In the darkness, I could hide from the light.
Without taking a lamp, I entered the kitchen to fill the jug, and I noticed a few attendants were still awake.
“Why are you awake?” I asked one of them, who was lighting the stove, before looking at me.
“Prince Agastya has returned. He’s asking for something to eat,” she informed, and I lowered my gaze for a moment.
“Oh,” I nodded, looking at her and the other attendants chopping vegetables, grinding dried chillies, and boiling milk. I gulped as I watched them and placed the jug in the corner, saying,“Let me…” The attendants glanced at me with a frown.
“You should get some rest. Rani-sa would want you bright and early tomorrow morning,” she said, making me smile and shake my head.
“I can’t sleep,” I insisted, sitting down and grabbing another knife to chop vegetables. After slicing, I assisted the attendants with the cooking.
I glanced at the bowls filled with four vegetable curries, two sweets, and Rotis14and frowned slightly.
“He doesn’t like beans.” I pointed to a bowl, and the attendant turned to me.
“Oh, I’m sorry, I forgot,” she said, taking the bowl off the plate and looking at me with a confused expression.
“Onions,” I reminded. She set a bowl of sliced raw onions before lifting the plate. I watched her walk away with the plate.
Taking a deep breath, I immediately stood up to follow her.
“Listen,” I called.
She glanced back at me, and I nervously swallowed as I looked at the plate.“You should rest. I’ll take it to him,” I offered, extending my hands. She stared at me momentarily before leaving the plate without a word.
I smiled and said,“You look tired.”
She returned the smile and walked away quietly.
My heart pounded heavily with every step I took toward his chamber at night. The moon shone in the sky, and stars scattered like a blanket. The chilly wind made me shiver before I entered.
Illuminated softly with a few lamps, the chamber glowed, and I breathed deeply before I saw the light streaming from his bedchamber.
I bit my lower lip as I entered and glanced at the couch, expecting to find him sitting there. But he wasn’t.
I quickly scanned the place, but he was nowhere to be seen.
Feeling anxious, I called out,“Kunwar-sa.” My voice came out slowly and slightly unsteady, as it was my first time entering his chamber past midnight. It was painfully silent.
I noticed a guard outside the bedchamber.“He’s in the courtyard,” he informed me, and I nodded.
He might’ve come to inform me, since he walked away right after.
As I ambled toward the courtyard, I noticed him seated before a heap of firewood in the farthest corner. The surrounding darkness intensified my fear as I moved closer. He was facing away from me, looking out at the open garden. The clatter of metal made my brows furrow in confusion.
Quietly stepping forward, I noticed a large bowl of powder in his hands. The grey substance smeared his hands. A heavy iron mortar rested beside him, and his expression appeared serious from this angle.
I focused intently on his eyes, observing the powder between his fingers and faintly catching its scent, bringing it closer to his nose.
The confusion was evident; beads of sweat glistened on his forehead. He bit his lower lip as his hand instinctively brushed against the dagger at his side.
My heart raced as I watched him pull the knife from its golden sheath. Holding it, he scraped a small amount of powder onto the blade’s tip and leaned closer to the fire.
He placed the blade into the flames, and suddenly a bright spark erupted from the powder, making me shiver to death.
The fire gradually transformed into shades of blue and dark orange.
