Brynne shoved her. Aru grinned.
Mini turned to the twins. “So, the third part of the jewel is with Jambavan,” she said. “What’d you guys find out? Who is he? Where does he live?”
Nikita snapped her fingers. The air shimmered as an image took shape of a huge bear with black fur and a spot of white on his chest. A constellation encircled the head of Jambavan, the bear king.
Aru remembered him as part of the Council of Guardians. He’d been there when she and Mini were put on trial for supposedly stealing Kamadeva’s bow and arrow. Aru wasn’t sure she’d ever heard the bear king speak. And she’d never seen him anywhere else in the Otherworld.
“He’sreallyreclusive,” said Nikita. “That crown is excellent, though. I wonder where he got it from….”
Brynne studied the image of King Jambavan. “Gunky and Funky used to tell me stories about him. They called him the Hero-Maker. Supposedly, defeating him in combat is the mark of a great warrior, or something like that.”
“You love combat!” said Sheela before pausing thoughtfully. “And cake. That one dream with the tiramisu locked in mortal combat with a stack of macaroons was…”
“Both disturbing and delicious?” suggested Aru.
“Yeah!” said Sheela.
But Brynne didn’t smile.
“Maybe we don’t have to fight him at all,” said Mini soothingly. “If he’s part of the Council, can’t Hanuman and Urvashi get the Sun Jewel piece from him?”
Nikita shook her head. “Hanuman and Urvashi have been out of touch throughout their whole mission.”
“Do we at least know where his house is?” asked Aru.
“Everyone knows where he lives,” said Nikita. She dragged her hand through the air, and the image displayed a cold, craggy chunk of land surrounded by snowcapped trees. Aru could almost feel the freezing wind of that place reaching out to touch her.
“Whoa,” said Mini. “Whereisthat?”
“Literally the end of the world,” said Nikita.
“King Jambavan doesnotwant to be disturbed,” said Sheela.
“Do we know if he’s, um, dangerous or anything?” asked Mini, nervous.
“This place looks just like Ahch-To!” said Aru excitedly.
“Bless you?” said Sheela.
“Oh, not again,” said Brynne.
“Ahch-To, fromThe Last Jedi!” repeated Aru. “You know, the place where Luke Skywalker is hiding out when Rey goes to find him? The place with the porgs! What if King Jambavan is just like Luke? Kinda gruff and reclusive, plagued with secret guilt…just waiting for heroes like us to come along and save the world.”
Brynne rolled her eyes. “You watch too many movies, Shah.”
Aru ignored her and reached up to touch her hair, which she normally kept in a loose braid. “Maybe I could—”
“I’m telling you this now, out of love. You cannot pull off Rey’s hairstyle,” said Nikita. “One, you don’t have the forehead for it. And two, youwilllook like a hedgehog that got into a fight with a lawnmower.”
Aru scowled and tossed her braid over her shoulder.
“Rudy said he can get you guys to the outskirts of Jambavan’s home,” said Nikita.
“How?” asked Mini.
“Something about an elevator bank?” said Nikita.
Aru shuddered. She was in no rush to go back to that eerie place in Rudy’s kingdom.
