‘We believe this ship crashed here, and this is the one the Daevas call Muchuk Und. He is a Mortal. Yes, I know he is grotesquely tall. Not a giant, but tall. But it matches your records, when your ancestors were much taller and bigger than we are now. Even Ram and his Ayodhyans were a lot taller than you all are.’

‘What!’ Satyaki looked shell-shocked. ‘You mean the man… the godforsaken Daevas feared, the one whom they called a cannibal, he is…still alive? Fuck that, he is still here, five fucking leagues from our city?’

‘Actually...’ Krishna ventured.

‘What?’ Satyaki asked, afraid of the answer.

‘We entered by the second entrance to Syamantaka in order to keep its whereabouts veiled. All this,’ Krishna pointed to the ship and its occupant, ‘is located right under the Senate House.’

VIII

Satyaki suffered a nervous breakdown of sorts. He was taken outside by some of the Riksha workers to inhale some fresh air. Only Storm, Jambavan and Krishna remained in the chamber where the allegedly most dangerous man in the realm slept peacefully in ice.

‘You need more gold,’ Jambavan stated with certainty. ‘That is why you are here.’

He is blunt. ‘The Guild was difficult to deal with, and you know this Dvarka enterprise rests entirely on gold…’

Jambavan’s face was stoic as he shook his head. ‘You know the Syamantaka has been bled dry. If we take any more gold out of the pipes, this thing will crumble into itself.’

‘About that… You will have to close the Syamantaka down, Jambavan. I will be too far to protect you, and it’s too dangerous to be kept here. I was not lying to Satyaki. My movements are being tracked. Satyaki will recover, and he will liaise with you on the best way to salvage what you can from this place.’

‘Hold your spear, son! There are still things to uncover here. You cannot shut it down! We had an agreement.’

Krishna forced himself to smile. ‘Giving you a grandson sounds like a fair compensation. Is that not what you wanted? For your line to merge with humans so the blood of the Rikshas can go on after the Age of Ice comes to another end? So, extract every ounce of gold till this ship crumbles into itself.’

Jambavan’s nostrils flared. ‘And how many years has it been that she lies barren in your house? No, Krishna. It can’t be done, even if I wanted to. The ship is too weak. I say give me two more winters; I will find you a solution.’

Why can’t I ever get something when I play nicely? ‘Skirting around the Guild is dangerous, especially considering they will be our neighbours in Dvarka.’ Krishna stroked his beardless chin. ‘I will have to initiate some austerity measures to fill the gold gap. Balram often chides me for my luxuries. You have yourself seen my wives and the baggage they carry, with their carvings and silk draperies. Their servants are better dressed than most kings. And then there is the issue of summer. Maintaining Jambavati’s mansion, finding ostrich feathers, importing snow from Madra…’ He gave a sigh. ‘This summer will be a trying one for the people of Mathura. Especially the women. I may leave for Dvarka before them, simply to escape their wrath.’