I have heard he stands just across the ocean from Lanka, preparing for war with Ravana, Lakshmana at his side. I cannot pretend to know every detail of what has transpired between them. Ravana’s missives ended shortly after he took Sita with him to Lanka. I hope she has been happy there, but I cannot honestly know—Ravana’s final letters were not those of the kind man I first met, but that of a man—an asura—readying for unnecessary war.
Rama’s march to the sea has taken years, and I have heard he has cleansed the world of evil in his path, has deposed false kings and installed the righteous back to power. He has, to hear it told, befriended giant vultures and won the allegiance of the monkey people. I know too how this will end: Rama will defeat Ravana and will return home victorious. His path has taken him longer than he might have wished; I doubt he will return at the end of his ten years, only a few months from now. But when he takes the throne, three or four years hence, he will be even more beloved than when he left.
And perhaps it will not be so bad. Even with Rama, change is possible. The boons have, in their own way, worked magic. For I have heard from several people that Rama on his travels found a woman made of stone, and with his divine touch freed her. The letters say this woman took Rama into her home, overgrown with plants and time, and washed his feet. That he asked her questions of her life, of how she came to be stone, and he listened to her answers. That he blessed her before he left and wished her a long and happy life.
Maybe the passage of the years has done its work, and that free of the influence of others Rama has matured into the man I always wished him to be. I must hope for it, because I have read enough scrolls to know that one day these events will be Rama’s alone. The sages will tell of a righteous prince who cleansed the world of asuras, and perhaps deign to mention his heartless mother who exiled him.
A small part of me wonders if I should pray, perhaps for knowledge of Sita or Lakshmana or Rama, or perhaps simply for a blessing. Instead, I watch the sunlight reflect off the running water, bright diamonds of light that glint and fall and glint again. A brilliant blue-green fish jumps, creating small ripples in the current. No goddess emerges from the depths.
I give a slight laugh, then, for what else had I expected?
“I suppose some things never change,” I say to the water.
Then I walk away, toward my horse, and my son, and my kingdom. I am at peace, for I know the truth.
Before this story was Rama’s, it was mine.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Kaikeyi would not exist without the work and kindness of many extraordinary people. To my rockstar agent Lucienne Diver—I cannot possibly thank you enough. I have benefitted in so many ways from your vision and guidance, and I am so grateful to have you in my corner. You are truly a constant font of wisdom. Thank you also to the team at the Knight Agency. The work you do to make things run smoothly for authors is so very appreciated.
Thank you to Priyanka Krishnan, my inimitable editor. From day one, you saw exactly what I hoped Kaikeyi could become and held me accountable to that vision. Because of you, Kaikeyi is the book I always dreamed of writing, and I am a better writer. I am also indebted to the amazing team at Redhook, including Alex Lencicki, Alexia Mazis, Angela Man, Ellen Wright, Lisa Marie Pompilio, Paola Crespo, Rachel Goldstein, SallyAnne McCartin, Stephanie Hess, and Tim Holman. I still can’t believe I am going to be one of your authors.
Beyond my publishing team, there are so many others I want to thank who helped me bring Kaikeyi into the world. First, my Pitch Wars mentor Sarah Remy, who believed in this book before anyone else did and helped me bring the idea of Kaikeyi to life. Meeting you changed the entire trajectory of my writing career. And to my Pitch Wars community—Amanda, Chandra, Emily, Gigi, Kate, Sami, Sarah, Tanvi, Victor, and so many others whom I do not have space to name—thank you for your constant support, humor, and advice. Team NDZ forever!
I am forever grateful to all my friends who allowed me to be insufferable, provided a listening ear, and read Kaikeyi before it was fit for human consumption. In particular, thank you to Sanika, Juveria, Jamie, and Dan. Thank you also to my law school pod—it’s because of you I made it through the trial that was the 2020–21 school year.
Lastly, I owe a huge thank you to my family. I would be nowhere without their unwavering support. My mom, who has been my sounding board from the start and has been endlessly patient as I embarked on this journey. My dad, who sent me encouraging texts to wake up to when I was overwhelmed. My grandmother, whose incredible storytelling ability and dedication to passing down these myths inspired Kaikeyi. Aditya and Sona Mavshi, for your constant love and encouragement. Rucha, for the notebook and creativity that started me writing all those years ago. James, there are no words to describe the impact you have had, but suffice to say Kaikeyi would not exist without your kindness and selflessness.