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

8.2. Against the Clock

"He's not scary once you get to know him. Besides, you've no option but to find a way to confront your fears. Shouldn't that be the primary skill of a Noble Knight? I'm about to put both of you in charge of something important and this will not work without the collaboration of you two."

"Alright," he said, dropping his eyes to the ground.

"Get to work now. I'll see you later."

There was a mammoth of tasks at hand and for the next two days my friends, Constellia and I spent helping people safely move. Just like Doctor had dreamt to see, we worked as a team by assigning each of us a different task, working towards the same goal.

Pruthvi extended the catacomb and laid the groundwork to build bunkers. Leena joined the knight and allotted equal space for families and clans. Celina and Ashwant supervised those other clans of Rawat that had once refused to live underground - the Clan of Vaquero and Matsyasvi. In the past, their former king had granted permission to live by choice and now they refused to move in the present even after knowing the severity of the situation. They might be ready to die, but I wasn't ready to see them dead.

"It's non-negotiable," I told them flatly.  "Survive first. Leave it to me and King Aghasthya if it's about the matter of provisions."

That became an immediate cause for a start of a protest. "But we're not used to living underground!" and such.

"You will now!" I bellowed before the untimely protests became inflammatory. "Dismissed!"

With that, Celina and Ashwant's task became much easier to bring into action.

In the midst of Celina's pursuit to move her clan, she spared a bit of time alone in her renovated garden-styled hut, driven by emotion and having no clue how to deal with the matter. "I just need time to think," she would say in a nutshell on being asked.

To Tyrell, despite being at his usual frenetic pace, the immense pressure of carrying the load as an outsider began rendering undue stress on him. During the mornings, he patrolled the streets of the Paschimgarh under the tight control of his king, and by evening he brought himself to regard his friendship commitments. Apart from that, consciously he was aware that a couple of Sergeants were keeping constant watch over him. He pretended to be clueless though, yet keeping a watchful eye on every knight that crossed his path. "September the eighth," he said, sourly. "Things may change once I clear my name in the upcoming trial. It's no big deal. I'll be fine." Deep down, everyone knew he wasn't.

Then there was someone who advantageously positioned himself to participate in our routines. The next day, after my briefing with King Aghasthya and before I contacted Tyrell to open Gates for me to get back to the apartment, Dhanunjay came running. His tight colorful jacket held back his saggy bits of fat, giving him a slimmer silhouette, his face a shade of sullenness. I offered my hello with a friendly smile and waited as he took deep intakes to catch his breath.

"Can we talk?" he huffed, and not in the usual commanding voice that he'd loved to showcase to Samagraha.

"Sure."

He squinted for a bit, brows drawing closer before he hurriedly said, "How did the meeting with King Aghasthya go?"

Both of us were uncertain what to say, it seemed. "Very well, I guess."

"Did he allow you to use Sharad's underground cell?"

I stared and tried not to sound off-hand. "Eavesdropping on our conversations is not very advisable, Dhanunjay."

"I was only waiting for you," he said, apologetically. "And happened to overhear."

"Why were you waiting?"