The pythia edged closer to the window to get a good view of their descent. The rolling hills gave way to clusters of houses. These appeared in increasing numbers, stacked more closely together until they formed a sizeable city. Most of the buildings were no taller than three or four stories. They all seemed to follow the same boxy architectural style with carved embellishments around the window frames and doorways. The roofs were either flat or shallow-pitched pagodas. In the jumble of structures that constituted the heart of the city, modern buildings stood alongside ancient Hindu and Buddhist temples.
Cassie’s scrutiny was cut short when the wheels of the plane hit the tarmac with a slight bounce. Unlike the mega-airports back home, Tribhuvan International Airport was small, and it took only a matter of minutes for them to taxi to the gate.
When the pair stood up to deplane, the pythia gave an elaborate stretch. “This has been one long day in the air.”
“I quite agree.” Griffin reached into the overhead compartment for their carry-on luggage. “It already felt like a full day simply flying from Bhuj to Mumbai, and that was before the seven-hour flight from Mumbai to Kathmandu.”
The pair shuffled off the plane and patiently endured the time-consuming process of claiming their baggage and clearing Customs.
When they finally emerged from processing and turned to face the outer doors, Cassie scanned the exits worriedly. “I hope we recognize our contacts. Do you know what they look like?”
“I don’t believe they’ll be hard to find.” Griffin’s tone was unaccountably wry as he studied something off in the distance.
Following the direction of his gaze, Cassie understood his comment. Standing several yards in front of them were two young men—each one gripping the side of a placard that read “ARKANA” in bold, black letters.
The pythia stared at the sign and then at its bearers. She blinked. “Is it my eyes or...”
“No. No, it isn’t.”
Their new contacts were two twenty-something Asians who were identical twins. Both were of medium height and muscular build. They shared the same flat features, high cheekbones and almond eyes of the native people of the Himalayas. They’d even cut their hair in similar styles. They could only be distinguished from each other by their shirts. One wore a Chicago Cubs jersey—bright blue with a red team emblem. The other wore a White Sox jersey—black with a white team emblem.
They waved their free hands in unison when they saw the couple approaching them.
“This is surreal,” Cassie murmured to Griffin as they ambled toward the men. Then in a loud, slow voice, she asked, “Do you speak English?”
The twins exchanged a look and chuckled.
“We’re really not from here,” said one in a midwestern American accent.
The other added, “Born and raised in San Francisco. Based in Chicago now.”
“My name’s Rabten.” The young man in the blue shirt shook hands with Cassie and Griffin.
“And mine is Rinchen,” offered the one in black, also shaking hands with them. “Nobody can tell us apart when they first meet us, so—”
“—we decided to put on different shirts until you can tell that I’m the smarter one—”
“—and I’m the better looking one.”
They both burst out laughing.
“Maybe we should swap shirts,” Rabten confided to his brother. “That way everybody will think we’re both smart—”
“—and both good-looking,” Rinchen added. They beamed at their new acquaintances.
Griffin eyed them with perplexity as if they were an odd new species he’d never encountered before.
The pythia’s reaction was more pragmatic. “Guys, it’s been a long day, and we’re already confused enough. I think maybe you should both keep your shirts on. I promise that Griffin and I will think you’re each the smartest and the best looking, OK?”
“Deal!” they agreed simultaneously.
Chapter 38—Brotherly Love
The twins shepherded Cassie and Griffin into their car which was parked right outside the terminal.
“We figured we’d take you to your hotel to get checked in. It’s almost dark, and we’ll be flying out first thing tomorrow,” said Rinchen. “It’s too bad there won’t be time for you to see more of the city.”
Since their hotel was situated on the perimeter of the airport, the ride took less than five minutes.
The twins waited in the lobby while Griffin and Cassie registered, stowed their bags in their rooms and returned to join their new associates for dinner.
Rabten and Rinchen led them to the elevator, explaining that the hotel dining room was located on the top floor of the building. They also mentioned that the restaurant itself rested on a revolving platform.
When the elevator doors parted, the group was treated to a spectacular vista of snow-capped peaks silhouetted against the setting sun.
“I think you were wrong about no time for sightseeing,” the pythia remarked. “We’re getting a bird’s-eye view of the whole city without ever having to leave the building.”
A waiter seated them immediately and handed out menus. A quick scan told them that the entrees included a number of standard western dishes. Neither Cassie nor Griffin seemed inclined to sample anything exotic nor did the twins. They all ordered steaks and settled back to await the arrival of their food.
“I must admit, I’ll be sorry not to visit the palace of the living goddess,” Griffin ventured. “But our schedule won’t allow it.”
“Living goddess?” Cassie asked. “That must mean Nepal follows some sort of matristic religion.”
“Only indirectly,” the scrivener countered. “The practice of venerating a pre-pubescent girl as the living embodiment of the goddess Durga started as a Brahmanic ritual in historic times. In some branches of Hinduism, Durga is considered the source of all creation and she is believed to incarnate in the body of a female child. There are many living goddesses found throughout Nepal, but the one in Kathmandu is the most important. She is called the Royal Kumari. ‘Kumari’ derives from a Sanskrit word meaning ‘virgin.’ A child from a specific caste is chosen when she is very young—sometimes only
