Freedom was only inches away from her. 

Satya stretched out her hand in front, exhilarated. She would run to the hamlet, find her uncle, and bring him back here to rescue the other girls. It felt like nothing could stop her until two sets of arms grabbed her from behind and pulled her back into that accursed basement. 

Shrieking at the top of her lungs, kicking at the two men holding her in place, she faced the leader again.

He looked exasperated. “You never learn, do you?”

Satya glared back at him. “Why are you keeping us here? What do you want?”

What happened next was the most humiliating experience Satya had ever faced in her eighteen years of life. 

In less than a second, the leader grabbed her upper garment and tore it away, revealing her white bodice to open view. The impact forced the two men to release their grip. Covering her cleavage with her freed arms, tears of anguish clouding her sight, she crumpled to the floor. Fragments of her uttariya had fallen around her.

Howls of horror escaped the girls still huddled in the corner. The men laughed once again. She blinked her tears back, unwilling to let them watch her cry. 

“See?” the leader said. “She’s not all that feisty anymore.” 

He glanced at the two men still sitting on the floor. They’d recovered their senses enough to take care of themselves. 

“Now, I’ll tell you what I want,” he turned back to Satya. “I want you to behave yourself. You will do exactly what you are told to do. No more kicking my men or I’ll have you whipped. Never mind what Adipati says! I’m being very generous with all of you girls. Remember that!” 

He ordered his men. “Take her upstairs. Let Adipati decide what to do with her. First, blindfold her.”

Satya felt trapped in a nightmare. Dazed and humiliated, she struggled no more. Her arms remained crossed over her bodice. The men obeyed their leader without question. They tied one fragment of her own uttariya over her eyes. Then they pulled her to her feet. 

Just as they were about to walk her out of the basement, Satya heard the leader’s voice again. “And don’t you dare even think of touching her before Adipati sees her or I’ll skin you both alive.”

The trip upstairs felt longer than anything Satya had imagined. Pushed and shoved between the two men, she didn’t know when she left the basement or where they were taking her. The absence of wind suggested that she was still inside some house. Possibly, she was being dragged through a long corridor. 

After a while, her feet hit the bottom of a staircase. Feeling her way with her toes, she climbed up. 

The men remained silent. True to their leader’s commands, they treated her better than she’d expected. 

At the top of the stairs, she faltered, slipped, and fell to the ground. One man tried to pull her back to her feet again. But Satya felt exhausted, unable to walk anymore. Annoyed, the man slapped her hard.

The sting of the slap undid her. Tears streamed down her cheeks. She felt completely useless. She’d failed to escape, failed to help the girls and failed to protect her dignity. Perhaps dying tonight would be a blessing. 

“What’s happened?” a voice came from a distance. 

Footsteps drew closer.

“Adipati,” one man spoke. “We brought one girl like you asked.”

“Where’s her uttariya?” The newcomer sounded closer this time. 

That voice! Satya knew she had heard it before. 

The men cleared their throats, unable to give an explanation. 

Adipati sighed. “Is she from the village? At least she needs to be dressed properly if she's going to be presented to our guest. Never mind. It's too late now. Maybe he'll prefer her like this—half-naked. I hope you’ve explained to her what she needs to do.” 

“I will, Adipati.”

“Good! Take her to the guest wing. Wait a minute!” 

Satya felt someone breathing on her face. 

“Have I seen her before?” Adipati asked.

“She's Madhava's niece.”

“Oh dear! Such a shame to lose a talented student. Take her away!” 

Footsteps retreated. 

Satya gaped in disbelief. Yes! She knew that voice, and the man they were calling 'Adipati'. 

It was Brahmadatta, the Mayor of Satvikshila. 

He’d bestowed the scholarship upon her two and half years ago. He met her at school from time to time, praising her performance. The nightmare was getting worse by the minute. 

Anger clouded her mind. The mayor, who appeared good and kind to everyone, was, in reality, a devil who kidnapped young girls. 

The men pulled her to her feet again and led her up another flight of stairs. She walked with leaden steps. When they reached the top, they pushed her against a flat surface. The scent of wood and polish hit her.

A door!

The man who’d slapped her spoke in a low voice. “Look here! No more tricks now. Listen carefully. You're going into this bedroom. Stay quiet and don't run. There's a guest coming to meet you soon. You're going to stay with him in this room as long as he wants—all night, if he wants. Do you understand?”

“Why?” Satya felt surprised at her own courage. 

“Don't ask questions. Don't struggle too much and you won't get hurt. If the guest is happy, then Adipati will reward you in the morning. Now get inside!”