Aru grumbled. The whole Mini-stepping-into-her-power thing had come with some bad consequences. Mainly that the rest of them kept getting dragged in the wake of her ambition.
“—are going to contribute to society! We’re going to go to school! And we’re going to worry about our GPAs! And get a mortgage!” said Mini, clapping her hands with a savage glee. “Doesn’t that soundfun?”
“No,” said Aru.
“What Aru said,” Brynne called from the kitchen.
“Ooh, what’s a mortgage?” piped up Rudy.
Rudy was sitting next to Mini at the table, a pair of headphones dangling from his neck and a sheet of music composing paper in front of him. Aru still wasn’t sure why Rudy insisted on joining their study sessions. They already saw him on the weekends during Otherworld training, and his underwater palace had become the go-to choice for movie nights. Rudy’s parents were even considering letting him try a year of “human school.” With Aiden.
Rudy was excited.
Aiden was not.
“A mortgage is how people pay off their houses,” said Mini.
Rudy frowned. “For fun?”
“No,” said Mini gently. “Houses are expensive, Rudy.”
Rudy blinked. He did not seem to understand this word.
“If you want a house, I can build you a palace!”
“No.”
“It’ll have goldeverywhere!”
“No, Rudy, that’s not what I meant,” said Mini, sighing.
Over the past few months, Mini and Rudy’s relationship hadn’t really evolved. Aru and Brynne had, of course, asked Mini about it, and she had responded with a vagueI don’t know yet. Her uncertainty hadn’t deterred Rudy, who, for the most part, addressed Mini asmy dark, benevolent queen.
He’s a bit of a dork,Mini often said, smiling.
Now Rudy continued, “Or maybe a bunch of palaces that spell out your name…”
Mini gave up, putting her head in her hands.
Behind Aru, she heard the sudden whir andclick!of a familiar camera. She turned around and immediately felt the sensation of butterfly wings in her stomach. Normally, she would consider that disgusting. Butterflies were pretty and all, BUT WHY DID THEIR TONGUES CURL LIKE THAT? And how come they tasted with THEIR FEET? None of that was okay!
But what was infinitely more than okay was the person standing in the doorway. Aiden. He grinned at Aru and lowered Shadowfax. Baby Boo was perched on his shoulder.
Cheep!the firebird said.
Which they had recently decoded asCOOKIES. I WANT. GIVE?
“Where’ve you been, Wifey?” Aru asked.
He rolled his eyes at the nickname before plopping into the seat beside her. Her chair was a little farther away than Aiden seemed to like, because he reached out and dragged it closer to his, which made Aru’s face burn.
“I was visiting my nani,” he said. “She says hello. She also gave me a letter.” Aiden held it out to Aru. “C’mon, I know you’re curious.”
Aru took the envelope from him. It was cream-colored and addressed as follows:
TO THE PANDAVA SISTERS,
WHO OWE ME A DEBT
