I was staring out of the window. The sky had already turned gray with the sun hidden behind the ashen clouds. I was able to see a few men pulling their horses inside the stables and few walking inside the court to escape the upcoming shower. Air was cooler but stiff and sticky. Then a drop of water fell upon my cheek. A huge thunder roared followed by the lightning. I turned around to see if it was Tyrell using his stone to scare me but he was deeply immersed in getting all missed details from Pruthvi.

After about what doctor had told us an hour ago, I was surprised that I wasn't really that surprised with the fact my mother had this huge unbelievable past after her. The way she always behaved whenever I asked about her parents, always warned me that she was definitely trying to keep me away from something. Only difference is now I know why. A sudden urge of finding my grandparents crept up on me, but I told myself that it might be the task next to impossible.Dakshinpur is a huge place and finding them so soon was out of question.

"Do you really think my father could do such a thing?" Pruthvi said when we were all alone in the room, his voice as shallow as possible.

"Don't decide on anything yet Pruthvi," said Tyrell, "You know your parents. There should be more to the story."

"He is right," I said walking back towards them, "And by what we heard about Zarina khan, it seemed to me like she is capable of anything. She might have framed this story and started blabbing all the bad things about your father."

"I wish so," Pruthvi said, his eyes sorroful, "But all these people can't be wrong. There must be something my father went through that did not make people proud of."

The downpour began. The rain laboriously pattered like a million tap dancers.

"Pruthvi, I think you should worry more about the sister they are talking about," said Tyrell, "She is still out there, somewhere, isn't she?"

Pruthvi's faced stiffened, "Yes you are right. King Aghasthya told me Zarina might know about her whereabouts."

"Whose whereabouts are we talking about?"

A voice came over from the threshold of the door. Doctor with Kings Aghasthya was walking in. I wondered for how long they had been standing there and listening to us.

"Mr. King," said Pruthvi jumping out of the bed, "I asked you before and I am asking you again. I want to meet her. Please take me to her."

"You told them you already imprisoned Zarina Khan?" asked Doctor crossly.

"I had to doctor and Pruthvi, I told u before and I am telling you again-it's worthless," said Aghasthya imitating Pruthvi, "Why don't you understand? Zarina will never help you."

"But it's always worth a shot."

"Aghasthya you raised boys' hopes," said Doctor.

"Doctor don't you think my sister should reunite with the only family member she is left with?" asked Pruthvi, daringly.

"Of course I do," he said, "But it is Zarina khan we are talking about."

"I am ready to take any risk," said Pruthvi tenaciously, "Please let me meet her ones."

Doctor shifted his eyes from Pruthvi to Tyrell and finally he settled on me. I was able to see a glimpse of trepidation within his eyes. It was either he trying to warn me or he was scared that something crazy might happen if I come and visit her. He took a long breath and finally said to King Aghasthya, "Take us to her."

He nodded unwillingly and gestured at us to follow him. We strode out of the room with lot of eagerness. I was fulfilling this chance to peek at the whole court thoroughly. Passing the colossal hall with large thrones, then walking past the kitchen and the work room and now entering into the courtyard. It was not as scenic as I was expecting. It was rather dry and non-sterile.

King Aghasthya now ordered his soldiers, who were standing their as guards, to open the gate that was at the corner of the courtyard. It was smaller gate followed by staircase. He was taking us to the dungeons located deep inside in his court, completely built with hard rocks. It was eerily dark just like the prison I and Tyrell were trapped last night. There were barred doors and windows within the cobblestone walls designed to withstand the strong chains. There were depressions on the floor and large amount of scratches which had formed when the prisoners must have been dragged down.

I was feeling Tyrell's hard breath across my neck. He was walking right beside me. I smiled watching him shiver in a funniest way.

"Its alright," I said trying to hold my laugh at the edge of my lips, "We are safe now."

"I know," he whispered, "That fight with the snake in a prison...I think it made me realize that I suffer with incarcerophobia."

