Venkat winced. “It’s my job to take care of the runners. That’s what I was doing.”

“By flouting the travel ban and cavorting behind my back?” Nayan’s formidable gaze could have withered entire forests. “Whatever you believe you are playing at, it ends now.”

Blinking hard, Venkat opened and closed his mouth. “I—”

“You nothing,” Nayan said, his voice precariously close to a growl. “I have labored much too long for you to undermine all my efforts.”

Tanvi shivered. With his fangs bared and his muscular coils of cobra tail lashing, he made Asha look like a child playing at being a monster. At any moment, he could rear up to strike.

Thank the gods he didn’t see Nitya. Tanvi prayed again that her sister had more sense than to come investigate.

Nayan’s reptilian gaze slid coldly over her before turning back to Venkat. “Where is the runner?”

“She ran off,” Venkat lied, the slightest tremor in his words. “I thought if I fixed her memories—but the burnout must have gotten her after all.”

Tanvi didn’t dare breathe, terrified Nayan would look again and see through her glamour. How had it worked on him even this long?

“A waste of our time,” Madhu said. Loathing rippled over her features. “Obstinate whelp!”

Tanvi dug her nails into her palms to keep from telling Madhu off.

Nayan raised a hand. “I will handle this.” To Venkat, he said, “I appreciate that you cared for her, but one runner is hardly worth besmirching the trust between us. Perhaps Madhu is right, and I erred in placing my faith in you.”

“Uncle!” Asha protested.

So many emotions muddled together in Venkat’s expression Tanvi was sure he was going to be sick.

“Oh, look.” Madhu grinned, her fangs glinting. “It would seem your runner has changed her mind. Perhaps some part of her remembers you.”

The tiniest vestige of alarm surfaced before Venkat stifled it, but it was enough to confirm Tanvi’s fear. No. As slowly as she could, she pivoted to find Nitya watching with a blank expression.

Go, Nitya mouthed, so small only Tanvi would see it.

Tanvi wanted to shake her. Why hadn’t she just listened?

“We might as well leave her here,” Venkat said. “She’ll only run away again.”

“Absolutely not,” snapped Madhu. “We do not know the scope of her recall. The garudas may well find a weakness to exploit. Besides, you will scarcely be able to focus on your work if you are worrying about her.”

I’m her hostage, Tanvi thought, the shame hot and bitter. She could see from Venkat’s rigid jaw that he knew it, too.

All she’d wanted was to make sure Nitya was safe, not deliver her directly into the garudas’ talons. Somehow Tanvi had to get her out of here. But how?