“There’s no need to get worked up,” Elise said. “No one’s saying you have to leave.”

Weren’t they? Surely it wasn’t just Daisy’s anxiety at work here.

“It just . . . it feels like you’re trying to get rid of me.”

“Of course not.” Again, it was Elise who was the one to soothe. “But we need to find a way of dealing with this—Jasper? A word.” Elise jabbed a thumb in the direction of the hallway. “We’ll be back in a minute.”

Jasper’s air of cool, calm confidence disappeared as Elise dragged him by the collar of his polo shirt out into the hall, pulling the door shut behind them.

Daisy blew across the surface of her tea. The situation didn’t look good. Her Zummoning of the Brethren had backfired horribly, and instead of drawing her closer into the group, she was looking at being expelled. Was this what had happened with the other retired members? All the people who’d been there to welcome Daisy into the group had faded away and been replaced by new members. She’d thought it was because they weren’t really committed to yoga, but now . . .

The creak of the door being opened interrupted her thoughts as Elise and Jasper came to sit back down.

“Every acolyte reaches a crossroad, and we think you’ve arrived at yours.” Elise was very businesslike in her delivery as she drew a line on the tabletop from where Daisy was sitting and paused in the middle. “Many of our Brethren have chosen to leave the fold.” Elise’s finger swerved off to one side. “They feel they’ve realized their full potential, and they leave because, um . . . they have . . . er . . .” She glanced at Jasper for an answer.

“Zoise has bestowed upon them the confidence of knowing that they have outgrown the place where they once belonged, that they are ready to set root in the wider world.”

“You really are good at this,” murmured Elise.

Jasper shrugged off the compliment and directed Elise’s attention to Daisy.

“Oh. Right. Yes. Well. There’s the other path.” Elise swooped her finger back toward where she and Jasper were and stubbed it meaningfully on the wood. “There is the option of staying. Here.”

“Here?”

This time it was Jasper who answered. “Your enthusiasm is a powerful force. It’s time you harnessed that energy for the greater good. Come and stay with us for a few days, Daisy. Help run the house.”

Although Daisy was intrigued by the promise of spending more time in the house—perhaps getting to know Elise on a more personal level—as a friend, even—something had always held her back from actually offering her time. There was still a part of Daisy that worried she’d be missed.

“Could I still go back to my room at night?”

“We wouldn’t force you to stay!” Jasper said with a laugh. “But . . .”