“But Sheela said—” started Mini.
“No,”said Brynne viciously. She was shaking a little. “He was always lying to us. I hate him. And I hate the Sleeper, and I hate everyone who ever helped the Sleeper!” Then Aru heard Brynne mutter something else under her breath: “He’s wrong. I’mnotweak.”
“I’m just as hurt as you are, Brynne, but maybe we shouldn’t rush to judgment,” said Mini.
Brynne acted as if she didn’t hear her. “We have to lose Kara,” she said. “She can’t be trusted, either.”
Aru looked around. WherewasKara, anyway? Aru had told her to stay here….
“She’s the Sleeper’s daughter,” continued Brynne.
“So am I,” said Aru coldly. “Are you going to kick me out, too?”
“What? No!” said Brynne, turning red. “It’s just—”
“Kara has done nothing but try to be nice and help us,” said Mini firmly. “Without her, we wouldn’t have found out what the Sleeper was really after.”
“She could be a spy!” Brynne insisted. “She could find some other way to hurt us! She could—”
“Bee,” said Aiden gently. He took a step toward her, but Brynne stepped backward sharply.
“Don’t ammamma me!” growled Brynne. “It’s eitherusorthem! How am I supposed to keep you safe if you don’t listen to me?”
She looked frantic. Her breath came in short, sharp rasps. Her wind mace, Gogo, created a warm breeze around her, as if trying to wrap her in a blanket.
“Brynne, I think you might be in shock, which is understandable, considering what we just saw,” said Mini. “But you have to stay calm.”
Brynne bent over and took a deep breath.
Just then, there was a littlepop!as Kara appeared at the edge of the courtyard. She looked bright-eyed and excited, her arms full of neatly wrapped packages as she ran toward them.
“Hi, guys!” she said. “How’d it go?”
Aru frowned. “Um—”
“I figured out how to leave the palace, so I thought I’d surprise you with some stuff when you came back!” said Kara happily. She thrust a bag at Mini. “I noticed you were out of hand sanitizer, and this kind has gold flakes.”
“Oh, thanks,” said Mini quietly.
Kara handed Aiden a neatly wrapped package. “Aiden, I found this cool picture frame for you. I think the gold was melted down from some sunken pirate treasure,” she said, beaming.
Aiden took it, muttered his thanks, and quickly tucked it into his messenger bag.
Kara gave Aru a bag no larger than her hand. “Aru…this is for you. I asked them to custom-make it.”
Aru looked inside to find a golden keychain. When she pulled it out, she sawARU SHAHengraved on it.
“Now you’ve finally got one of your own,” said Kara, smiling.
Aru felt her chest tighten. “Kara—”
“Last one’s for you, Brynne!” said Kara, holding out a box. “Figured you might be hungry, and this is a Lanka delicacy!”
Brynne didn’t take it. Instead, she stared coldly at Kara until the girl’s smile fell.
Kara looked around the group and slowly withdrew the present. “What happened?” she asked. “I didn’t mean to offend anyone…. I was just trying—”
“To help?” snapped Brynne. “We’ve heard that before. A little too much, if you ask me. Thanks, but no thanks. You’re only here because it’d be way too dangerous if your dad got ahold of you.”
