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It was still dark when Isla next saw the open sky. Starless and spitting, complementing her mood perfectly. She looked north, searching for the peaks of her asraam, but it was too far and too dark to make anything beyond the smoking shadow of Rajini Amarin's estate.

Torches glimmered between the hedges, bobbing in and out of vision, the night's peace broken by the drift of frantic voices.

'Judhistir will no doubt have been alerted,' Rajini Chei was saying. She, too, looked out at her late sister-consort's estate. 'Palace guards will soon be here to question me. You must be gone before then.'

She had been generous with Isla. Two mounts and a packhorse laden with all her bags and more. A guard in plainclothes was heaving Tam Mai upon one of the steeds before himself climbing behind her.

'What will you tell them?' asked Isla.

'Exactly what I and my personal guards have seen. We felt tremors in the ground, I instructed them to accompany me into the labyrinths, and there we found Dhvani over the Maha Rama's favoured consort.'

'Will this cause trouble for you?'

'I expect so.' The rajini sniffed. 'Though that is nothing I'm not already familiar with.'

Another plain-clothed guard approached Isla, leading her mount by its bridle. It was time to go. She had not even had the chance to say farewell to her friends. They probably thought her dead. It may be for the best, but she wished she could at least give Tran some final words of encouragement before she was reassigned to the Water Palace.

'You'll ride with Esmir.' The rajini guided her gently towards the guard, her eyes still upon the bobbing torches. A group was floating closer towards them. 'You can trust him and Sanjha. They will keep you safe. It is easier for two guards to leave the palatial ring with their pleasure women than it is for two girls unaccompanied.'

'Pleasure women?'

'Just keep your head down and let him do the talking.'

Isla allowed the guard to help her mount. When she was safely in her saddle, she turned to the rajini and asked, 'When can I return?'

Rajini Chei hesitated. 'You want so badly to return here?'

'One day, perhaps. You're the only family Tamma and I have left.' Noi would want to, besides. For good or ill, Surikhand was their home.

Rajini Chei reached out and took Isla's hands. She almost flinched in surprise, but the rajini's grip was firm. 'I regret we could not talk a while longer. I know you have many questions more.'

'Will you at least take care of Rinju for me?'

'Ah. Your early-bloomer? She is only one of so many ...'

'So was I.'

The rajini sighed. 'Judhistir is possessive of his early-bloomers. He'll want them all gifted to his favoured peers. I will do what I can.'

'You'll send word for Sir Edric?'

'Huu is already on his way.' Rajini Chei smiled.

'Thank you.'

Rajini Chei nodded, almost dismissively. All these years in the palace must have hardened her. Isla could not imagine this cold woman helping them all this time, even from a distance. Neither could she think of the rajini as her grandmother.

But she did. And she is. 'I mean it. For everything.'

'You must be off, now.'

There was a soft patter as Sanjha reined in beside Isla, the packhorse tied behind them. Her sister lay snug in his arms, wrapped in blankets.

Isla shuffled in her saddle. The other guard – Esmir – had mounted behind her. She could feel the leather beneath his shirt as he leaned forwards to take hold of the reins.

Rajini Chei nodded to the men, and they rode into the small hours. Isla looked back and watched until her grandmother faded into a silhouette.

    
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