The Tale of the Demon Princess
Arakshasa or asura didn’t start off evil, unless they cultivated their dark arts … then they became demonic. But that inner darkness didn’t always show up on their faces. Aru had to remind herself of that fact, because Surpanakha wasn’t anything like what she expected.
She had gleaming golden-brown skin, and her hair was a mass of dark ringlets studded with smalljewels. Her eyes were almond-shaped and tapered to a point. She wasn’t dressed in skulls or blood-spattered clothes like Aru had imagined, but in a pair of dark jeans and a long-sleeved golden silk blouse. She didn’t look like a demoness at all, except that her bottom canines were a tad longer and sharper than most people’s, and her irises were red. But not scary red. More like warmed-up cherriesdrizzled in chocolate. Her nails were definitely long, but in a fashionable way—not like “sharp bladed fans” or whatever it was her name meant. As for her nose, it was there, and it looked normal. The only sign of her long-ago scuffle with Laxmana was a faint scar across her cheek.
“Sorry about that,” said Surpanakha, gently. She twistedthearrow in her hands, and the army of Heartless wentslack behind her, no longer repeating her words.
The arrow worked a bit like a remote control, Aru noted, which had to be somewhat frustrating. Imagine every time you flopped on the couch, not realizing the remote is under the seat cushion, the TV creepily turned on. Except in this case, hundreds of kidnapped people started shouting the latest infomercial.
“I thought having them echo me wouldmake for a dramatic effect,” Surpanakha said, “but that was a bit frightening.”
“Sur—” started Brynne.
“Oh, please don’t call me that,” said the demon princess with a sheepish smile. “That’s not even my real name. If you want to call me something, call me Lady M.”
M?Whatwasher real name?
Aru had been expecting lots of things, but not this. She wanted—no,needed—to fight. They were runningout of time to keep their spots in the Otherworld, and Lady M—or Surpanakha, or whatever her name was—had started all the trouble. But she wasn’t threatening them. She was just smiling and being agreeable, and it made Aru want to scream.
Takshaka slithered forward, but Lady M held up a hand. “Leave us, please? I need some time alone with the girls.” At Aiden’s snort of protest, she added, “Andour handsome gentleman.”
Takshaka lingered, his milky eyes looking somewhere above Aru’s head. He flicked out his tongue, tasting the air. “I would not trussst them. They are on the side of the devas. They have no reason to join our cause.”
“Cause?”echoed Aiden.
Aruand the others startled. Aiden wasn’t usually the one who spoke up first. But when it came to Takshaka, anger vibrated off him.He gripped his camera tightly, and a faint red glow lit the air around it.
“Whatcause? You swore to protect Queen Uloopi, and instead you went behind her back and betrayed her,” said Aiden. “Didn’t you?”
“I am not ashamed to admit it,” said Takshaka, whipping his tail. “I had my reasons. I thought Uloopi was wise, but her judgment became compromised once she fell in love with Arjuna. It waspathetic.”
“You hid her heart jewel,” said Aiden. “You took her eternal youth. You made her weak on purpose.”
“She couldn’t be trusted,” said Takshaka.
“That wasn’t your choice to make,” said Aiden darkly.
For the first time, Takshaka looked ancient as grief pulled down his face. “I had to do it, for the greater good. Uloopi would not lisssten.”
Aiden dropped his hand from Shadowfax but didn’trespond.
“What you did was a noble act,” Lady M said to Takshaka with a sad smile. “Let me talk to them, my friend. Allow me to show them the truth, and perhaps I can change their minds, just as I changed yours all those years ago.”
Takshaka nodded, then slithered away between a row of Heartless.
Lady M walked over to the metal dome and patted its side. Touching it had no effect on her. “Doyou know what’s in here?”
“The nectar of immortality,” said Mini immediately. “And you want it to—to …”
Cometo think of it, they didn’t actuallyknowwhat she wanted with it. She’d existed for this long, so it’s not like she needed immortality. She was already stunning, so she didn’t need it for eternal youth. And she had enough power as it was.
“Answer me this,” said Lady M. “What is somethingthat never dies but lives a thousand lives at once?”
Now she was asking themriddles? They looked at each other for a moment, before hesitantly answering.
“Gods?” asked Mini.
“Demons?” asked Brynne.
