Fayza broke off a piece and put it in her mouth. It was harder than she’d expected, getting stuck in her throat and betraying its staleness. Fayza got a whiff of something sour, and when she turned the loaf over, she saw a thin layer of fungus on the surface.

‘Oh, no! There goes another batch,’ Guru Amrav said. He took the bread from Fayza and tucked it under his arm. ‘I’m sorry, beta. These get stale too often now in the summers—and I haven’t had a visitor since the winter month of Pausha.’

Fayza’s insides warmed at being called ‘beta’. ‘But I was told that this bread was much sought by everyone.’

‘Different times, my child, different times.’

‘I’ve heard some things, but none of it makes any sense to me. How do you mean different?’ she asked.

Guru Amrav looked around to make sure they were alone. ‘The threat of Vanyasa’s old enemy, Chayan, now looms stronger than ever. Rumour has it that his army is poised to journey up the Seven Hills and steal into the valley any day. Under no circumstances can we allow that to happen; Chayan of all people knows the secret to cripple our millennia-old establishment.’

‘And what’s the secret? Surely the powerful in Vanyasa can defend it?’

The expression on his face turned dark when he said, ‘No. Not even Lord Indra’s intervention would help if Chayan found Madhu, the source of the valley’s strength. Its reserves are key. It’s why you’re here too, to sustain its supply. Wisdom lies in understanding that our only hope is Sanaka. Irascible and despotic he may be, but Sanaka is a true lover of this land. He will die before anything happens to Vanyasa.’

‘Sanaka is no saint,’ Fayza said. ‘Kidnapping us. Tearing apart our families. With absolutely no regard for our hopes and dreams.’

‘Despite that, the righteous Vanyasis don’t question his methods of recruitment,’ the guru said. ‘Do you know why, why they continue to turn a blind eye to his crimes? Because the villagers know that recruitment is essential to Vanyasa’s survival. That’s right; we’re hypocrites. It’s the natural state of the mortal mind. Even plain dwellers keep grain out for pigeons and at the same time pay to butcher chickens. Rest assured, once the recruits enter Vanyasa, they are given the utmost attention. The first task is Adwaita. Sure, it’s a way to find the Eka, but what they don’t tell you is that Adwaita is also a ritual to cleanse your vulnerable souls of the power of Chayan, the only yogi in the subcontinent who can Atmayog into humans.’ Guru Amrav continued, pointing to some huts on the opposite side, near the low-lying hills, on an elevation near the spring. ‘That’s the Assembly, where the Sabha and Samiti meet every turn of the moon. Today, the worst is upon us. Our last hope lies in what is happening there right now.’

Fayza nervously cleared her throat. ‘What’s happening?’

‘The last recruit has arrived. Never in my life have I seen an eleventh.’ Guru Amrav shook his head. ‘Save us, Indra. We haven’t found the Eka yet.’