“We don’t have that option,” Brynne cut in. “She’s ourkeyto getting the …” She stopped herself, thinking better of revealing everything about their mission. “To getting something important back to where it belongs.”
“What about you?” Aru asked Hira. “Did she put a spell on you and the guys to make you work for her?”
Hira shook her head. “She … she’s just convincing.”
Brynne grunted.“And evil. Look at all those poor men!”
Mini nodded in agreement.
“Our best bet is to search the perimeter of the dome for her,” said Brynne. “Mini, can you shield us again? I’ll create another soundproofing vortex. The Heartless probably won’t attack without Surpanakha’s command. But just to be on the safe side, I wouldn’t get too close to them.”
“What if we end up having to fight?” askedMini. She held Dee Dee close. “Our weapons won’t be effective in hurting them, because the Heartless have technically been changed by the act of a god, and godly weapons don’t work against each other.”
“Then we’ll just have to use our weapons defensively—to stall,” said Aiden. “Until we can turn the arrow against Surpanakha.”
Aru grimaced. Kamadeva had said that once they had the arrow, theyhad to plunge it through the heart of the thief. Only then would the Heartless be restored to their human selves, and the arrow cleansed of its dark power.
Aru swallowed nervously. So little time left to fix the Heartless, to free Boo from imprisonment, and to clear their names. She steeled herself, then nodded.
“Let’s do this.”
They took out their weapons. With Vajra in her hand, Aru felta bit better, but she still didn’t have a clear sense of what layahead.It wasn’t like when she’d fought the Sleeper … knowing exactly where he’d show up and what he wanted.
“You with us, Hira?” asked Brynne.
The rakshasi spread her hands. “I don’t have any weapons.”
“You have intel about the enemy,” said Brynne, “and that’s just as good.”
“Yeah,” said Aru. “What’s Surpanakha like?”
Hiradidn’t hesitate. “She’s beautiful.”
The five of them snuck among the army of Heartless, which was downright terrifying. Brynne took the lead, guiding them through the thicket of men, making sure no one touched any of them by accident. Hira stuck close to her. Mini flanked them on the right, her shield cast like a sort of mirror camouflage. When Mini had used it in the past, because it requiredless magical energy, the only thing Aru could detect was a slight warp to the air, as if the image had been stretched over a convex surface. Aiden was on the left flank, his scimitars flashing, while Aru had control of the rear.
Vajra buzzed with anxious energy.
“Chill,”whispered Aru. “You’re freaking me out!”
The lightning bolt sent a pinch of electricity, as if sayingTHAT’S BECAUSEIAMFREAKED OUT!
They made it safely to the edge of the large golden dome. Somewhere inside, protected by every enchantment the gods could think of, was amrita. The nectar of immortality. Aru raised a hand to touch the metal side, then hesitated. It seemed to pulse with warning.
“No sign of Surpanakha on this side,” said Brynne. “She’s must be trying to get in from the other side.”
“What are wegoing to do when we find her, though?” Aru asked. “What if she doesn’t have the bow and arrow on her?”
“She will,” said Brynne. “She can’t control the Heartless without them.”
“She doesn’t like fighting,” said Hira quietly. “She told us herself.”
“Bam!” said Brynne. “We show her our weapons, then she’ll stand down.”
Aru wasn’t too convinced, and when she looked at Aiden and Mini, they didn’tseem too confident, either.
Everything was silent….
“Mini, switch places with Aru,” said Brynne. “Dee Dee can give us more cover from the rear.”
