“If you truly cared for your people, Princess, you would have abided by the travel ban. You fail to comprehend the gravity of the perils you court with such alacrity,” Sunaina said, her mouth puckering. “Perhaps you are too young to move forward with this betrothal.”

Chintu hopped up and laid an arm around Asha as though claiming his trophy. “There is no need to worry about that.” She didn’t resist, even permitting him to draw her down into her seat, but Venkat cringed, anyway. “I will see to it myself that my betrothed is always well guarded.”

“More than that,” Asha’s father added, “she will restrict her movements to Bhogavati. You have our clan’s word on this.”

Asha bowed her head in acknowledgment. Beside her, Karan spoke in hushed tones to Chintu, whose frown gave way to a smug smile.

Himanshu wasn’t having it. “And what of dreams? With so few of them to go around, my people grow agitated!”

Nayan held up a hand. “My apprentice”—he gestured to Venkat—“will be addressing this matter.”

Dharmesh of the clan of Apalal, who’d kept his own counsel for most of the meeting, glowered, first at Nayan, then at Venkat. “You would entrust this to a mere mortal? A child at that?”

A mere mortal? Who was this guy to question Venkat’s capabilities? He might not have been able to defend Asha, but he wasn’t about to stay quiet now. Sitting up taller, he met Queen Naga Yakshi’s intrigued eyes. “By your leave, Majesty, I would speak in my own defense.”

She inclined her head, her crown catching the light. “Then do so.”

Venkat took a long swig from his goblet, collecting his thoughts. The rest of the table watched him with various degrees of skepticism and curiosity. Nayan, however, nodded encouragingly.

“I might be human, yes,” Venkat said, careful not to let the hot, angry defensiveness creep into his words, “but Bhogavati is my home, as it has been for the last ten years. I’ve trained under Lord Nayan’s careful eye all that time.” He smiled proudly. “Every dream you purchased, every runner who harvested that dream—I was behind them. I manage the runners, and I sort and sell their wares. I know my trade better than anyone else in this room. Better than anyone else in this city.”

That might have been a little too arrogant, but he didn’t care.

“This scarcely serves to address my query,” Himanshu protested. “What of the dream supply?”

Nayan didn’t miss a beat. “If you are done interrogating my apprentice, I believe we should return our attention to the actual topic,” he said with a firmness that brooked no dispute. “We are here to discuss the garuda assault on our princess.”

“Lord Nayan speaks truly.”