Come night, the seven of them crumpled into napping positions without a word, weariness crawling inside their skins. But they remained awake till Matre fell asleep, for she could not bear their snoring while sensate. But it took some time for her to fall asleep, and eventually she crawled out from under the soft quilt on the bed to sleep under it.

‘So…’ Nala looked at his brothers, feeling strangely like an outsider, ‘how are things at home?’

‘Good,’ Skruath, the youngest said. ‘Last winter we were able to goad a hundred bursons to fall to their deaths from the cliffsides. The Spirits were kind to us, and not a single Nora went hungry.’

‘Yes, Skruath did good. He got the honour of being first to butcher their carcasses.’

Nala smiled, wondering if he should point out that they were driving the bursons to extinction, but decided against it. ‘None of you are joining the Yamuna Wars?’

Caani spat. ‘We were kept back to defend the peace between tribes.’ The others murmured assent. ‘I must admit grudgingly that the Nora Chief is doing wonders for the reputation of the Valkas. What does Yaksha mean in your High Sanskrit, Nala?’

‘Demon.’

‘Yes, demon. No wonder the innkeeper grew pale when he saw us, for now everyone fears and respects us.’

‘Tell us, how is it to learn among those weaklings in the North? Anything useful?’ Caani asked, doubt clear in his tone.

Nala did not think his brothers would find the story of the Three Glacial Ages intriguing. ‘It is going well. Naturally, the townsfolk are fools with their parchments and quills, but I am making the best of what I can.’

‘That’s good, Nala. Nora children are survivors.’

‘Ssh…if Matre wakes up, you will put that to the test,’ Skruath warned.

‘Survivors,’ Caani whispered.

‘Caani, I was wondering what Shamans say about… Mandalas,’ Nala said.

Caani raised an eyebrow. ‘Do you mean a Warren?’

‘Does Warren mean bright white circles in the air?’

Caani nodded. ‘Warrens are long gone, Nala. It is known. Why are you interested?’

‘So, I can show those highnoses how wrong they are.’

‘I wish I could help you, Nala. Shamans say the Warrens have decayed by the loss of memories. Our ancestors used Warrens to communicate with the forest spirits, who gifted them jewels of fire, ice, stone and rivers wrapped in obsidian skins. It is forbidden to speak of it for its loss is our shame. You could have been a Shaman, you know Nala. It is allowed to you, but not to us.’

Nala barely listened to Caani. He wondered what Caani meant by obsidian skins.

Skruath interrupted his thoughts. ‘How is this Varnavrat place? I heard the Hastina Princes are there. I want to see a Northern Prince. See what he looks like.’

‘Yes, yes…’ Iweeth agreed. ‘I was talking to the other Valka with us on the boat. He said the Prince is the future King of the Hastina Union – Prince Yudhistir.’