AYASHA'S POV
I woke to the sound of knocking, soft but insistent against our chamber door. The gray light filtering through the windows told me dawn was breaking, but my body felt like I'd barely slept. Kira's face kept flashing behind my eyelids every time I'd tried to rest. The way she'd looked when the poison hit. The way she'd crumpled.
Pavati was still dead to the world in her bed, her breathing deep and even. After last night's breakdown, she probably needed the sleep more than I did.
The knocking came again. Three short raps, then two longer ones. Not the pattern our usual servants used.
I slipped from beneath my covers and padded across the cold stone floor. My bare feet made no sound as I approached the door.
"Who is it?" I whispered through the thick wood.
"A friend," came the muffled reply. The voice was female, older. Familiar.
