Burning streaks of sunlight from two barred windows, high up on the opposite stone wall, lit the entire room. 

At the centre of the bare space, six dungeon guards stood on top of a three-foot high gallows. A young prisoner knelt under the hanging noose, his hands tied behind his back, a black cloth wrapped around his eyes, and his head dropped low over his chest. 

As Nandini and the others entered the room, a guard standing nearest to the prisoner grabbed his shoulders and forced him to his feet. 

“Charaka,” Maya addressed the prisoner, her voice echoing off the stone walls. “Son of Chatura. Traitor of Amritambu. You are now in the presence of Maharani Nandini of Amritambu. This is your last chance to plead for mercy. Do you have anything you wish to say before we proceed with your sentence?”

No answer.

“Very well,” she continued. “Charaka, we find you guilty of the barbaric assassination of Rajmata Devisena—mother of Princess Amodini, stepmother of Maharani Nandini, and queen mother of Amritambu—on the second night of the second waxing moon in the last month. We also find you guilty of murdering the late Rajmata’s personal guards through the illegal spell of mass hypnosis using earth magic.”

No answer.

“After committing this most heinous crime, you tried to flee the kingdom, but Maharani Nandini arrested you and brought to trial before the royal court of Amritambu. You refused Maharani’s generous offer to secure a lenient punishment in exchange for the name of your employer who ordered the assassination. By the laws of Amritambu and in accordance of Maharani Nandini’s royal order, in the presence of secular witnesses, we sentence you to death by hanging for your crimes.”

Charaka, the prisoner, kept his head bowed throughout the entire speech. At the end, he appeared to shake all over from head to toe. 

Nandini ignored him. “Maya, proceed with the hanging.” 

A muffled laughter emanated from Charaka at the last word. The sound grew into an audacious cackle until he threw up his head and roared in glee. Everyone present in the room seethed with anger.

Nandini’s frown deepened, her brows twitching in rage. The dungeon guard swung a fist to strike him. Nandini raised her hand to stop him. 

“Charaka,” she said, her words seething with contempt. “Traitor of Amritambu. Only a villain or a fool can laugh in the face of his own death. Do you really find Yamaraj that amusing?”

“Maharani,” Charaka chuckled. “I would welcome Yamaraj, the great god of death and wisdom, when my time comes. But I shall not meet him today.”

His words provoked a chorus of curses and swear words from the courtiers.

“Insolent traitor!”

“Bastard!”

“How dare you speak to Maharani like that?”

“Villain!”

“You have sinned against your motherland.”

“Murderer!”

“Yamaraj will send your soul to the depths of the netherworld.”

“Hanging is too merciful a sentence for this traitor.”

“We should torture him to death.”

“Silence,” Nandini commanded. “Charaka, tell us, why do you speak now? You stayed silent at the trial.”

Charaka smirked. “Save your mercy. You want me to confess? Alright! Yes, you are all correct. I am a traitor. I murdered the great Rajmata Devisena. 

“Why you ask? For money, of course! They paid me more gold than I could ever earn living an honest life in Amritambu. Do I regret it? No! This job has just proved I am the best assassin on this entire continent. 

“I fooled all those pompous palace guards. They never knew how I got in. I hypnotized Rajmata’s personal guards using my earth magic. They slit their own throats. The poor devils! I stabbed Rajmata in her sleep. I almost escaped too. Most thrilling job I have ever undertaken.”

“We were wrong about you.” Nandini spat in fury. “Traitor? Ha! No, you are not a simple traitor. You are an inhuman fiend. We pity the mother that gave birth to a monster like you.”

“Brave words, Maharani. I respect your courage, but I also know that you can do nothing without your beloved Rajmata. Amritambu will fall soon. This kingdom is doomed in your fragile hands. Everyone knows that Rajmata Devisena was the true ruler of this land. Now that she is gone forever, a little girl like you stands no chance against my employer.”

“Shut up!” Maya grabbed the hilt of her whip. “Or I’ll rip the skin off your back before hanging you.”

“Maya, wait,” Nandini said, “let him speak. He wants to confess before his death. We shall respect his last wishes.”

Charaka guffawed. “Maharani, I believe you will release me from this execution chamber and allow me to flee from this kingdom. There’s only one thing I must ask you before I leave.”