A smiling Chandraketu nodded to his wife and then turned to Bhagirath. ‘Come with me, Prince Bhagirath.’

‘Baba...’ whispered Ganesh.

Ganesh had just entered Shiva’s chambers in the central ship of the joint Vasudev-Naga convoy.

Shiva looked up as he put the palm-leaf book aside. ‘What is it, my son?’

A nervous Ganesh whispered, ‘I need to speak with you.’

Shiva pointed to the chair next to him as he lifted his feet off the table.

Ganesh took a deep breath. ‘Baba, there may be some complications with Magadh.’

Shiva smiled. ‘I was wondering when you were going to bring that up.’

Ganesh frowned. ‘You knew?’

‘I know Ugrasen was killed by a Naga. I understand that complicates things.’

Ganesh kept silent.

‘Well? Do you know who killed him? If it was a criminal act then we should support Surapadman. Not only would justice be served but it would also help pull Magadh to our side.’

Ganesh didn’t say anything.

Shiva frowned. ‘Ganesh?’

‘It was me,’ confessed Ganesh.

Shiva’s eyes widened. ‘Well... this certainly complicates things...’

Ganesh stayed mute.

‘Did you have a good reason?’

‘Yes I did, baba.’

‘What was it?’

‘The Chandravanshi nobility has always patronised the tradition of bull racing. In the quest for the lightest riders, the sport has degenerated to the extent that innocent young boys are being kidnapped and forced to ride the charging bulls. This cruel sport has left innumerable children maimed and some have even died painful deaths.’

Shiva looked at Ganesh in horror. ‘What kind of barbaric men would do that to children?’

‘Men like Ugrasen. I found him trying to kidnap a young boy. The boy’s mother was refusing to let him go, so Ugrasen and his men were on the verge of killing her. I had no choice...’

Shiva recalled something that Kali had mentioned. ‘Is that the time when you were seriously injured?’

‘Yes, baba.’

Shiva breathed deeply. Ganesh had once again shown tremendous character, fighting injustice even at risk to his own life. Shiva was proud of his son. ‘You did the right thing.’

‘I’m sorry if I have complicated the issue.’

Shiva smiled and shook his head.

‘What happened, baba?’

‘The ways of the world are really strange,’ said Shiva. ‘You protected an innocent child and his mother from an immoral prince. The Magadhans though, did not hesitate to spread a lie that Ugrasen died defending Magadh from a Naga terrorist attack. And people chose to believe that lie.’

Ganesh shrugged his shoulders. ‘The Nagas have always been treated this way. The lies never stop.’

Shiva looked up at the ceiling of his cabin.

‘What do we do now?’ asked Ganesh.

‘Nothing different. We’ll stick to the plan. Let us hope that Surapadman is ambitious enough to realise where the interests of Magadh lie.’

Ganesh nodded.

‘And you stay in Kashi,’ continued Shiva. ‘Don’t come with us to Magadh.’

‘Yes, baba.’