The facade of calm that he was wearing crumbled away and his voice rose in anger. ‘You’re always so bloody fucking dutiful!’ He paused, no doubt to see if she’d react, but in this as in so many things, she disappointed him. Normally such language would upset her but today it had the opposite effect, and it was all she could do not to laugh. After all, I’ve heard far worse in my lifetime. It made her think of Varg. Too many things made her think of Varg lately. She missed him. She missed the feel of his arms around her, her head on his chest, the bass of his voice resonating against her ear. But most of all, she missed having someone to talk to openly and honestly.

I am so alone.

‘Are you even listening to me?’ yelled Satyendra.

‘When you calm down and speak to me in a respectful, civilized way, I will listen to anything you wish to say. Until then,’ she turned to the door, ‘you do what you must, alone.’

To her surprise, she made it out of his room, and away down the corridor, without a retort. For once, she had had the last word and it gave her a guilty thrill of victory.

She had not got far when she saw Zax walking towards her with intent. Yadavendra’s lead hunter still wore his wings, which forced him to move timidly to avoid catching the walls and ornaments. Seeing the brute so uncertain was gratifying, though it pained her to see any Sapphire less than perfectly composed. He showed such relief to have found her that she almost felt sorry for him, however an odious man in trouble was still an odious man, and she kept her sympathy in check.

‘Honoured Mother Chandni!’ he said and did his best to bow.

Better, she thought, but did not let any of her approval show. Some animals are best treated with cruelty rather than kindness. ‘What is it?’

‘High Lord Yadavendra requests that you join him on a most urgent matter.’

‘Then we had best not keep him waiting.’

And with that she moved off purposefully, leaving the hunter to struggle in her wake.

To Chandni’s surprise, Yadavendra had asked her to visit his personal chamber rather than Rochant’s audience room. She sang for entrance, and when permission was given, she put aside the feeling of terror that always assailed her when in the High Lord’s presence, and went inside, stately, like a true Sapphire.

Zax floundered some way behind. She could just make out the sound of his Sky-legs tapping on the floor, a series of tottering tiny steps, toddler-like. By arriving before him, she had made his presence unnecessary, and because he would not dare interrupt his High Lord, he would be forced to wait at their pleasure. As it should be. A lesson or two in humility is just what that hunter needs.