“I can’t think of anyone!” said Aru. The cows were all lined up now, ready to go. Ushas climbed into the cabof the chariot.
Aiden tugged on a lock of his hair. “Could we scare Mini awake?”
Nowtherewas a thought….
The bridge beneath them shuddered and quaked. A sphere of white-hot light rolled through the gate, and flames appeared on the tips of the cows’ horns. It was so hot that Aru had to turn her face away.
“It’s the sun!” said Brynne, her eyes wide. “Mini, wake up. Monsters are coming!”
Mini just snorted and murmured, “I’m the daughter of the god of death, and I want cake.”
“Monsters don’t scare Mini,” said Aru.
“Then what does?” demanded Brynne.
Aiden snapped his fingers. He walked up to Mini and said, “Okay, Mini, you’re stuck in a public bathroom.”
Mini started to wail.
“They’re out of soap!”
Aru flashed Aiden a thumbs-up sign, then said, “Oh no, what’s happened to allthe hand sanitizer in the world? It’s been … destroyed! In a huge fire. No more antibacterial anything. Ever.”
Mini tossed and turned. Aru could see her eyelids fluttering. It was working!
“Someone has just sneezed into their hand and now you have to shake it,” said Brynne.
“Nooooo!” moaned Mini.
The bridge trembled even more furiously as the cows stamped their feet impatiently. Ushas puton sunglasses and a huge pair of headphones, then pretended to play the drums with her reins.
It’s now or never, thought Aru. She cupped her hand around Mini’s ear and whispered her soul sister’s most despised phrase:
“Five-second rule,” said Aru.
Mini jerked awake, shouting, “NO!” She immediately dropped to the ground, where she landed on her butt.
“Hooray!” said Aru. “You’re back!”
“W-what?”Mini asked with a yawn. And then her eyes lit up. “You did it! You rescued me!”
She tried to get to her feet, but she slipped. Mini rubbed her temples.
“I feel so … drained.” She groaned. “The naga women. They took my energy while I was sleeping.”
“I’ve got you,” said Brynne gently.
She picked up Mini as if she weighed as little as a feather. Mini thanked her with a weak smile, but then hereyes widened.
“Um … guys? Did you know there are cows charging toward us?”
“Unfortunately, yes,” said Aiden.
“Yeah, about that …” said Brynne. “We gotta go. Like, yesterday. Durvasa said we had to be back before daybreak.”
Aru didn’t even bother looking over her shoulder. She already knew what she’d see, because she could feel the oncoming heat. Beneath her feet, the slender bridge had begunto fade, melting beneath the sun’s rays.
“I’ll fly ahead to get the door to the DMV open,” said Brynne, setting down Mini and leaning her against Aiden. “Aru, can you take these guys?”
