All five Potatoes froze. Even the doors around them went still. Aru looked at her sisters. “Maybe the elephant didn’t notice?”
Far, far above them, a trumpeting sound echoed through the air. It was an angry sound, and it sent a tremor through the floor, cracking the stone.
“Okay, we gotta move fast,” said Brynne, holding out the lantern.
But if the World Elephant they’d hit was mad, that was nothing compared to the doors. Now they all clanged together, spinning in a whirlwind about the platform. Aru couldn’t keep track of which door was the entrance to the labyrinth. The light of the Sun Jewel bounced around like a deranged flashlight, skittering over the different surfaces.
“Where do we go?” asked Aru, squinting as she tried to see through the blur.
“This way!” said Brynne, taking a step forward before doubling back. “No, I mean,thisway!”
Aru reached out, one hand locked tight with Brynne’s, the other grabbing hold of Mini, who reached for Rudy, who clasped Aiden’s shoulder.
“Here!” said Brynne.
The light threw open a door. Aru couldn’t see the surface. Everything was utter darkness, as if a jaw had unhinged around them.
“This way!” said Brynne, as they tumbled into the void. “I think?”
“This is weird,” said a familiar voice.
Aru opened her eyes. She felt weightless, like she was in a dream, but her surroundings didn’t look anything like a dream. She, Mini, and Brynne were standing on a white disk. All around, prismatic lights flashed past, as if the Potatoes were barreling through a tunnel.
Floating in front of them were Sheela and Nikita, but they weren’t totally there. For one thing, the twins had only emerged halfway through the tunnel wall, and for another, they weretranslucent. When Aru reached out to touch them, her fingers went through empty air. Aru jerked back her hand.
“What’s going on?” asked Brynne, turning around. “Where are we?”
Sheela licked her finger, then held it up like a sailor trying to feel the direction of the wind. “Tastes like daydreams,” she announced.
Nikita sniffed the air, frowning. “You’re definitely moving, but you’re not unconscious. This isn’t a normal dream. My guess is that one of the places you’re passing through is the realm of sleep. Or maybe an astral plane?”
“How are we able to talk to you guys?” asked Aru.
“Well,wealways have access to the astral plane,” said Nikita haughtily.
“I thought we were going to the labyrinth entrance,” said Brynne, looking around the tunnel of prismatic light. “This doesn’t feel right.”
Sheela licked the air, shutting her eyes tightly. “No. This tunnel iskindanear the labyrinth, but…backward? I don’t know how to explain it.”
Mini whimpered. She was staring at her hands, huge tears welling in her eyes. “We opened the wrong door, didn’t we? It’s all my fault. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to get distracted.”
“It’s okay, Mini,” said Aru. “Those doors werecreepy. I almost got sucked into one—”
“Almost,”echoed Mini. “But you didn’t.Idid. What if I do it again? It’s like my instincts are all turning against me.”
Aru shot a pointed look at Brynne.
“That’s not true, Mini,” said Brynne, but her tone was unconvincing.
“Tell us something good,” said Aru pleadingly to the twins. “We got all three pieces of the jewel together, at least!”
Sheela and Nikita exchanged awkward glances, and Aru’s heart plummeted.
“What is it?” asked Aru.
“There’s been news,” said Nikita, her eyes darting around the light-filled tunnel as if something was about to jump out at them.
“The Sleeper has almost gotten through the labyrinth,” said Sheela. “Soon, he’ll start burrowing pathways out to where his soldiers can meet them.”
