The camera’s viewpoint careened toward the ground before going dark.
“And they bought it?” asked Brynne.
Aiden nodded. “Hanuman and Urvashi left after that. They’re following some leads about the rest of the Sleeper’s army.”
“What leads?” asked Aru coldly.
Aiden didn’t meet her eyes. “There’s no way to access the labyrinth without a celestial weapon. But once you’re inside, how do you let peoplein? Hanuman and Urvashi are trying to find out what his plans are.”
Aru considered this, her stomach turning. All they’d been thinking of was how to getintothe labyrinth. She hadn’t even begun to consider how they were going to fit a whole army inside.
“Sorry I’m late!” called a musical voice down the hallway.
Malini Acharya entered the room and all the air seemed to leave it. Malini was tall and slim, with rich brown skin and beautiful eyes that looked like amber jewels beneath moonlight. Her supernatural grace was the only clue that she had once been a celebrated apsara before she had left her celestial city to marry a mortal man.
Malini smiled at Krithika and Brynne, nodded at Mini, and, as usual, ignored Aru completely. For some reason, Aiden’s mom didn’t seem to like Aru very much. Malini went to Aiden, resting her palm against his cheek.
“It’s time,” said Krithika, gesturing to Greg the stone elephant.
The statue’s jaw unhinged, dropping to the floor.
“You have our blessings,” said Krithika.
“And this,” added Malini. “Should you need it.”
She hummed a quick tune, and the music was what Aru imagined a shooting star would sound like. It filled Aru’s senses, lifted her hair off her neck, and shimmered through her bones. When she blinked, Malini was holding a coin-size piece of light, which she handed to Aiden.
“Here. A pure note of music. It will let you call upon my family,” said Malini. “But it is to be usedonlyin emergencies.”
Aiden took the note of music, a curious combination of fury and wonder on his face as he tucked it away.
“I believe in you. All of you,” said Krithika. “Please come back safely.”
Aru took a deep breath. Mini, wearing a purple lehenga covered in silver stars, stepped through the portal first. Next was Brynne, in a midnight bluesalwar kameezwith gold stripes. Aiden followed, and then it was Aru’s turn.
“Don’t forget to feed BB while we’re gone,” said Aru to her mom. “And not too many Oreos—he’ll get indigestion. And then the museum will be on fire.”
Krithika laughed. “Noted.”
With one last look at her mother and the place where she had lived for almost ten years, Aru stepped into the portal.
Aru had imagined that crashing a wedding would involve a high-speed car chase, but what it really came down to was blending in with the guests and getting to the sacred fire before anyone saw them. After that, all they had to do was throw the Agni coin into the flames and get out. Easy enough.
The wedding venue looked pretty swanky. The outside of the fancy hotel was covered in twisting ivy and roses. Enchanted bronze lions yawned sleepily when they saw the Pandavas. Behind them, people jogged and walked their dogs without a second glance. To humans, the enchanted hotel looked like a pile of unfinished construction.
Calligraphy formed out of floating candles spelled out:
FOR THE RAVI AND TRENA PARTY, PLEASE ENTER!
“Where is everyone?” asked Mini softly as the four of them crept inside.
It was very quiet.Too quiet,thought Aru. The inside of the hotel opened into a marvelous atrium where enchanted snow sifted down from silvery clouds.
“They had those specially commissioned for the winter-wonderland theme,” said Mini. “Superexpensive magic. My cousin threw a fit when the first artist tried to use cold Styrofoam pellets instead of real snow.”
“Weddings are so overrated,” said Brynne, dusting snow off her shoulder. “So, where’s the food?”
“Guys?” said Aiden.
