Fear and suspicion abound as rumours of Arulmozhi Varman?s death at sea spread throughout the Chozha land. Anger grows against the powerful, scheming Pazhuvettaraiyars. As leaders scramble to handle the fallout, Nandini Devi, the captivating wife of the elder Pazhuvettaraiyar, continues her machinations against the Chozha royal family. She vows that the sword of the last Pandiyan king?killed by Prince Aditta Karikalan?will take the lives of countless enemies. Astute he may be, but is Chief Minister Aniruddhar Brahmarayar up to the task of diplomacy in such a volatile political climate? Can Princess Kundavai fight her way through the web of political intrigue and deceit in which she is trapped? Will valiant Vandiyatevan continue to surmount the colossal challenges fate throws at him? Kalki paints a study in contrasts in The Slaying Sword, the third in the Ponniyin Selvan series, and Gowri Ramnarayan translates his world of conflicts with empathy and adroitness.