Aru frowned. Usually they made decisionstogether, but this was the second time in a few minutes that Brynne had taken charge without asking for anyone else’s input.
What’s up with you?asked Aru.
Brynne didn’t answer.
“Of course! Follow me!” The cow trotted toward the barn, which was about a hundred feet away. Aru waited for the others and then followed, inhaling the sweet-smelling air. The farm felt calm and peaceful after the chaos of the vanara kingdom and the glittering sidewalks of Lanka. The only problem was that the ground was a bit soft, and Aru’s shoes kept sinking into the mud.
She’d almost gotten the hang of it when the cow turned to look at them and said, “Ope, meant to tell you to watch your step!”
“Huh?” said Aru.
SPLAT.
Aru looked down at her foot and groaned.
“Smile!” said Aiden, snapping a picture.
There was one crappy drawback to the realm of cows, and now it was all over her shoe.
So much for treasure,thought Aru as she trudged toward the dark barn. Kubera probably meant for them to search for his eye like it was a needle in a bunch of haystacks.
“A bit strange your parents sent you to do shopping at this time of day,” said the cow. “Don’cha know there’s a curfew? Demons running about?” The cow shivered, and its flanks rippled.
Enchanted lights flickered on when they stepped inside. After the wonders of the Night Bazaar and even the Magical Plant Nursery at Home Depot, Aru was expecting something…else.
The moo-tique of Kamadhenu looked suspiciously like an ordinary convenience store. The ceiling was low, and the space was cramped. Products were lined up on a dozen peeling, rickety metal frames. A shiny cockroach scuttled across the floor, and the whole place had the cold-and-clammy feel of a neglected grocery-store aisle. Aru felt nauseated. Beside her, Mini fumbled for hand sanitizer, and Kara’s nose was discreetly hidden in the folds of her sweatshirt.
“Ope, hold your horses there!” said the cow.
“I thought this was a kingdom ofcows,” muttered Brynne. “Do you evenhavehorses?”
Aiden narrowed his eyes at her, but Brynne didn’t look at him.
“Can I help you folks with finding anything?”
On one of the metal shelves, Aru caught a wink of gold. Her pulse kicked up. Kubera’s eye! It was hiding somewhere in here.
“Maybe. We—” she started to say.
Brynne cut in loudly, “No, thanks. We’ll look around ourselves.”
The cow nodded. “You betcha!”
They passed a rusty, dented sign that saidYOU BREAK IT, YOU BUY IT.
What if, when we’re chasing the eye, we end up breaking something?asked Aru through their mind link.
“How would we, uh, go about making a purchase?” Mini asked the cow.
“I’ve got my mom’s credit card,” offered Aru.
“Oh boy. We don’t take credit cards. Anyone who wishes to buy something from Kamadhenu’s moo-tique must pay with a week’s worth of service.”
“Aweek?” echoed Brynne, gesturing at the store. “Forthis?”
A fly buzzed into one of the ugly lamps, got electrocuted, and fell to the floor. Dead.
The cow nodded. “Nothing too hard, I promise ya. Maybe use the sweeper a bit. Run some milk deliveries. If you can’t do the work, well, tough tomatoes! No shopping for you.”
