“Being pregnant makes me no less of a rani,” I said, furious at their secret planning. They had kept me in the dark, and now look where we were. “Don’t make that mistake again.”
Nallini and Parushi blushed as they nodded.
I turned to Parushi. “Do you swear that everything she said aligns with what you know?”
“Yes,” she said solemnly. “On my life.”
“And what about on mine? On Devi’s?” I stared at her, looking for a flicker of doubt or hesitation, but Parushi’s eyes were clear.
“I swear it,” she said.
“Nallini, do you swear your loyalty to me and Trimuladevi?” I asked.
Nallini nodded.
“Say it. Speak the words.” I commanded.
“I swear loyalty to the rani, the rajkumari, and Ullal,” Nallini said. “And I forsake my connection to Banghervari. I will never write to Vishwajeet again.”
I searched for any hint of a lie, any sign of that smooth, polished voice she used when she worked her words around her will. But there was only the same openness and honesty I’d seen when she fixed my heel. And cured Parushi. And dived off her horse to save me during the Porcugi attack.
Wordlessly, I nodded at her, and she bowed deeply in response. Parushi’s shoulders finally relaxed, and she began to put pressure on her wounded arm with her other hand.
“You can’t possibly believe her!” Nikith’s voice shook. “She’s an outsider! I’m your brother!”
He searched my face for compassion.
He found none.
“The letter was written inyourhand.” My voice was steel. “Youasked for the messenger.Yousummoned the emissary.Youarranged my marriage. How long have you been colluding with Vishwajeet? How long have you kissed the hands of the creatures who murdered your wife?”
Nikith flinched with each sentence, but he held my gaze. And he stopped his denials. “Someone had to try to save Ullal.”
My sister’s husband was a traitor.
There was no coming back from this.
Ever so carefully, I unwrapped Ektha’s shawl from around Trimuladevi, draped it over my shoulder, and then summoned Parushi. “Take her to her nursemaids. You will watch the rajkumari with a double guard.”
Parushi opened her mouth to protest, but I didn’t let her argue. “I am trusting you with her. I cannot ask anyone else. Don’t worry about me?—the other guards will stay.”
I kissed Devi’s soft cheek, and Parushi took her with her good arm and left, whistling for more guards as she walked out the door.
“Nallini.” She stepped in front of me, but we were still separated by the knot of guards. “Go find Tara and take her to Parushi. I will not send you with an escort, but know that if you and Tara do not show up promptly, I will send you to the Spirits as soon as I find you.”
Nallini blanched but nodded. “Understood.”
As the door thunked shut, I pointed to Nikith’s dagger. It still lay on the floor, crusted in Parushi’s blood.
“Bring it to me,” I commanded. Ektha’s shawl was heavy on my shoulder.
A guard fetched it and handed me the blade; its hilt was cold in my palm. The guards stayed with me as I stood in front of my brother-in-law, well out of his reach. Nikith waited warily, staring at the dagger instead of meeting my eyes.
“I don’t plan on using this,” I said, smacking the flat of the blade against my palm.
He flinched at the sound but then jutted his chin out defiantly. “Whatdoyou intend to do?”
“You’ve put me in a difficult position.” I continued to slap the blade on my palm as I thought. “I tried to honor my sister by allowing you to stay and making you comfortable. I expected loyalty and appreciation, but instead you tried to take advantage of my generosity.”
