‘It’s all right,’ said Sati, with a slight smile. ‘It doesn’t hurt.’

‘Why don’t you get Ayurvati to remove it?’ asked Veerini.

‘I will, maa,’ said Sati. ‘But the beauty of my face is not important. What is important is to find a way towards peace.’

‘I hope Lord Ram helps your father and the Neelkanth to do so,’ said Veerini.

Daksha smiled broadly. ‘I have already found a way, Sati. And we’ll all be together once again; a happy family, like before. By the way, I hope the Neelkanth didn’t mind waiting in the camp outside. After all, it would not be considered a good omen for us to meet before the peace conference.’

Sati frowned at her father’s strange suggestion that all of them would be living together ‘as a family’ once again. She was about to clarify that Shiva had not come with her to Devagiri, but Daksha turned to Kamalaksh.

‘Order the attendants to bring in lunch. I’m famished. As I’m sure are the women in my family,’ said Daksha.

‘Of course, My Lord.’

Veerini was still holding Sati’s hand. ‘It is sad that Ayurvati wasn’t here last week.’

‘Why?’ asked Sati.

‘Had she been here, she would certainly have saved Kanakhala. Nobody has the medical skills that she possesses.’

From the corner of her eye, Sati could see Daksha’s body stiffen. ‘Veerini, you talk too much. We need to eat and...’

‘One moment, father,’ said Sati, turning back to her mother. ‘What happened to Kanakhala?’

‘Didn’t you know?’ asked a surprised Veerini. ‘She died suddenly. I believe there was some kind of accident in her house.’

‘Accident?’ asked a suspicious Sati, whirling around to face Daksha. ‘What happened to her, father?’

‘It was an accident, Sati,’ said Daksha. ‘You don’t need to make a mountain of every mole hill...’

On seeing Daksha’s evasive reaction to Sati’s question, Veerini got suspicious as well. ‘What’s going on, Daksha?’

‘Will you two please give it a rest? We’ve come together for a meal after a very long time. So let us just enjoy this moment.’

‘Everything will be fine soon, Princess,’ said Kamalaksh, in a soft voice.

Sati did not turn her attention to Kamalaksh. But there was something creepy in his voice. Her instincts kicked in.

‘Father, what are you hiding?’

‘Oh, for Lord Ram’s sake!’ said Daksha. ‘If you are so worried about your husband, I’ll have some special food sent out for him as well!’

‘I did not mention Shiva,’ said Sati. ‘You are avoiding my question. What happened to Kanakhala?’

Daksha cursed in frustration, slamming his fist on a desk. ‘Will you trust your father for once? My blood runs in your veins. Would I ever do anything that is not in your interest? If I say Kanakhala died in an accident, then that is what happened.’