I shook my head, smilingly and asked King Aghasthya, "This prison is quiet deep and familiar. Is this the same prison we fell in?"

"It should be. This is a very huge penitentiary designed by my ancestors in those days and it extends till the river side. But unfortunately some part of it is of no use to me now. So I closed everything else."

Tyrell leaned so that Aghasthya couldn't hear and said, "I wish someone could tell him that he is so wrong."

I glared at him.

King Aghasthya was leading us towards the one. Pruthvi was right behind him. We now entered into a smaller passageway that connected many cells. There was one person in each cell, watching curiously at us passing by. King Aghasthya stopped at the end of the passageway. There were two more guards right at front of the cell. He nodded at one of them to open the gates. Doctor was the first to step inside letting us follow him. It was dark and quickly the guard lit the lanterns.

My eyes quickly fell on an old woman was claimed to be Zarina Khan- sitting on the floor cross-legged, her head pointed towards the ground, her hands chained on either side. Her hair was long and silvery white. She was draped with a saffron colored sari, also torn at few areas. Her nails were long and creepy with drops of blood dripping from the wrists. Pruthvi stepped forward in inquisitiveness but it was Aghasthya who took the authority.

"Zarina," he called. There was a lot of hatred in his voice.

She stirred. Slowly looking up at Aghasthya, she stared at all of us. Her sky-blue eyes enlarged when she found doctor standing before her.

"Believe it or not but you have guests here," Aghasthya said folding his hands.

"I see the doctor is finally back," she said, her voice was trembling but sharp and nothing like the voice of an old woman, "Welcome back, doctor."

"Zarina," Doctor said, "I hope you realize how dreadful were the choices that you had made. Look at you, spending your last days in the prison. Is this what you always wanted?"

"Everybody thought my last days started twenty years ago. But I am still very much alive. And as far as I know, I don't think you have to bother about how I should spend my last days."

"Shame on you," said Aghasthya disgusted, "Still no remorse. You killed your children. You let your grand children die. You don't even have a pinch of regrets, do you?"

"Remorse?" she said and laughed derisively, "Look who is talking. What happened to the remorse when you didn't even think for a minute and banished your own son and daughter in law from your family?"

I frowned and so did Tyrell. We exchanged looks silently. I spotted Pruthvi who was still staring at his great grandmother. He hands was clenched and jaw tightened, I knew he was controlling himself to the extent.

"Shut up you bitch," shouted Aghasthya taking a step towards her. Doctor quickly caught him by his hand. "What I did to my son was for his own good. Atleast I didn't wish for his death."

"But look at irony...he eventually died," she said mockingly.

Aghasthya opened his mouth but doctor stopped him.

"Aghasthya," he said letting his hand go, "There is no point in arguing with this woman. Don't forget why we are here." He turned to Pruthvi and said, "Pruthvi, we did as you asked. Go ahead."

Her focus shifted from Aghasthya to Pruthvi who stepped forward. His eyes filled watching her. Finally he and said, "Do you know what happened to Nawab khan and his wife?"

She gave a crooked smile and said, "Young boy asking me about my grandson by his name. You must be his son."

There was no happiness in her expression. Seeing one of the members of her own family brought no difference.

"Yes," he said nodding, "and your so called great grandson. How could you kill your own family?"

"How could I?" she said, "How could your father? How could he leave his niece to die? Go...Go and ask your dead father the same."

"I know my father very well. I know he must have decided to do what he did was for a good reason."

She laughed so loudly that I thought the roof might fall.

"Are you listening to yourself?" she shouted, "He ran away from his responsibilities. He ran away from Dakshinpur and hid in the country where no one recognizes him. But unfortunately his deeds haunted him even there."

"Nawab was scared of you," said Doctor backing Pruthvi up, "He knew his niece has the same abilities as you do. He must have sensed that you want to bring her up just like yourself whom he despised."

"Then why didn't he take her with him?" she asked, "Why didn't he raise her just like he brought up his own son?"

