Shiva, Kali, Ganesh and Kartik carried Sati’s body gently to a specially prepared cabin on the ship. Her corpse was laid with great care within another tomb of ice.

Shiva gently ran his hand across Sati’s face and whispered, ‘Devagiri will pay for its crimes, my love. You will be avenged.’

As Shiva stepped back, the soldiers placed another block of ice on top, enveloping Sati’s body completely.

Shiva, Kali, Ganesh and Kartik took one last look at Sati before turning around and walking out of the ship. Gopal and the kings in Shiva’s army waited at the port.

Shiva turned and nodded towards the ship captain. Soldiers marched into the rowing deck of the ship to row it back a fair distance down the Saraswati River, far away from the external blast radius of the Pashupatiastra.

‘The weapon is armed, Lord Neelkanth,’ said Tara.

Shiva cast an expressionless look at an unhappy Gopal and then turned back towards Tara. ‘Let’s go.’

It was the fourth hour of the second prahar, just a couple of hours before Devagiri was to be destroyed. Veerini knocked on Parvateshwar’s door. There was no answer. Parvateshwar and Anandmayi were probably alone at home.

Veerini pushed open the door and stepped into the house. She walked past the lobby into the central courtyard.

‘General!’ called out Veerini.

No response.

‘General!’ said Veerini again, a little louder this time. ‘It is I, the Queen of Meluha.’

‘Your Highness!’

Veerini glanced up to see a surprised Parvateshwar looking down from the balcony on the top floor. His hair was dishevelled and an angvastram had been hastily thrown over his shoulders.

‘My apologies if I have come at a bad time, General.’

‘Not at all, Your Highness,’ said Parvateshwar.

‘It’s just that we don’t have much time left,’ said Veerini. ‘There is something I needed to tell you.’

‘Please give me a moment, Your Highness. I’ll be down shortly.’

‘Of course,’ said Veerini.

Veerini walked into the large waiting room next to the courtyard, settled on a comfortable chair and waited. A few minutes later Parvateshwar, clad in a spotless white dhoti and angvastram, his hair neatly in place, walked into the room. Behind him was his wife, Anandmayi, also clad in white, the colour of purity.

Veerini rose. ‘Please accept my apologies for disturbing you.’

‘Not at all, Your Highness,’ said Parvateshwar. ‘Please be seated.’

Veerini resumed her seat, as Parvateshwar and Anandmayi sat next to her.

‘What did you want to talk about, Your Highness?’ asked Parvateshwar.

Veerini seemed to hesitate. Then she looked at Anandmayi and Parvateshwar with a smile. ‘I wanted to thank you.’

‘Thank us?’ asked a surprised Parvateshwar, casting a look at Anandmayi before turning back to Veerini. ‘Thank us for what, Your Highness?’

‘For keeping the legacy of Devagiri alive,’ said Veerini.

Parvateshwar and Anandmayi remained silent, their expressions reflecting their confusion.