Tanvi couldn’t even smile at that. The only parts of the palace she’d been to were the runners’ quarters, the archives, and Asha’s apartments. None of which she knew how to access from this stupidly pretty courtyard, and even if she did, who said Nitya or the other runners were here at all? Madhu could have stashed them anywhere in Nagalok. Or even wherever the garudas lived.

What if Tanvi somehow lucked out and located Nitya, only to find Madhu’s henchmen had hurt her? Or the other runners? Tanvi couldn’t handle the thought of Indu being tortured or worse.

And Mom. Tanvi’s throat closed up. Mom already thought she was dead. Tanvi couldn’t let her lose Nitya, too.

Nitya, she almost screamed, just for the relief of it. Nitya, where are you?

The silence echoed in her ears, and Tanvi’s panic began to rise again. She was too small for this, too trivial. Hadn’t her plan to help the other runners blown up in her face? Wasn’t it her fault Nitya had been kidnapped?

Who did she think she was kidding, trying to help anyone?

So many feelings. They swamped her, and she couldn’t escape. Screwing her eyes shut, Tanvi perched on the edge of a red enameled chair set with enough emeralds and gold to buy five of her childhood house. Her fingers grabbed the armrests like they could keep her afloat. Deep breaths, just like Venkat showed you.

Venkat. Her grip relaxed. She remembered their adventure at the Lake of Lovers’ Tears. How good it had felt when he’d held her in Indu’s room. How minding the runners together had warmed her reawakened heart.

She remembered how happy Nitya had been holding Sameer’s dream. How she’d switched places with Tanvi so Tanvi could go home and live a normal life.

Even Asha, outrageous and totally annoying Asha, had just been trying to fix things.

Tanvi didn’t want to escape her feelings anymore. She didn’t want to keep struggling to do this alone, either. She needed backup.

With one more slow, deliberate breath, she opened her eyes and took stock. Ahead, a guard blocked the next passageway she’d meant to try.

Before she could talk herself out of it, Tanvi hopped up and approached the guard. “Pardon me, my lady,” the guard said firmly, “but it would appear you have taken a wrong turn. This route leads to the larder. The wedding ceremony is outside, by the grand pavilion.”

“Yes, thank you!” Tanvi gushed in her best impression of Asha. “I was to accompany my sister, but I think she went on without me, and now I am lost.”

It wasn’t a very good impression, and she knew it. Tanvi’s fear galloped in time with her erratic thoughts, but as long as she was glamoured, no one could possibly suspect who she really was.