Doctor was quiet for a while and then said, "No one knows when she is, Zarina.  Nawab must have left her in a safer place, far away from you. I say he did the right thing keeping her away from his family. That's why she is alive today and safe somewhere otherwise your dear friend might have already killed her. She was the reason you and Shashi abducted Pruthvi. Am I right? And I am pretty much sure it was your idea to send someone else in my place, get to know all the Samagraha so that he can easily reach Nawab's son and his niece."

She couldn't reply to him but stared cruelly. Her chest was raising and falling so rapidly that I thought her heart might fail any moment. Her silence made clear that whatever Doctor accused her of was so precise.

"I am not here to confront you," said Pruthvi, "I don't even want to know why you helped Shashi kill my parents. Because they are gone and they will never come back. I came here to fetch my sister. I came here with a lot of hopes that you will help me find her. Please...please tell me where she is."

She didn't reply him either. She simply bent her head and continued watching the floor.

"I told you," said Aghasthya to Pruthvi, "She will only help for gold. Give her some and she will start licking you legs like a dog."

"I don't know where she is," said Zarina finally, pressing her eyes, "But wait for few more days. Shashi might find her for you."

"Why does Shashi need her?" asked Doctor, "Wasn't your facilitation enough for him."

"Shashi need her," she said and voice suddenly turned stern. She looked up and I realized she was glaring straight at me. She was staring as if a gigantic spider had just landed on me. "You came back for some vengeance didn't you?"

Doctor slid in between me and her. "Leave him out of it," he said.

"Why?" she asked, "How naive of you, doctor. You thought you can bring him here and I cannot recognize him. For your information, he looks just like his mother."

Aghasthya looked at me reading my face. His expression changed and I found a sympathy in them.

"What is she talking about?" said Tyrell after a long time, "Pruthvi Doctor is right. I don't think she can help you either. She is just talking all rubbish."

"Running away from situations," said Zarina looking at Tyrell now, "Did your mother teach you that?"

"Stop it!" said Doctor, "Look Zarina, don't try to manipulate things. We came here to know about Nawab's niece. You better tell us or..."

Before he could finish, Zarina leaned against the wall and ogled the roof. The next thing she said almost created new born jitters inside me.

"Today's friend can be tomorrow's foe,

Rivalry can stoop to such a low.

The one waiting to hold your wrist,

Beware, you may not resist."

And then she began laughing villainously. I didn't understand what just happened and what she had just uttered. Doctor turned to us and said, "She made another prediction. But don't worry, it makes no sense."

"She did what?" asked Tyrell. His eyebrows shot up into his hair.

"Everyone," said Doctor, "Let's get out of here."

"But I have to talk to her," said Pruthvi, forcing words from his painful throat.

"Pruthvi," said Aghasthya holding his hand onto his shoulder, "I told you she is not on our side. Its better we leave her here to die."

He was completely disappointed. Aghasthya and Doctor were already outside leaving me, Tyrell and Pruthvi behind. I looked at her for the last time and turned back to follow others.

"Fire of Vengeance!" Zarina cried. I flinched and so did Tyrell and Pruthvi. "You will not win against him. He is too powerful and you are nothing against him."

Tyrell caught me by both of my shoulders and tried to pull me away from her nonsense. "Let's go Hayden."

"Just a second," I said and turned towards her, "I know you are talking about Shashi Thribhuvan. Look, I don't know who he is and what he wants. He might be stronger than me. He might he powerful than me. But let me tell you one thing, he is not daring enough like you people think of him. I wish you never, but if you ever have a chance to meet him, tell him to face me directly rather than sending his snaky minions after me."

I didn't know from where it came, but I said everything I had to say and I agree, I was not proud of it. I just openly challenged the one who was waiting for my blood. I waited for her to say something cruel on me but when she didn't I left her with that.

"Tyrell, Pruthvi," I said still staring at her, "Let's go."

-x-