‘Yes, she does,’ said Sati. ‘The Meluhan system works on the principle of written orders. The supreme written order is the one that comes from the Emperor. Lord Bhrigu does not issue orders himself. He asks my father to ratify what he deems fit. If my father issues an order on peace before Lord Bhrigu gets to know of it, all Meluhans will be forced to honour it. So if Prime Minister Kanakhala can get my father to issue the order, she can enforce the peace accord.’

‘If we can achieve the objective of removing the Somras without any further bloodshed, it will be a deed that Lord Rudra would be proud of,’ said Maatali.

‘But we should respond carefully,’ persisted a cautious Bhagirath. ‘If it is true that peace is being pursued only by Emperor Daksha and Prime Minister Kanakhala, we will put our army at risk if we march out. Karachapa is not very far.’

‘Right,’ said Sati, with healthy respect for the tactical brilliance of General Parvateshwar. ‘If Pitratulya in Karachapa hears about our army moving out, he’ll assume that we’re attacking Devagiri. He’ll race out of Karachapa to intercept us at the Saraswati River.’

‘Damned if we respond and damned if we don’t,’ said Chandraketu.

‘So what do we do?’ asked Chenardhwaj.

‘I’ll go,’ said Sati. ‘The rest of you, including the army, should stay within the walls of Lothal.’

‘My Lady,’ said Maatali. ‘That is most unwise. You will need the army’s protection to prevent any possible harm to your person in Devagiri.’

‘The Meluhans may fight with my army outside Devagiri,’ said Sati. ‘But they’ll not fight me alone. It’s my father’s house.’

Bhagirath shook his head. ‘My apologies, My Lady, but your father has not proved himself to be a paragon of virtue so far. I would be wary of your travelling to Devagiri without protection. We cannot discount the remote possibility that the peace conference is a ruse to draw our leaders to Devagiri and then assassinate them.’

Chenardhwaj was genuinely offended now. ‘Prince Bhagirath, I say this for the last time, these things do not happen in Meluha. Arms cannot be used at a peace conference under any circumstances. Those are the rules of Lord Ram. No Meluhan will break the laws of the seventh Vishnu.’

Sati raised her hand, signalling a call for calm, and then turned towards Bhagirath. ‘Prince, trust me. My father will never harm me. He loves me. In his own twisted way, he really does care for me. I’m going to Devagiri. This is our best shot at peace. It is my duty to not let it slip by.’

Bhagirath could not shake off his sense of foreboding. ‘My Lady, I insist you allow me and an Ayodhyan brigade to travel with you.’