Uloopi seemed distant. “I refuse to believe Arjunawould leave this earth without returning it, when he knew how precious it was. Will you tell me if it is found?”
“Of course,” he said. “You have my word, Queen Uloopi.”
“Thank you, Takshaka. You are a true friend.”
Aru blinked and the vision disappeared. So this was why Uloopi was old compared to the other naginis. Her heart had never been returned. Something else struck Aru, though.You willno longer be able to tell when someone is lying to you. A shadow will fall across your reign.Uloopi had trusted the word of Takshaka … but what if Takshaka hadlied?
“The sssea may take,” said the first nagini.
“But it also givesss,” said the third.
“We are cursssed for withholding the truth from the queen, and it is a sssecret we no longer wish to bear.” Something shiny fell before them,thudding softly into the sand. “Return this to the queen, and our souls shall be free. Perhaps it shall aid you, too.”
As one, the three naginis laughed. Their laughter shook the courtyard, which was once again in ruins. The whole place had taken on a different hue during the naginis’ story about Uloopi, and it was back to feeling desolate.
Now Aru understood why the naga queen despised her.Now she knew where her own special underwater abilities had come from…. They were gifts not from her soul father, but from Uloopi to her love. Aru had inherited them from Arjuna.
“Our energy borrowed from your sssister fades now,” said the first nagini.
“We have done our duty,” said the second.
“But Mini—” started Aru.
“Is in the land of sssleeeeep,” said the third nagini. “Far from the reachof mortals….”
“You are welcome, Pandavas, for thanks to us, she holds the thief’s name,” said the first.
And with that, the naginis crumpled into shadows and seaweed. Aru, Aiden, and Brynne stood in silence for a moment. Then Brynne cleared her throat:
“One thing at a time, Rao,” Brynne murmured right before she started talking. “Mini is in the land ofsleep?”
Aiden frowned, tugging at hishair. “I know where it is…. It’s near the Court of the Heavens and is ruled over by the goddess Ratri. But the naginis are right. You can’t justgothere on a wind antelope—”
“Gazelle,”corrected Brynne.
“It’s dangerous,” continued Aiden, “even if you have Otherworldly blood. That place is soaked in celestial power—you’d need protection from a sage just to walk through it. Mini should be safewhile she’s in the land of sleep, but there’s no way she can get herself out safely.”
Aru’s mouth turned dry with panic. “You mean she’s stuck there? Forever?”
Brynne pounded her hand with her fist. “So let’s go right now! We’ll find a sage and get her!”
“And risk not being able to get back into the naga realm? Or find the song in time?” pointed out Aiden. “We only have six mortal days leftaccording to my watch….”
“Are you honestly suggesting we leave her there?” asked Brynne.
Aiden crossed his arms. “Notleaveher there. But get herafterwe find the song.”
Brynne scowled, then turned to Aru. “Aren’t you going to say anything, Shah?”
Aru remained quiet. Hurt and worry and confusion tore through her thoughts. Mini’s backpack was still in her arms, the zipper halfway undone.She tried to shut it, just to buy her some extra time before she had to answer them, but something blocked the zipper. It was the corner of the Post-it notepad Mini wrote on sometimes. Aru frowned.
“Can I get some light, Vajra?”
The lightning bolt glowed softly, revealing the last list Mini had written before she’d disappeared:
THINGS TO REMEMBER WHEN I’M SCARED
1. Water kills 99% of germs
