He leaned down to whisper in Pik’s ear. ‘The funny thing is, they’ll barely notice your absence, Nose. Everyone in the castle will be far too busy worrying about me. By the time they do find your remains, most of you will have been nibbled away by one thing or another.’ He poked at Pik’s face through the leather. ‘The body they find will have no eyes or tongue. If they find it at all, that is. Perhaps they’ll assume that you did come with me, and never search here. Wouldn’t that be ironic?’

The rush was coming slowly, gloriously slowly, and he revelled in it, letting it fill his senses.

He didn’t hear the footsteps behind him, barely even registered Pik’s struggles.

Then, two sets of strong hands twisted his arms behind his back and lifted him into the air.

In a belated rush of awareness he noticed that others had entered the courtyard, two guards who now held him fast, aloft, and behind them, watching with eyes of stone: his mother.

How did she know I was here? She should be waiting for me in my room!

His quick mind came to a conclusion even before his feet were once more on the ground: she had played him. All this time he thought he was tricking her, and all this time, his mother had known. Unable to meet her eye, unable to face what was going to happen, he focused on the boy in front of him. Like an animal, he kicked out, catching Pik on the shin. There was a satisfying crack, a last gasp of fear, and then he was dragged away.

Unable to hurt anyone physically, Satyendra fell back on the only tool left to him: words. ‘Mother, how could you do this to me?’

She helped Pik to stand and dismissed the boy before turning to him. ‘I promised I’d be here for you, right up to the end.’

‘Here for me? You’ve killed me!’

‘No. I’m just giving you the push you asked for.’

‘I won’t do it!’ he hissed. ‘I’ll fight you. I’ll kill myself if I have to rather than let Rochant take my body.’

She looked sad to him, but it was the wrong kind of sadness to feed from, for it was wrapped around a core of steel, resolute and unyielding. ‘I’m sorry, Satyendra, but your life belongs to House Sapphire. What happens to your body is not your decision to make, it never was.

‘I would like it very much if you did your duty with honour and dignity, but we can drag you to the rebirth chamber, unconscious if need be. Would you prefer that? If it will make this easier for you, I can give you something to drink.’