Vajra exploded on the golden deck.
In the past, Vajra could probably clear, like, maybe three demons in one go.
This was not the past.
Aru watched her lightning bolt blur across the floor. Throughout the air, Aru could detect a lace of electricity, sleeping threads of energy. In her mind, she urged Vajra to gather those threads and enhance their sizzle.
Vajra paused just before it reached the archers, as if waiting for one final nudge from Aru.
“Get ’em,”she said.
The lightning bolt crackled its way down the front line of soldiers, knocking them back into the water. Then it zipped across the next row and a few more after that before zooming back into Aru’s hand. The force of Vajra’s newfound power left a streak of smoke curling on the platform.
“Whoa,”said Mini, looking at Aru in awe.
THAT WASSICK!hollered Brynne through their mind link.
The battle halted around them. Aru could hear the din of soldiers complaining about not being able to see. Fog rolled across the golden floor and something winged out of the mist….
A pit opened in Aru’s stomach as a familiar form took shape, heading straight for her.
Boo.
Aru’s first thought upon seeing Boo was not what she’d imagined it would be.
She’d expected to be incredibly angry at him for all the hurt he had caused them.
Instead, Aru just wondered if Mini had saved him an Oreo.
It was such a disconnected thought in the middle of a battle. But it vanished with the mist and Boo’s screech.
“What are you doing here?”he demanded, swooping toward them. “I told Kubera to keep you out of this!”
Rage bristled through Aru. Oh, she had heard exactly how Boo had instructed Kubera. His poisonous words rose in Aru’s head like ghosts:
Don’t bother with them!
They’re nothing more than weak children, not worthy of anyone’s time or attention.
The lines echoed through Aru’s skull. Beside her, Aru could see resentment flashing across Mini’s face, too.
“You’re not supposed to be here!” shouted Boo. “Get out!Go!”
“We’re not going anywhere,” said Aru, planting her feet firmly on the floor.
“You were wrong about us,” said Mini. “Weareworth it.”
“Worth it? What are you talking about?” shouted Boo. He looked confused. Then something in him changed. His beak dropped open in shock. “Youheardwhat I said to Lord Kubera?”
“EVERY WORD!” shouted Brynne, stomping toward him in the form of a bear.
By then, Aru’s plan had come to fruition. They had beaten back the Sleeper’s army, which was now huddled in a tight knot and hemmed in by golden soldiers who had followed Aru’s every command. Overhead, Urvashi was weaving a spell through dance to prevent the enemy from escaping. Rudy was warding the new boundaries with his musical enchantments while Hanuman and Aiden beat back any stragglers, keeping them away from the deck where Aru, Mini, Bear-Brynne, and Kara stood glaring up at Boo.
“Girls and—” Boo paused, glaring at Kara. “Who are you?”
She raised her trident menacingly. “You don’t want to find out.”
Ooh, good line, thought Aru.
