She plunged the arrow into Lady M’s chest.
Lady M let out a terrible scream. A wave of energy roiled the seascape. Above them, shock rippled the Ocean of Milk.
Aru didn’t need toseethat the arrow had hit its mark, because she heard it.My soul will become a song of death,Lady M had said. Aru would never forget the sound. The song of death was like ice creeping across a windowpane, and a warning shout unleashed a second too late, and water closing over your head, and the silent chime of a moment that has been forgotten forever. It was impossible and painful and, ultimately, inevitable.
When Aru finally opened her eyes again,Lady M was crumpled at their feet, the arrow sticking out of her chest. Dimly,Arufelt Brynne’s and Mini’s hands on her shoulder. She must have fallen off Vajra, but she didn’t remember that.
All around them, the Heartless stopped and clutched their chests. Then they looked around at one another, wide-eyed.
“What was in my burrito?” asked one guy, turning in a circle.
“Where am I?” asked another.
Aru heard the sound of approaching hoofbeats. The celestial mounts! The Council of Guardians must have sensed that the bow and arrow were recovered. Which meant that help was on the way.
Takshaka hissed, then opened a portal in the middle of the sand. He made to depart, but not before viciously saying, “This changes nothing, Pandavas. By my count, you took too long. You may have changed theseHeartless back to mortal men, but you’ll still be exiled.”
He disappeared, leaving Aru feeling as if she’d swallowed a pound of rocks.
She heard a groan behind her. Aiden was sitting up and rubbing his head. Aru and Mini raced over to him. He stared up in wonder at Mini, but his eyes narrowed when he saw Aru.
“Did you hit me with a lightning bolt?” he asked.
“Yup.”
“Did I deserve it?”
“Imean, youweretrying to attack me.”
“You’d gone Heartless,” added Mini.
“In that case, I guess we can still be friends.” He palmed his chest as if making sure everything was still intact. Then he held out his hands, and Aru and Mini hauled him upright.“Where’s—?” he started to say, but then his eyes went straight to Brynne.
She was kneeling beside the fallen Lady M. Hira stood behind her,hands shoved deep in her pockets. Lady M was glowing. Her monstrous appearance had been replaced by her former beautiful self. Her breathing was shallow, and from the wound where the arrow had pierced her, a bright light shone.
“You are worthy adversaries,” she said when they had all gathered around.
Aru knelt beside her. She wasn’t sure what to say … or do. She’d taken the advice of the gods—tosee well. But it hadn’t made herfeelwell.
“I will fade from here, and my tale will be what it will be,” Lady M said with a sigh. “Will you remember all of it, at least?”
Aiden nodded, his jaw tight. Brynne and Mini and Hira did the same. Aru hesitated … not because she wouldn’t remember, but because no one should fade from the world like this. She reached out and held Lady M’s hand in hers.
And when she did, a name sprang to her lips. “We’ll remember … Meenakshi.”
Lady M smiled wide, and she disappeared, leaving behind nothing but the golden arrow.
