Astamite: 4 (Jaya!)

The saga of the Kurus come to an end, but who are the victors and who the vanquished?

As Suyodhana's schemes against Yudhishtira bear fruit, the Pandavas are forced into another exile, this time an ignominious one. Not content with reuniting his Kingdom, Suyodhana undertakes to hold the Viswajit sacrifice, turning to Vasushena for a Dig Vijaya campaign.

Yudhishtira is not content to wait in the forest for his exile to end. He seeks alliances and hides in the kingdom of Matsya. When his presence is revealed and Suyo sends a force to capture him and his brother, Yudhishtira defeats them, killing Vasushena's brother in the process.

As all attempts at peace fail, the cousins are hurtling towards a war, one that will plunge the entire Aryavarta into its vortex. In the middle of it, Vasushena learns the truth about his birth, and Krishna plots his demise. Will all of Krishna's machinations come to pass or will Vasushena be able to survive?

If you love dark fantasies with morally grey characters, political intrigues, war, friendships, and tested relationships, you will enjoy this dark tale.

Astamite is the concluding book of the Jaya! Series.

Geetha Krishnan is an author of books derived from the rich and vast spectrum of Indian mythology. A practising Hindu, their books show their deep knowledge of the religion and customs of ancient India. Their books have won many accolades and have been universally praised for the twists they bring to their retellings.

Their books Ayana and Pradyutita have made it to the semi finals of SPFBO 2019 and 2020 respectively, and their short story, The Forgotten Son has won an Honourable Mention in The Writers of the Future Contest. Durga was the Runner up of the Rev PIt 2020.