“And, with your help, we will be ready,” said Hanuman, looking proudly at them.
With that, they disappeared, leaving only a faint trail of music behind them. The Potatoes stared around at one another.
“I’m too sad to eat, but I’m too restlessnotto eat,” said Brynne, studying the table. A moment later, she dragged the entire platter of samosas toward her. Brynne was about to take a giant bite when Kubera materialized in the room with a loudpop!
“AHHH!” screamed Brynne, reeling backward.
The platter fell to the floor, and the samosas split open, dribbling out spiced potatoes and peas. All except one. Biju the mongoose hopped out of Kubera’s lap and ran to the intact samosa just as Brynne reached out to snatch it. Biju got there first and gobbled it on the spot.
“Dumb weasel,” muttered Brynne.
Biju burped, then hissed at her. Two amethysts fell from its mouth.
Brynne looked ready to clobber the mongoose when Kubera cleared his throat loudly. Aru noticed that the Lord of Wealth had changed his whole look since they’d last seen him. Now he was dressed head to toe in a pearlescent suit. White gold winked at his ears and throat. Huge pearl rings covered his fingers, and he’d even swapped out his golden eye patch for one of white silk.
“Thanks for all yourhelpon the battlefield,” Aru couldn’t help saying straight off.
“You’re welcome,” said Kubera in his deep, rumbling voice. “Before this whole showdown shenanigan started, I was thinking to myself that war is so…boring. Why not add a littlepizzazzto your doom? Set the stage a little, add some good seating.”
“Reminded me of the movieGladiator,” said Aru, “what with all the passive watching when it comes to fatal combat.”
Come to think of it, she really should’ve shoutedARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?at the end of the whole thing, but she’d been too sad. Now that sadness was turning into anger all over again.
“Really?” said Kubera, clapping once. “How delightful!”
Careful, Shah, came Brynne’s mind message.
Aru bit her tongue to avoid saying anything more.
“By now you’ve seen that you can wield the Nairrata army to do your bidding,” said Kubera. “Well, not all of you. Only those in the possession of a god-given weapon may command it.” He gestured vaguely at only Rudy and Aiden, even though Kara was sitting next to Aru. “It’ssuperfun to have an army. Very imposing. Plus, a great driver of tourism if you’re thinking about opening up an island resort or some such.”
“Ooh!” said Rudy, perking up.
“Yeah…That’s not exactly a priority at the moment?” said Aru.
Rudy deflated.
“Excuse me, but what exactly are we supposed todowith the army?” cut in Mini.
Aru hadn’t thought of that. If you suddenly owned a ginormous army, did they accompany you everywhere? For a moment, Aru pictured walking into her first day of high school with golden soldiers at her back.
That wouldn’t be so bad….
“Oh yes,” grumbled Kubera. “Yourguardianshad something to say about all that. Something about how, for your own safety, you should command the Nairrata army to stay in the heavens until summoned.”
“Oh.”
“I know,” said Kubera, sighing. “Itreeksof responsibility. But do you agree?”
Aru, Brynne, and Mini looked at one another and nodded. In Aru’s head, as clear and bright as if it were a mind message sent from her sisters, Aru saw the golden army transform. Their mechanical arms and legs shot into their sockets, their helmeted heads popped down into their necks, and their torsos shrank into raindrops that zoomed upward and disappeared into the sky.
“They’re very communicative,” said Kubera.
Aru shook her head a little. She could seeherarmy…in her brain. That was both awesome and unsettling.
“Well, I guess that settles that!” said Kubera, stretching.
“No,” said Aiden. “The astra. It belongs to us now. Like you promised.”
