So this was an underwater subway stop?
Was this a subtle sign from Takshaka to get the heck outta here, or had he hoped she’d just drown? Aru didn’t want to think too deeply about that….
The eel coughed up some sand and then said in a monotonous voice, “Next stop,the Will of the Sea. All who enter waive their right to submit a complaint, per Otherworld Transportation Security Guidelines. You hereby acknowledge that if you end up in the mouth of a larger sea creature, or if I get hungry, or if you are lost to the Bermuda Triangle, you brought it upon yourself and that’s that.”
Vajra glowed brighter.
“You’re kidding,” said Aru. “Dad, you really want meto boardthat?”
While riding on a whale had been fun, ridinginsidea sea monster didn’t seem that great. That thing hadteeth, and lots of ’em!
Vajra continued to glow.
Aru crossed her arms. “N.O. I amnotgoing in there. I’m not interested in becoming monster snack.”
Vajra turned back into a bracelet.
Arurelaxed. “See? You agree with—”
A long, thin tail stretched out from the bracelet.
“Uh, what’re you doing?”
The tail stretched out farther, growing thicker, winding its way to the eel.
“Vajra, why do you look like a rope?”
Vajrayanked, and Aru zoomed through the water like a piece of bait on a fishing line.
“BETRAYAL!” she hollered.
Vajra whipped Aru into the eel’s mouth and then changed back into a Ping-Pong ball, retracting its tail and sliding into Aru’s pocket. Shefelt like she was on an invisible Slide of Death. Down, down, down she went into the belly of the beast. It was empty except for benches on either side covered with moldy upholstery. A rank subway scent wafted from them as she took a seat, and Aru wrinkled her nose. Elevator music boomed from the eel’s sharp teeth, still visible even from far away:
Tall and tan and young and lovelyyyyy, the girlfrom Ipanema goes walking and—
A belt of seaweed wound across her lap. Aru tried to wrestle herself out of it, but the belt just got tighter.
“All passengers must wear some manner of protection, per Otherworld Transportation Security Guidelines,” said the eel. “The presence of a seat belt may not, however, prevent some passengers on the Will of the Sea route from being digested.”
Hystericallaughter bubbled through Aru. She plucked at the seaweed belt. “I’m sushi.”
The eel snapped its jaws shut, plunging her into darkness. It surged forward, causing awhooshto hit Aru’s stomach. She tooktheVajra ball back out for some light, but all it did was make the eel’s pointy teeth glow at the front of the train.
“Where’s it going?” muttered Aru under her breath.
Once more she attemptedto reach Mini and Brynne telepathically, but only static filled her head.
She tried to ignore the panicked racing of her heart, but it was impossible. Where were they? Did they think she had drowned? Had they just accepted her death as Uloopi’s judgment and continued on the quest? Or maybe they were planning to retrieve the bow and arrow before trying to rescue her. And then what? If the othersreturned the weapon without her, would she be the only Pandava cast out of the Otherworld?
The eel stopped. The seaweed seat belt retracted. Aru held her breath. This was it—either digestion or destination.
