Uloopi’s Secret
Mini was gone.
Mini? MINI? MINI!Aru called through the Pandava mind link. Nothing. It was like Aru’s thoughts were being thrown against an invisible wall.
She had to do something—now! Aru struggled against Aiden, who had helped her get back to her feet.
“Don’t panic, Aru,” he soothed. “We’ll figure this out. We’ll get Mini back.”
Aru whirled around to face Brynne. “I toldyou to hold her!”
“The snakes were coming for all of us!” shouted Brynne. “I had to handle that first!”
“You should’ve listened to me!”
“Why?”demanded Brynne. “Who says you get to call the shots?”
Aiden moved in between them, his arms held out. “Stop fighting!” he said, his voice raw. “Just … take a deep breath! Let’s think for a minute….”
But Aru was too wound up, and so was Brynne.
“You’re not better than me, Shah. So stop acting like it.”
Aru was so furious in that second. Furious that Brynne wouldn’t admit she was wrong. Furious that Aiden wasn’t standing up for her when she was in the right. Furious that none of them had gotten to Mini in time.
“You want to know why you weren’t chosen for that first quest? It’s because of this,” said Aru coldly. “You only want toactlike a hero. Not actuallybeone.”
Brynne recoiled as if Aru had slapped her.
Aiden dropped his arms. Disappointment was plain on his face. “That went too far, Shah,” he said quietly. “And you know it.”
There was a moment when Aru could have—should have—admitted that it wasn’t just Brynne’s fault. Yes, Brynne should have held on to Mini. But then again, Mini shouldn’t have walked straight towardthe serpents’ caves. And Aru should have kept a closer eye on her. They were all to blame.
“Brynne—” started Aru, guilt flooding her, but the hissing sound returned and all thought of talking left her head.
The three of them turned to face the caverns where Mini had disappeared. A naga woman streamed out of each one. Their skin was the dark shiny gray of hematite stones. Ragged white bandagescovered their eyes. Their tails were powerful silver coils.
Brynne held up her mace. “What did you do to our friend?” she demanded. “Give her back, or—”
“Ssshe …” said the first.
“… isss …” said the second.
“… resssting …” said the third.
Thethree naginis laughed.
Resting?Aru’s stomach dropped. What did that mean? There was a reason why people wrote RIP when someone died. It stood forrest in peace.Restwas another word for death. Did that mean that Mini was … dead? One of the naginis’ tails whipped the sand, and Mini’s purple backpack sailed through the air. Aru grabbed it, clutching it tight. Her whole body felt cold with panic.
“Is she … ?” asked Aru, unable to finish the question.
The first serpent woman gave a sly smile and shook her head. “She is sssafe …”
“And ssstuck,”whispered the second naga woman.
“Her knowledge came at the price of energy. She is a Pandava and has much energy to offer …” said the third. She rolled her head from side to side like she was waking up from a long nap. “Ahhh… for the first time in centuries I can taste sssecretsagain.” She flicked out a forked tongue. “I taste abandonment,” said the nagini, her sightless gaze pivoting towardBrynne. “A heart broken from being left behind all her life.”
The second nagini turned her head to Aiden. “In you, I taste a vengeful heart. A heart that aches.”
