Who’s the Heartless One Now?
Aru wanted to give up right then, but she knew she couldn’t.
Takshaka slithered through the ranks of the Heartless to stand by Lady M’s side. She tilted her head, and the army of zombies began to move.
They marched toward the girls, stopping only when they were about twenty feet away to flank them in a semicircle, trapping them against the metal dome. Aru andMini and Brynne faced them, hiding Hira behind their backs.
The only way to win would be to wrest control of the Heartless from Lady M. The arrow was in her right hand, glinting brighter now that it was being used. Lady M’s appearance had continued to become more monstrous, as if she were turning just as Heartless as the men she’d abducted and dragged to the floor of the Ocean of Milk.
Aidennow stood with the rest of the zombies, staring straight through Brynne, who looked like she was going to cry.
“I didn’t protect him,” she said, her voice breaking.
“Then we’ll just have to save him to make up for it,” said Aru. “Do your thing, Mini.”
Mini aimed Dee Dee at the first line of Heartless, which included Aiden. A burst of violet light blasted them, and they fell to either side.Almost immediately, they started to get back up, unharmed.
Aru tossed Vajra at Aiden while he was down, and the lightning bolt covered him in its net form. He fought it, growling. The net wouldn’t last forever, but Aru didn’t need forever.
“Hira?” she asked, turning.
The rakshasi raised a timid hand. She had been crouching on the ground, her arms wrapped around her knees. “I don’t know whatyou want from me,” she said. “I can’t do anything right. I can’t help!”
Aru grabbed her by the shoulders. “That’s not true. You’re the key to all this. Here’s what we need….”
Takshaka gloated loudly. “Toldyou they would never come around.”
“So be it,” said Lady M. “I tried to convince them. My conscience is appeased.”
They were now standing within the half circle of Heartless, talking infront of the girls as though they weren’t even there.
Brynne’s chest was heaving, her eyes red. She turned to Aru, her face grim. Then she shouted, “Lady M!”
The demon princess whirled around. “I am sorry about your friend, but it had to be done,” she said. “We need as many soldiers as possible to defend us against the gods. But first, we have to take care of you, Pandavas.”
Her voice had changed.Now it was screechy, a horriblesoundthat made Aru want to clap her hands over her ears. Lady M shouldered the bow and raised the arrow, preparing to set the Heartless on them once and for all.
Brynne charged, pointing her wind mace. Not once did she take her eyes off Aiden. She’d powered wind channels before, but nothing likethis, like a tornado full of rage. Lady M braced herself, yet shewasn’t the target….
Takshaka went sprawling. His tail whipped forward, knocking Lady M off her feet. The arrow flew out of her hands, as if desperately happy to be free of her. The Heartless instantly froze in place.
“Now!” cried Aru.
Mini turned her shield into a mirror dome and tossed it on top of Lady M, covering her completely.
As Aru had hoped, Takshaka dove for the arrow. He caught itbefore it hit the ground. He didn’t bother picking up the bow.
“A foolish move, Pandavasss,” he hissed. “But what did I expect?”
Just keep talking, thought Aru. She called Vajra back into her hands.
A part of her still felt bad for Takshaka, but it was eclipsed by a greater fury. He’d tried to kill them in the treasury. And he’d tricked Uloopi. As for Lady M, her thirst for vengeance had causedher to enslave hundreds of people … including Aiden. The terrible things that had happened to Takshaka and Uloopi weren’t right, but neither were their actions.
Through the Pandava mind link, Aru sent a message to Brynne:Go.
Takshaka raised the arrow and the Heartless stormed forward. It was absolutely terrifying … and absolutely what Aruhadexpected. The zombie army surged like a tidal wave,swallowing Lady M. Brynne sent a fire-laced windstorm their way, careful to avoid Aiden.
Heartless-Aiden, now free from the net, kept lunging at Aru, his scimitars whirling menacingly.
