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

12. Clash of Wills

Nazira

What was happening outside? What was going on? Hayden and others should have definitely made some progress. The woman had given her ambiguous hints about the altercations being made throughout the country. An entire week had passed and since then there had been no sign of a further update. She'd learned enough to trust her friends and had come down here prepared of getting cut off from the world. Then why couldn't she keep herself from worrying and let things be?

Fidgeting with impatience was no help. Wavering between herself and her rebelling mind only added more stress. Thanks to Shourya, she was now only half sure about the conditions she'd put forth. Whether or not they were enough for a pathetic person like Shashi to stay obedient, she didn't know. Was her cue enough for Hayden to make a move before Shashi retracted his words? Did Tyrell figure out a way to abolish Shashi's Clan? Pruthvi should already be agonizing over locating Shashi's tomb. With Leena's help, perhaps they could deal with the new clan smoothly. And Celina...Nazira hoped that the generation's Moonstone User had secured the Pride well until they came face to face with Shashi in the endgame.

Having multiple distractions in front of her and not being able to use them was merely unfortunate. She had been putting up with her nerves for an entire week. However, her eyes kept drifting back and forth to those glorious things in the trunk. She craved to pull the books out and dive into them, to hold the brushes and work her way through the colors and sketches. But she wouldn't. Her conscience did not allow her to.

Where was that woman? When would she come back? She was, for all Nazira knew, the only source to explain the situation outside. Had she kept her voice alive, existing at two places at once or tinkering with the time would have been child's play? It hurt like blazes thinking about the way chose to lose her magic. She sighed and pressed her head against the wall. Closing her eyes and breathing heavily helped cooling herself off and steadying her pulse.

Her loneliness was eating her up. It hinted darkly about her gloomy life ahead. She had been lonely before, but nothing had made her feel downright miserable. She had found solace living for four years in Rawat's palace, the sanctum that she'd believed it was. Shourya's fatherly compassion had made the palace a stress-free zone. Rawat's palace...her heart warmed remembering the days she'd spent reading, re-reading, and memorizing the events written in King Harsh's scroll.

She frowned remembering one major event penned elaborating on it, the event that matched with something Shashi had mentioned earlier. Her idle mind began assessing.

Year 1970

Dear Raaz,

Everyone thought it was difficult to reach an agreement because of the friction between the Thribhuvans and Gargs. But with Premila's arrival, the feud between the two families resulted in sharing-out the land that Gargs had desired for themselves.

My father, in his battle-weary state and seeing the enmity putting a strain on my relationship with Premila, had bequeathed the piece of land to me. He now wants me to tackle the issue with another party. We needed peace, we wanted a better relationship with our fellow provinces, and so without entirely succumbing to their needs, Rawat shall now allow the Narula dynasty to use the land for the benefit of the citizens only. But I'm cautious, very cautious, keeping Gargs' past political records in mind. I know first-hand that this friendship would last only until the other party does not use the land for their personal gains.

My dynasty is however against my decision. They are worried that I'd allowed 'evil' to enter our property. Premila's heart is made of gold. And I want to believe her family is changed. Since their justification for needing the land as an extension for their growing dynasty was appropriate enough to my mind. Not to mention, isn't choosing peace over war the right thing to do?