Cows Are Officially Cancelled
Aru and Mini both screamed.
“I don’t see him anywhere!” yelled Mini.
Aru had brought Vajra above the red cows. But the herd was moving so fast, it looked like nothing more than a blur of crimson. On top of that, the heat of the oncoming sun was becoming intolerable. The sage’s protection spell was waning.
“You don’t think he’s—” Mini started.
“No!” Aru saidabruptly, cutting her off.
Maybe it was silly, but Aru thought she would’vefeltif Aiden had … died.
They couldn’t linger here. Ahead of them, the bridge was beginning to fade. The cold silver moonlight of the dusk end was dissipating as the sun came closer. If they didn’t leave now, they’d be stuck between dawn and dusk.
“Brynne can find him,” said Aru, thinking fast. “She’s got hawk vision.”
But Brynne had flown ahead—she didn’t even know that Aiden was in trouble. They had to let her know right away.
Aruforced all her concentration into propelling Vajra forward. The hoverboard careened into the Grove of Ratri and skidded to a stop in the dense thicket of night trees. Aru and Mini tumbled headfirst into the grass.
“Ha!” said a voice above them. “It’s official. I’mfasterthan alightning bolt.”
Brynne, still in hawk form, stared down at them from her branch.
“Bam!” she said. “Add that to my trophies.”
Electricity twitched across Vajra, as if the hoverboard were highly affronted by such a statement. And then it stung Aru for good measure, because it was clearly her fault for making it look bad.
There was no time to argue.
“Aiden fell into the cows back there!” Arusaid, gesturing over her shoulder.
“He was trying to save me,” added Mini. “You have to go after him! But we don’t know where he is….”
Brynne just pointed her wing. “You meanthatAiden?”
Aru whipped around. As it turned out, Aiden was not dead. He was fine. In fact, he was more than fine. He was seated on a giant red cow and wearing a pair of sunglasses. Behind him was Ushas, her smile sodazzling that Aru couldn’t even look at her. Aiden waved at them, then held up a bright gold phone that could only belong to the goddess of dawn.
“Is he … ?” started Mini.
“He is,” confirmed Brynne.
AidenI’m-an-ArtisteAcharya was taking a selfie.
Acouple of seconds later, Aiden leaped off the red cow and rolled into the grove. Ushas paused long enough to scream:
“I amsucha fan of yourmom! I used to try to practice her dances when I was working, but then I almost incinerated the world. Whatever.” The goddess tossed her hair back. “Can’t wait to post our photo!”
And with that, she waved good-bye and let out a loud “Yee-haw!” The red cows zoomed over them, dragging the flaming sun in their wake.
Aiden swaggered over, grinning.
Aru frowned. “What happened to ‘I don’t take selfiesbecause I’m an artist’ or whatever?” she asked.
“I made an exception, considering I pretty much delivered daylight to the world today,” he said and took a bow.
Aru raised an eyebrow. “You fell on a cow.”
