It was 7 in the morning. Agastya was fully ready for his office and was sitting at the dining table. Madan Kaka brought hot food and started serving him. He asked, “Has Kainat not come downstairs yet? Should I get a tray ready to send food to her room?”

Agastya stopped him with a hand gesture and replied in his cold voice, “She must still be sleeping. She’ll come down when she wakes up.”