Leave the Rock Outta This
Sage Durvasa fixed them with an angry stare.
“Pandavas,” he said, sneering.
“And—” Aiden started.
The sage cut him of. “I know what I said. And I know why you’re here. You want to retrieve thatobnoxiousgirl who has a fixation on physical illness.”
That definitely sounded like Mini.
“The one with the allergy card?” asked Aru.
“Hand sanitizer?” asked Brynne.
“Glasses?” asked Aiden.
Durvasa made an irritated grunt. He shuffled through some things on his desk before standing up. “Yes.”
“So, will you help us get her back?” asked Aiden.
“It’s critical, sir,” Aru said, trying her best to sound kind. “You see, Mini knows the name of the thief who stole Kamadeva’s bow and arrow. And we have the thief’s soul song.” Brynne pulled out the necklace chain,revealing the soul-song pendant. “If we can just put everything together, we can fix the Heartless. Please?”
Aruwas going to say more, but then Brynne shouted into her brain:DON’T SOUND WEAK!
Aru was quiet after that. She had left out parts of the story…. Like the fact that their entire connection to the Otherworld would be severed if they failed, and the fact that Boo was being held captivefor crimes he didn’t commit. But maybe Brynne was right. Maybe it was better to sound heroic versus hurting.
For a moment, it seemed as if Durvasa were considering her request. His gaze went somewhere beyond them. Then he shook himself, and his brows flattened over his black eyes.
“No.” And with that, he exited the booth.
Aru stood there for a moment, shocked. Mini had said Durvasa would helpthem…. What were they supposed to do now?
The sage began walking down the row of glass booths. Aru, Brynne, and Aiden followed him until they got to a locked golden gate with scrollwork that looked like a fanned peacock’s tail. Durvasa opened it with a fancy key and stepped through, shutting it behind him.
“Can we change your mind?” called Aru. “Do you like Oreos?”
“How about lasagna?” askedBrynne. “I makegreatlasagna!”
Durvasa scowled. “Oreos make my teeth look atrocious, and Idespiselasagna.”
He turned on his heel and pushed open a door beyond the golden gate. The red sign above it saidDIVINITY ONLY. Durvasa slipped inside without even waving good-bye.
“Who doesn’t like Oreos?” demanded Aru. “That’s inhuman!”
Meanwhile, Brynne looked as if someone had punched her in theheart. “But I makegreatlasagna….”
Outof nowhere, Aiden let out a hoot. Aru frowned, ready to yell at him. What was there to be happy about? Their last line of help had straight-up refused, Mini was still imprisoned, and the thief was still out there somewhere.
But Aiden was grinning. He sat cross-legged on the floor, the kit of “unidentified necessities” on his lap. He’d chosen well in theWarehouse of Quest Materials. Aru wondered if she’d ever get a chance to use her vial containing a single “bright idea.”
“Look,” said Aiden, holding up a large golden key. “This can change to fit any lock.”
He got up and held the key against the lock. It transformed in his hand, assuming the same shape as the peacock design on the gate. He stuck it into the keyhole, and light burst around it.The gate swung creakily open.
“Nice work!” said Brynne, high-fiving him.
Out of solidarity with Mini, Aru offered only her elbow.
