Aru gently pulled the strap off Aiden’s shoulder—careful not todisturb him—and laid the camera on the chair next to her.
“We don’t want it to get wet,” said Brynne.
“Dude, we’re indoors. It’s not going to rain—”
Brynne dumped the glass of water on Aiden’s head.
“HEY!” he shouted, startling awake.
“You’ll be fine,” Brynne said breezily. “Have some food.”
He scowled at them, still somewhat out of it. Then he touched his shoulder, and his eyes widened.Panicking, he bolted to his feet and looked right and left. Droplets flew from his wet hair. “Where’s Shadowfax?!”
Aru, drinking her water, almost did a spit take. Shadowfax was the name of Gandalf’s horse inThe Lord of the Rings. And she would havedefinitelynoticed if Aiden had been hauling around a horse.
“Shadowfax is fine,” said Brynne, pointing at the camera. “Aru has it.”
Aiden exhaledin relief as Aru handed back the camera.
“You named your camera Shadowfax?”
Aiden patted his camera like it was a puppy.
“Is it hungry?” asked Aru. “Want me to feed it?”
“Go away, Shah.”
“How about a belly rub?”
Aiden flicked a piece of samosa at her face. Aru caught it in her mouth, but she was so surprised she’d managed it, she started choking.Death by samosa! No! What a dumb way to go!Brynne had to thump her back a couple times until she hacked it up.
“Did I dream it, or did some guy save us back in the naga treasury?” asked Aiden.
“Takshaka’s grandson,” Aru said after catching her breath. She was still hungry but now distrustful of samosas, so she stabbed one a little too violently with her fork to make sure it knew who was boss.Don’t get any ideas, food. “He said he’sgoing to need our help later, but he didn’t say with what.”
Brynne tore into her dosa and said through a mouthful, “And he asked for Aru’s number.”
Aiden raised his eyebrows. “Why?”
“Wow, thanks.”
He flushed. “I didn’t mean—”
“Never mind,” said Aru, ignoring the slight sting. “We have the thief’s song. That’s all that matters.”
Brynne took off the necklace with the scarlet orb and laid iton the table. All three of them winced at the same time, and Aru knew the others were picking up the terrible sensation that the soul song evoked, of being utterlylost.
Aiden shook himself. “That’s definitely what we were looking for.”
He poked it experimentally with a fork.
“Stop it! That’s someone’s soul!” said Aru.
“It gives off bad vibes,” said Brynne. “Why couldn’t it just play a sadsong instead?”
The three of them leaned forward. Smoke whirled in the orb. For a moment, Aru thought she saw a flash of sharp red fingernails, but the image disappeared instantly. No music whatsoever. By now, that sinking feeling of abandonment had vanished.
“The important thing is we have it,” said Brynne. “Now we need Mini.”
