‘Let us see,’ said Sati. ‘Maybe Surapadman wants Ayodhya and our army to battle first. He would then be attacking a weakened enemy.’

Shiva nodded. ‘Perhaps.’

‘Look, Bhagirath,’ said Ganesh.

The prince had just entered Ganesh’s cabin. One of the soldiers had left a note from Meluha that was recovered from an injured bird. It was coded. But Bhagirath knew the encryption codes of Meluha-Ayodhya communication and had already trained Ganesh’s soldiers on how to decrypt the messages.

Bhagirath read aloud. ‘Prime Minister Siamantak, has Lord Bhrigu returned to Ayodhya? It has been months since he left Prayag but has still not reached Meluha. Should you have the knowledge, we would like to be informed about the location of Lord Shiva and General Parvateshwar.’

Ganesh didn’t say anything, waiting for Bhagirath’s reaction.

‘It’s been signed by Prime Minister Kanakhala,’ said Bhagirath. ‘Interesting.’

‘Interesting indeed,’ said Ganesh. ‘Where is Lord Bhrigu? And why is the Meluhan Prime Minister enquiring about General Parvateshwar? Has he not reached as yet? Do they not know he has defected to their side?’

‘Where do you think they are?’ asked Bhagirath.

‘They’re certainly not in Meluha,’ said Ganesh. ‘That makes things easier for my father.’

‘Do you think Lord Shiva has reached Meluha by now?’

‘I think he’s still a few weeks away.’

‘And the Ayodhya army has not been able to leave,’ said Bhagirath. ‘The news just keeps getting better.’

Kartik suddenly rushed in. ‘Dada!’

‘What’s the matter, Kartik?’

‘Magadh is mobilising.’

‘Who told you? The Vasudev pandit?’ asked Bhagirath.

‘Yes,’ said Kartik, turning back to Ganesh. ‘I believe armaments are being loaded on to the ships. Soldiers have been asked to be on stand-by.’

Ganesh smiled. ‘How many soldiers?’

‘Seventy-five thousand.’

‘Seventy-five thousand?’ asked a surprised Bhagirath. ‘Is Surapadman committing everything? Magadh will be left defenceless.’

‘When are they expected to set sail?’ asked Ganesh.

‘Probably in two weeks’ time,’ said Kartik. ‘At least that’s what the Vasudev pandit surmised.’

‘You should leave in the next few days,’ said Ganesh. ‘Take one hundred thousand men.’

‘Why so many, dada?’ asked Kartik. ‘Don’t you need some men here, with you?’

‘I just need enough to be able to sail ships and shoot fire-arrows,’ said Ganesh. ‘If you do not succeed in holding Surapadman off at the Bal-Atibal Kund, he will just ram into us with his larger ships and drown us all. Our soldiers will be put to better use at your end, not mine.’

‘I’ll prepare to leave right away,’ said Kartik.

A hundred thousand well-motivated soldiers reached the forests near the Bal-Atibal Kund in the early afternoon. The Ayodhyan prince had accompanied the army as the chief advisor to Kartik. King Chandraketu had stayed back with Ganesh to ensure that the Branga soldiers in Kartik’s army would not be confused about the chain of command.