He gestured for them to stand and they moved together, as surely as if he had pulled their strings. A childish urge to make them do it again – to sit or stand on his command, to dance – rose and was put aside. ‘It is good to be with you again, my people.’ He saw them straighten. ‘As you know, our enemies have tried to come between us. What you may not know is that they have done so again.’

Shock passed around the room, then anger, then fear. He took a moment to drink it in. ‘There is a spy amongst us, profiting from our trust.’ He let his gaze rest over Pik, long enough to make him squirm. Oh, I am going to enjoy this.

‘Hiding in plain sight, right under our noses.’

Gradually, the rest of the staff began to take the hint, and their fear turned back to anger, their looks likes spears directed at Pik’s head.

‘This one,’ continued Satyendra, ‘has been creeping about at night, passing messages in secret, stalking my vessel on the very night of the ceremony. He is a traitor to me and to House Sapphire.’ The room erupted into shocked mutterings. ‘Take him into the depths of the castle and confine him there. Bind his mouth, and leave him in the dark.’

As the guards complied and began dragging Pik from the room, he called desperately over his shoulder, his voice a terrified squeak over the roar of the room.

‘Wait, my lord. I beg you! I can explain.’

Satyendra raised a hand for silence. Instantly, the floor was his. The people’s rapt attention was pleasant, but it was nothing to Pik’s terror; that was like a burst of adrenaline running through his body, wonderful, invigorating. He surged from the throne to get closer to it, until he could whisper in Pik’s ear, ‘There is no justification for treachery.’

‘B-but,’ replied Pik in a whisper, ‘I was serving Honoured Mother Chandni, my lord. In secret. Ask her! She can explain everything.’

‘Have no fear, traitor.’ Satyendra gestured for the guards to take him away. ‘I will deal with her too, soon enough.’

Vasin paced in his room. One floor away, people would be gathering for the feast. People like his brother, who was painfully punctual for everything, and his uncle, Lord Umed, who seemed to genuinely enjoy these occasions. Vasin paced some more, just to be sure that he wouldn’t bump into them, and then stepped out into the corridor and went a few doors down to where Lady Yadva would be getting ready.

He sang for entrance, and she admitted him immediately.