The Masters were coming through the hall, distributing the sweets themselves. Anand waited in pleasant anticipation. He was even more pleased when he noticed that Abhaydatta, with whom he had longed to speak since his return, was approaching their table, holding a huge tray aloft. Anand and Nisha bowed to him, and the new boy, watching them, scrambled to his feet and bobbed his head in awkward imitation.
Abhaydatta courteously returned the gesture.
To Nisha he said, “I’m glad you’ve returned safely from the gorge. Please ask Mother Amita if I may have some of the fresh brahmi root you collected there.”
To the newcomer he said, “I hope you have made friends with your new guide. Master Somdatta is ready to assign you to a sleeping hall, so be sure to speak with him after you finish eating.”
Drawing Anand aside, he said, “The hermit has sent a message. You must have impressed him, for he has agreed to instruct you in the lore of objects of power! You are to go up to his cave once a week, starting tomorrow morning.” His eyes twinkled at Anand’s gasp of delight. “Indeed, you should be pleased! You’re the first student he has accepted in a decade. Come to the Hall of Seeing, and we’ll discuss this further. But first, it’s time for dessert. I hope you enjoy it. It’s a recipe I acquired recently.”
He handed them each a small packet wrapped in banana leaf and moved on.
Anand opened his packet and gasped again. How many surprises had this day kept hidden in its folds? A small golden square lay in his hand. It looked exactly like the one the cook had given him at the scientists’ party in Futuredome. He took a bite. Beyond a doubt, the taste was the same. He had saved a piece for Nisha, slipping it secretly to her in Sumita’s car. How many dangers they had faced that day—and in the days to come! But even in the worst of times, they had drawn strength from each other.
All those memories, lost to her.
He kept his eyes on her, willing her to remember, though he knew it was no use. She popped the sweet into her mouth. A blissful look came over her face as she chewed. Then, just as Anand was about to turn away, she slipped a finger beneath the edge of her shawl. Turning so that only he could see, she pulled out a silver chain and held up the quaint, jagged pendant hanging from it. Then she hid it again.
She hadn’t forgotten.
Anand itched with impatience to be alone with her. How much they had to share!
Oh, Conch! he thought, grateful and humbled all at once. I should never have believed that you’d take something so important away from her—and me.
The conch’s tone was deeply injured. So many years we’ve known each other, and that’s all the trust you had in me?
I’m sorry, Anand said, abashed.
But the conch was chuckling. Fooled you again! It takes a lot more than that to upset a conch—unlike you overly sensitive humans.
Nisha asked the newcomer, “Doesn’t the sweet taste wonderful—and different from anything you’ve ever had?”
“It’s delicious,” the boy said. “But I have tasted it before—only I can’t remember where.” He pulled at his earlobe with an abstracted frown, trying to place the dessert. But in a while, he gave up. “Maybe it’ll come to me later,” he said. “I had better go and talk to Master Somdatta now.” He raised his second glass of milk and said, appreciatively, “This milk, too, is excellent, so sweet and creamy.”
And suddenly, as he watched the boy drain his glass and excuse himself from the table, things fell into place for Anand. He glanced at Nisha and saw her face mirroring his shock. The boy was Dr. X! The mirror had sent him back to the valley, and somewhere during that journey, the conch had changed him to a child and erased his memory.
Anand shook his head to clear it. How intricately they were woven, the threads that made up this mysterious universe. Now he had even more to discuss with Nisha.
Conch, he asked, why?
The conch gave a sigh of mock exasperation. As I’ve told you before, on numerous occasions, you must wait and discover these things by yourself. How else will you—
Grow, Anand supplied with a smile. Oh, very well. Nisha and I will figure it out.
You do that, said the conch. She’s blossomed into a fine young lady, our Miss Impatience. She’ll keep you on the right track.
The bell rang, signifying the end of the meal. The apprentices hurried to their lessons and duties. Anand waved good-bye to the newcomer and stepped outside with Nisha. They walked down the path that led to the Hall of Seeing. The Garden Master and his helpers must have worked here recently, for it was lined with new flowers: Queen of the Night, jasmine, and marigolds. He had so much to say to Nisha, he didn’t know where to begin. But strangely, the restiveness that had been gnawing at him through the meal had subsided. Joy spread through him as they made their way along the winding path side by side, in this magical place they both cherished, listening to the kokils calling to their mates in the tamarind trees. Anand took a deep breath, relishing the sweet air that he had always taken for granted. How blue the sky was, unfurling over their heads like a blessing. He plucked a marigold colored like the sun and handed it to Nisha, who tucked it behind her ear with a shy smile. Many adventures awaited him—in this valley with Abhaydatta and Nisha, up on the mountain with the hermit, and perhaps in some other new world with the conch. But for now he was content to clasp Nisha’s hand, the way she had taken his through so many dark moments.
“It’s good to be home,” he said.
My heartfelt thanks to:
my agent, Sandra Dijkstra,
my editor, Neal Porter,
my beautiful family: Murthy, Anand, Abhay,
Tatini Banerjee, and Sita Divakaruni
my spiritual teachers: Baba Muktananda, Gurumayi,
Swami Chinmayananda, Swami Nithyananda,
Swami Tejomayananda, and Swami Vidyadhishananda
About the Author
Chitra Divakaruni’s first book in the Brotherhood of the Conch series, The Conch Bearer, was a Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year, and a Booklist Editors’ Choice. She currently lives in Texas. You can sign up for email updates here.
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Contents
Title Page
Copyright Notice
Dedication
1: Disaster!
2: The Hermit’s Cave
3: Shadowland
4: The Farm
5: Scientists
6: The Party
7: A Way Out
8: The Magicians
9: The Laboratory
10: Whats Remembered
11: The Announcement
12: Friends
13: Showdown
14: The Vision
15: Trouble
16: An Unexpected Turn
17: The Return
18: A Final Lesson
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Copyright
Copyright © 2009 by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
A Neal Porter Book
Published by Roaring Brook Press
Roaring Brook Press is a division of Holtzbrinck Publishing Holdings Limited Partnership
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York 10010
All rights reserved
www.roaringbrookpress.com
Our e-books may be purchased in bulk for promotional, educational, or business use. Please contact the Macmillan Corporate and Premium Sales Department at (800) 221-7945, extension 5442, or by e-mail at [email protected].
ISBN-13: 978-1-59643-153-9
ISBN-10: 1-59643-153-9
First edition April 2009
eISBN 9781626726741
First eBook edition: January 2016
Shadowland Page 18
