Idhika had already shut her eyes, but not before saying, ‘If you really want to contribute to Suryast, then try and Atmayog to the Kalpavriksha. Only when all Vanyasis collectively do so does Indra’s gift of light find the valley.’

As the minutes passed, the faint chatter of the outside world subsided. The residents of Vanyasa had retired to their huts, and only the sound of crickets chirping remained. Aman struggled to fence his thoughts—he was constantly worried about the mat trader finding them. He sat up straighter, trying to emulate Idhika’s posture, but the calm in the hut was disturbed all of a sudden by the furious patter of running feet.

‘Help . . . they took her . . . forced Prithvi!’ Ujal had darted in. He stopped and caught his breath and shifted the bow slung over his upper body.

‘Who?’ Idhika broke out of her meditation and stood up.

‘Aarti and Payal!’ Ujal spat out the words and then pointed his finger at Idhika. ‘You! She’s hell-bent on besting you in Atmayog. That is why Aarti led them to Pataan,’ he snapped. ‘I’ve been following her—all of them—for days . . . and they’ve only just slipped out. You have to take me.’ His eyes begged for help.

Idhika paused before answering. ‘To that land beyond the Seven Hills, no sane soul goes. And you don’t need to worry about those that have already: the girls will be punished when they—’

‘If they return. I know of Pataan, Idhika. Don’t try and tell me she’s safe.’ Ujal paused. ‘I really don’t understand. What did Prithvi and I ever do to deserve this fate? You kidnap us and bring us here . . . like we belong to you. All the more reason for me to protect my own. I will go after her, no matter what.’

‘Aren’t we restricted to the huts at this time?’ Aman asked.

‘No! In fact, we should be on the move right now,’ Ujal said desperately, inching back out towards the threshold. ‘It’s already halfway into Suryast.’

‘He’s right . . .’ Idhika said. ‘It seems Aarti waited for the ideal time. The sun has just dipped, and the lamps are yet to come to life. This is as dark as it gets. Perfect time to sneak out.’

The three of them abandoned their duties and rushed out into the moonless night. There were oil lamps everywhere but none were ignited at that time. In that darkness, it felt like the tiniest of wicks would be akin to a crater full of light. ‘Faster!’ Idhika led the way by the side of the huts, ensuring even their silhouettes would not be visible.

Aman was having trouble seeing the path in front of him. As they jogged in single file, he forced himself into the middle. The trio muscled through the fields of tall grass until they found the central Chakkar and trekked to the base of Kalanag in no more than fifteen minutes, the mountain towering before them. Aman couldn’t help thinking about the goal he had left his hut with that morning. After we find Prithvi, I could try to locate the moss-covered bridge.