“Does it make me seem really suave, like George Clooney inOcean’s 11? Or tough, like Marlon Brando inThe Godfather?”
“More like atoad that’s thinking about a fly it wants to eat,” said Mini thoughtfully.
“Wow. Awesome.”
“So what’ve you got, Shah?” asked Brynne. “Tell us what to do.”
In that second, Aru realized they weren’t just looking at her … they were lookingtoher. Like they trusted her. Pride flared through Aru. So what if she couldn’t shoot an arrow through a fish eye or whatever it was that Arjuna had done?She had her imagination and three sets of eyes that trusted her, and, honestly, it was enough.
Aru checked to make sure Lady M was still far away. The demon princess was pacing back and forth slowly, almost sorrowfully, in front of her rows of Heartless troops.
“We’ve got something the other side doesn’t have,” said Aru.
The others looked at her blankly.
“Well, it’s definitely not weapons,brainpower, or looks,” said Mini.
“Speak for yourself,” said Brynne.
“So, what is it?”
“It’s awho,” said Aru. Her gaze slid to the rakshasi girl a few feet away. “Hira.”
Aru motioned to her to join them.
“I thought you wanted me to watch out for Lady M,” Hira said.
“Change of plans,” said Byrnne. “Tell her, Shah.”
“You’re going to be our secret weapon,” said Aru.
The rakshasi paled.“Me?”
“Yup,” said Aru. “You’re going to—”
But she couldn’t share the strategy just then, because Lady M was on her way back over.
“Aiden, Hira,” Aru said hurriedly, “I’ll explain later. Just make sure you’re beside one of us at all times.”
Hira nodded, unsure.
Lady M walked over. She looked demonic now, her pupils slitted like a cat’s, and she was turning the golden arrow slowly in her hand,like a baton … or a sword. “I assume you have made up your minds, Pandavas,” she said, her voice rasping.
“We have,” said Aru. “We are here to retrieve the bow and arrow of Kamadeva. Turn them over to us, or we’ll have to take them by force.”
Lady M’s bottom jaw jutted out, showing her now-much-larger lower canines. “Very well. All things happen for a reason, and I shall respect the outcome,regardless of who wins. Shall we begin?” A ripple of energy coursed through the army behind Lady M.
Aru didn’t know what was going to transpire next. Would some pretty naga girl slither forward holding checkered flags and count them down to battle? Would there be jousting?WouldAru have to channel Rocky Balboa and start boxing with Lady M?
But it wasn’t any of those things.
As one, Aru andher friends saidyes. It was totally synchronized and totally eerie. At once, Vajra came to life in Aru’s pocket, electricity buzzing through the Ping-Pong ball. She pulled it out and it grew into a glowing bolt. She was willing to bet everyone else’s weapons reactivated immediately, too.
But even that wasn’t the reason they started fighting.
Lady M raised the bow and arrow, aimed it at Aru,and let loose. A lot of things happened simultaneously, but to Aru, it seemed like time slowed to a crawl. She was gradually bringing up Vajra, sluggishly stepping aside. Mini and Brynne got into formation—it must have been superfast, but at that moment, they could’ve been swimming through thick honey. Brynne swung her mace. Mini aimed her shield. Hira darted back and forth uselessly.
But Aiden…
