“And a sage to help us get her,” said Aiden. “Where’s that businesscard?”
Aru pulled it from her back pocket and slid it across the table. The three of them stared at it.
S.DURVASA
DO NOT BOTHER ME WITH INFANTILE CONCERNS
I WILL CURSE YOU FOR WASTING MY TIME
“He sounds like Brynne when she’s hungry,” whispered Aiden.
“Or just Brynne in general.”
Brynne scowled. “I’m right here, you know.”
“Is there anything on the back of the card?” asked Aiden. “Likean address or something?” He flipped it over. In very tiny font it read:
DMV(DEPARTMENT OF MANY VOICES)
LOCATION REVEALED WHEN INQUIRER STATES NAME AND PURPOSE
INQUIRIES ANSWERED IN THE ORDER IN WHICH THEY ARE RECEIVED
“Department of Many Voices?” repeated Brynne. “Is that like a call center?”
“Or the Department of Motor Vehicles,” Aiden said with a groan. “I had to go there with my momonce. It’s the most boring place in the world.”
“Well, if we want to find out, I guess we should try talking to the card,” said Aru. “Ready?”
“It’s all up to you, Shah,” said Brynne, slurping down the rest of her mango lassi.
Aru held the card out in front of her and cleared her throat. “Um, hi?”
The card continued to act like a piece of paper.
“My name is Aru, and—”
“Use your full name,”cut in Brynne. “Way more official-sounding.”
Aru hesitated. She felt weird saying it in front of the others. “My name is Arundhati Shah. I’m with …”
“Brynne Rao.”
“That’s not your full name,” said Aiden.
Brynne groaned. “Okay, fine, it’s technically Brynne Tvarika Lakshmi Balamuralikrishna Rao.”
Aru’s eyebrows skyrocketed up her head, but she continued. “Um, we need to find our sister. Hername is Mini … Yamini Kapoor-Mercado-Lopez. She told us to find S. Durvasa.”
At first nothing happened, and they all felt stupid for talking to a card. Aru put it back down on the table. While they waited, Aru eyed Brynne.
“So …”
“Yeah, I know, I’ve got a thousand names … I’m a Telugoose—” She paused at Aru’s confusion, then said, “You know, Telugu from South India? I never met my dad, though.I think Anila said he was Irish.”
“Telugoose,” clucked Aiden, making chicken arms. Brynne flicked his ear and he laughed.
“It’s a pretty name,” said Aru. “But imagine if you were aspy!You could never say something like ‘Bond … James Bond,’ because then the villain would be there all night—”
