(Book 6) Hayden Mackay and The Third-Eye of the Pancharatna

11.2. A Friendly Gesture

Hayden

"Shut up!" I grumbled beneath my breath, as the creatures screeching above began to grate so terribly on my nerves.

A bag pack full of carpets felt heavy in my slightly trembling hands. The Chief Minister had left behind a few carpets as a token of his sincere appreciation. They weren't nearly as sufficient for the entire crew of Rawat and Sharad's knights to fight off these innumerable creatures, but only good enough to have them crack on with introductory training. Only four more days to go to attend the big meeting in the Panchayat. Only four more days for intensive training.

Movement...

My body suddenly felt stiff and my muscles tense. My breathing turned irregular and I frowned as the feeling of entering into a void of nothingness started to consume me. There was a strange tingling sensation on the back of my neck, infused with the creepiness of being watched. Was it a Sergeant? I turned around and squinted. Barring the screeching creatures and the greyness, the premise was as silent and cold as before. But I was convinced someone was looking my way, the notion as though someone silently screaming for liberation. I had sensed this before. The sensation reminded me of those moments before battling Shaytan Rup. I yawned abruptly, inhaling the misty air. Perhaps it was all in my sleep-deprived mind.

I headed back to the apartment, walking slowly, hampered by the stiffness and bearing the weight of the bad. Staircase engulfed in the darkness and amidst the faint light radiating from the doorway, I found two silhouettes sitting at the upper tread of the staircase and whispering to each other. Pruthvi and Celina bobbed their heads watching me walk upstairs.

"For how long have you been sitting here?" I asked.

Pruthvi bent forward. "Long enough to know that I was the main topic of conversation between the two kings."

"And that you dragged me into your devious plans," Celina added, standing up.

I sighed and followed them up the staircase. The three of us gathered on the porch. They rounded up and stopped me from entering the apartment. An explanation was what they were looking for. I put the bag aside and carefully read their expressions. Celina had a forceful grin on her face while Pruthvi, with his greasy jacket and dried sweat stamped on his face, looked tired and too sore to begin asking questions.

"You think I made the wrong choice?" I asked.

"Not in the slightest," Pruthvi said. "Why would I want to work for that gaudy of a man, when I'm a zillion times comfortable with you? You did the right thing. That's not the problem."

"Then what is?"

"If this matter goes to the Panchayat..."

"Panchayat is not being involved."

"You don't know that," he said. "That man is going to take a long ride back to Purvachand. He's got plenty of time to rethink. Look, I want to be loyal to you, till I get to compose my swan song. You're my king, after all. But if Panchayat demands me to go work for another king, then I'm going."

That gave a jolt of shock. I looked aside at Celina, wanting her to speak up on my behalf but she dropped her gaze to the floor. "You don't have to worry about that," I said to Pruthvi. "I'll make sure that everything stays the same as it is today. I will work hard to..."

"That's my point," he intercepted, "We don't want you to work hard for us anymore. This country seemed to be bidding to keep putting pressure on you and I think we've given you enough troubles with Panchayat already." He scratched his forehead and said in a low voice. "Those murders, they shouldn't have happened. And my so-called sister...God, I'm still unable to believe the story Makara told me the other day. Hayden, you don't need to be our bulletproof vest all the time. Just let things be and let us take responsibility for our actions. Your life will be so much easier if you do. And if you want to sign any more deals, for crying out loud, please sign a peace treaty and live your life."