The blood grew hot in her face. ‘Oh … yes. I’ll leave you to it.’

Roh hummed an acknowledgement and went back to her business, while Chandni made her way out quickly.

Any thoughts of Varg were long gone as she reached Satyendra’s chambers. All was quiet in the corridor outside save for the swish of fabric as the guards saluted her. She acknowledged them and paused at his doorway to sing for permission to enter. As his mother, she didn’t have to, but she did it anyway, to make a point.

There was a pause, not quite long enough to be rude, but awfully close, before Satyendra replied: ‘Come in.’

The atmosphere in the room was strange, tense. Satyendra held a tablet of glass in his hand that held details of Lord Rochant’s life. He was doing a good impression of studying it, carefully ignoring the other boy in the room.

Pik was three years younger than Satyendra, a cousin on her side of the family. Though they shared a similar body shape, the boy had none of Satyendra’s sharpness, and without Mohit’s blood, the blood of Lord Rochant, there was little to distinguish him. Only her patronage allowed him to keep his privileged spot in the castle. Pik’s face fell when he saw her, and he went back to cleaning the room.

She inspected his work and frowned. In a castle full of high-achievers, what might pass for adequate elsewhere appeared sloppy. ‘You’ve missed a spot.’

‘Sorry, Honoured Mother. I haven’t got to the left side of the room yet.’ He picked up his sponge and hurried past her.

‘I’m not talking about the left side of the room.’ She pointed to the place he’d just left. ‘There? Do you see?’

‘Oh, sorry’ he replied, hurrying back. ‘Sorry.’

‘Calm down, Nose,’ said Satyendra. ‘Nobody cares about one speck of dirt. That’s not why you’re here, is it Mother?’

‘No, and call Pik by his proper name in future.’ She walked over to the wardrobe, and pulled out Satyendra’s cloak. ‘Are you ready?’

‘I suppose so.’

She held the wardrobe door open as Satyendra climbed inside and waited for him to manoeuvre himself behind the clothes there before shutting it. She heard him sigh through the frosted glass.

‘Don’t come out until you hear the knock.’

‘I’ve done this before, you know.’

‘Stay quiet and we’ll be back as soon as we can.’

He didn’t reply and she put her hand on the door as if to communicate the things she couldn’t say. Then she turned and held out Satyendra’s cloak to Pik.

Without meeting her eyes, the boy took it and put it on.

They left together, moving quickly through corridors. Aside from the guards, the place was quiet. Chandni allowed herself a slight nod. As it should be.