… Well, you get where I’m going with this.’

‘Yes, but as the Chief said, the Syamantaka and his own wealth—’

‘Yes yes, we heard it, Lord Krishna, but the Syamantaka Jewel can only take care of so much with its last resources. My issue is about people in general. The Gods know I’m not much liked in Mathura.’

‘Shocking!’ Krishna commented dryly.

Akrur threw him a sour glance. ‘There are people who don’t like Lord Balram, who don’t like Lord Krishna, who don’t like the idea of the Republic in general. Only their Mathuran loyalty has united them against the Southerners. But when you ask them to leave for an unknown island, loyalties are bound to shift. And there are a large number of us now you know, if the last census is to be believed.’

‘Your point being?’ Balram’s voice was brusque.

‘One slipped word from a single Mathuran to a Magadhan spy, and the Emperor will forget the Armistice and raze our Walls. And what is worse, we will only have a few men remaining to guard the city, a few farmers to sustain us in a siege, a few… oh hell, you know what I’m talking about.’

‘A Vachan,’ Satyabhama said, entering the chamber. ‘They must all take a Vachan, to pledge their silence.’

The Senators all rose, bowing.

‘Lady Satyabhama.’ Akrur rubbed his nose absently where she had cracked it a few summers ago.

‘I thought you said you were dining with the most powerful, Beloved.’ Satyabhama sat down on the seat Kritavarman hastily vacated next to Krishna. ‘What then is Lord Akrur doing here?’