Savignya started early in the morning, her breath visible in the cold air as she mounted her horse. She turned once to glance at Vijala, who stood silently on the steps of the manor, hands folded in front of her.
"I'll be back soon," Savignya said with quiet certainty. "I just need a few answers."
Vijala bowed. "Be careful, my lady."
Without another word, Savignya urged her horse forward, and the beast thundered down the road that led to Suryagadh.
By evening, the gates of the capital rose before her—tall, austere, and framed by burning torches that fought against the creeping dusk. The guards recognized her and opened the gates and bowed as she rode through.
Inside, Suryagadh was as alive as ever. Market stalls bustled, bells rang faintly in temple courtyards, and the scent of roasted grains and incense drifted through the streets. To any outsider, it looked like a city at peace. But to Savignya, it felt like a city sitting on the edge of something immense.
As she passed through a residential quarter, she watched the people go about their evening routines. Women lit lamps at doorsteps. Children chased each other in narrow lanes. Merchants closed their stalls and counted the day's earnings. They knew nothing of what loomed.
She took a sharp turn away from the main road and entered a congested section of the city, where the cobbled streets narrowed and the buildings leaned toward one another like conspirators. This was where information changed hands for a price, and secrets were more valuable than gold.
Savignya dismounted quietly and walked her horse along the lane. Her eyes scanned the cramped shopfronts until they landed on a small wooden stall nestled between two herbal vendors. A familiar figure stood behind the counter, pretending to count coins.
Rohak.
She stepped closer. He looked up and stiffened. The moment their eyes met, he waved off his two customers with uncharacteristic urgency. "We're closed," he said. "Come back tomorrow."
The confused men protested for a moment but left when they noticed who stood behind them. Rohak quickly shut his stall and gestured for Savignya to follow him. They disappeared into a nearby alley, far from prying ears.
"You didn't know Arya was leaving the city?" she asked sharply.
Rohak rubbed the back of his neck. "Believe me, if I had known, I would've told Rudra. We were in constant communication. But I don't know what's happening inside the castle. That place is locked tighter than I've ever seen it."
Savignya studied him. Rohak was no fool. If he said the castle was sealed, it was.
"You're not wrong," she said. "A street spy entering the personal wing of Rankriti's fortress? You wouldn't last ten seconds."
Savignya didn't smile. "You'll accompany me. Tomorrow morning, we enter the castle together. I have official permission. You'll pose as my squire. Keep your head down and your mouth shut."
Rohak blinked. "Wait, what?"
He hesitated, visibly uncomfortable. "How long are we staying?"
"You are staying," she said coldly. "I return by evening. You stay inside. Keep watch on Arya. Report everything you see."
Rohak's eyes widened. "Oh, no. No way. Do you know what they'll do to me if I'm caught? Rankriti's people don't just kill spies—they erase them."
Savignya took a threatening step forward. "And do you know what I'll do if you disobey me?"
He tried to hold her gaze, but it faltered.
"I don't care what excuses you give me," she continued. "I chose you because the twins trusted you. But maybe they were wrong. Maybe you're just a frightened little rat with a big mouth."
"Call me whatever you want," Rohak snapped, his voice finally rising. "But I've seen what that woman can do. You think I'm scared of you? Rankriti would skin me alive before I could even blink."
Savignya grabbed his collar and yanked him forward, eyes blazing.
"Listen to me, worm. I am not negotiating. If I wanted, I could have ten men take your place—men who would gladly die just to step inside those walls. You are lucky I even chose you. Don't make me regret it."
Rohak squirmed under her grip, but he didn't resist. He understood now: this wasn't a request.
She shoved him back.
"You'll come with me tomorrow. If I don't find you here in the morning, I'll have you hunted down. Close your shop. Prepare yourself. We leave at sunrise."
Savignya turned on her heel and left without another word.
Rohak stared after her, his heart pounding. He wiped sweat from his brow, though the air had turned cold.
The twins, he thought. This is for them. Not for her. Not for Arya. I owe them.
He looked at his little shop. A pile of trinkets. A few jars of spices. A crumbling wooden stool.
By morning, it would all be dust.