She could hear Mini’s panic like a thrumming string stretching between them, but she ignored it, focusing instead on her opponent.
“You’ve caused so much destruction,” said Other Aru.
It stung, but Aru pushed it aside. “True,” she said. “But I can’t fix it if I get destroyed, too.”
Other Aru scoffed, lifting her golden blade. “Any last words to yourself?”
Aru scowled. “Well, that’s how I know you’re a fake. I’d be quotingPrincess Brideand be like ‘You seem a decent fellow; I hate to kill you,’ and then you’d say—”
“AHH!” screamed Other Aru, charging forward.
“Okay, not what I had in mind.”
Aru braced herself. Her hands tightened into fists, but she kept them clenched at her side. She’d drawn Vajra back down to the form of a bracelet. Her lightning bolt frantically zapped at her wrist, as if pleading to fight, but Aru resisted. She held tight to Uttanka’s words. She was the beginning and the end, and this was going to end with her.
“SHAH, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?” screamed Aiden.
“No, Aru! Keep fighting!” shouted Brynne. “Don’t give up!”
“I’m not giving up,” said Aru, closing her eyes. “I’m letting go.”
Up until that moment, Aru hadn’t considered how those painful memories of Boo, her mom, the Council, and the Sleeper were like claws sinking through her skin and into her soul. She only noticed it now because she released her anger as the Other Aru rushed at her. Aru feltsomuch lighter without all that resentment.
But she couldn’t even appreciate it, because, the next moment, darkness exploded behind her eyes as she fell backward and her head hit stone.
The first thing Aru noticed was someone running their fingers along her skull. It felt kind of nice, actually, but then the person took their hand away.
“Well, no noticeable contusions,” said Mini.
“What’s that mean?” asked Brynne.
“It means Aru’s got an exceptionally hard skull.”
“Surprise, surprise,” said Aiden.
Aru grumbled. Her mouth felt dry and her throat was scratchy as she said, “Stop talking about me behind my back.”
“Don’t worry, Shah, we’re right in front of you,” said Aiden.
Aru could practically hear the smirk in his voice. She opened her eyes to see her friends crouched around her and looking anxious. Mini squealed happily as she lifted Aru slightly to give her a hug.
“Ow…careful!” said Aru.
“Sorry, sorry,” said Mini.
Around them, the chamber no longer looked like an arena. The walls had slid back to form a small room, the floor strewn with dust and debris. The doppelgängers had vanished, but the blue lotus remained in its column of light, rotating slowly. Just behind it, Kubera’s eye blinked. Aru almost thought she’d imagined the whole battle…until she saw a familiar shape lying just beyond the group.
Kara.
Someone had crossed her arms over her chest. Her trident lay tucked in one elbow, its glow ebbing and flowing as if it were snoring. Brynne kept a stream of wind directed at her, which both lifted Kara off the dusty ground and caused her long hair to ribbon around her. Her small backpack had been placed over her belly, and through the half-closed zipper Aru saw the little blue book of poems Kara kept with her.
“She’s not dead,” said Mini. “And she doesn’t seem to be in any pain, but we can’t wake her up. It must be magic—an ordinary weapon wouldn’t do this.”
Aru frowned. “The doppelgänger said her blade was ‘revenge,’ but I didn’t think she meant it literally…. I mean, that’s not really possible, is it?”
“Getting attacked by doppelgängers shouldn’t be possible, either,” said Aiden. He looked suspiciously at the blue lotus some twenty feet away. “The moment you decided to let down your guard, the lotus looked like it caught fire. And then all our doubles disappeared on the spot. That perfume—I don’t know what else to call it—also went away. Our eye colors changed back, too.”
Aru looked into Aiden’s eyes. They were once again the velvety darkness of a night sky. His eyes had a curious celestial quality that made you think you could actually fall into them.
