Kara glanced at the floor. “I’m just not sure how everyone’s name is spelled.”
“Oh…okay,” he said, and followed Kara to the side of the shop, where the keychain tower loomed.
Brynne and Mini hung back, flanking Aru.
“You okay, Aru?” asked Mini. “I don’t think she meant anything.”
Brynne shrugged. “Maybe you guys should just battle it out.”
Mini stared at her. “That’s a terrible idea. Aru, maybe Kara’s trying to be, I dunno, overly helpful? Don’t take it personally. She might feel threatened by you.”
“Threatenedby Aru?” Brynne said with a laugh. Then she caught the look on Aru’s face. “I mean, uh, yes. Definitely that.”
“Forget it. Let’s just get this over with,” said Aru, stalking to the keychains.
Up ahead, Kara spun the rack and fished out another trinket. Two already dangled from her left hand.
“Kai…Kamari…Kara!” she said with genuine excitement. “I’ve never had a keychain before!”
The keychains chimed like annoying bells, thought Aru as she started rifling through theA’s.
“Mina…Mindy…Mini,” said Mini. “I never find my name!”
“What about you, Aru?” asked Kara. “Any luck?”
Aru shook her head.
“Let me help,” said Kara. She spun the top tier, frowning. “I think I found—Oh. Never mind. It saysAndrew.”
“Great. I’ll never notice the difference.”
Kara looked stung. “I was only trying—”
“To help,” finished Aru, annoyed despite herself. “I’m going to call over the marmots and pay for these things. You guys start heading to the third archway. I’ll meet you there. When I saygo, that means start a commotion. Okay?”
“Got it,” said Brynne.
“Yup,” said Mini.
Aiden nodded.
Kara turned to Aru. “Can I stay with you?”
“Sure, I guess,” said Aru, somewhat confused. “You’re already here, aren’t you?” Then she grabbed the keychains and dangled them above her head. “Okay, I’m ready to buy these!”
Digging and cracking sounds filled the air. Moments later, Sonu and Kanak popped out of a new hole in the marble floor about ten feet away from them.
“That will be approximately one thousand!” said Sonu happily.
“A thousand dollars for two keychains?!” asked Aru.
“Cash or credit?” asked Kanak.
Aru winced. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the others heading toward the fog-covered archway.
“It doesn’t have to be dollars,” said Sonu thoughtfully. “A thousand anything, really. Buttons, socks, rope knots…We couldn’t decide on a standard currency, so instead we settled on a simple, fair number: a thousand.”
“A thousand isa lot,” said Aru.
