“Please, Shah?”
Aru opened her eyes. The swarm of black leaves and dirt was barely six inches from her face. She shuddered, jumping back and colliding with something warm and solid. She caught her breath and inhaled that familiar fragrance of spice and fresh laundry.Aiden.
His hand moved to her waist, drawing her against him. “I’ve got you, Shah,” he said. When he spoke, his voice ruffled the wisps of hair that had escaped from her braid. “Don’t go.”
It was hardly more than a few seconds, but Aru felt each of them crash against her like waves.
“I can’t get rid of it!” yelled Brynne.
Turquoise jets of air ripped into the wall of debris, creating holes in it, but seconds later the dead leaves merely fell back into place. The wall began to encircle them. Brynne roared, twirling her weapon overhead. A powerful cyclone blasted the wall apart….
Only for it to re-form and close in tighter.
Aiden and Aru sprang away from each other. Once more, Aiden drew his scimitars. Loose Teeth neighed loudly and kicked the air. Mini stroked her neck, trying to calm her, but it made no difference.
“What do we do?” shrieked Mini.
One of Aiden’s scimitars dropped to the ground, and yet again Aru heard that searinghiss. The leaves and twigs under Aiden’s sword began to smoke.
“The heat!” said Aru, pointing at the blade. “We need more of it!”
Aiden followed the direction of her gaze and then looked up at her. “Uh-oh.”
“Whatuh-oh?” said Aru. “You’ve got scimitars—Whoa, what are you doing?”
Aiden dropped to his knees and took off his backpack, laying it gently on the ground.
“Ammamma, what are youdoing?” demanded Brynne. “We don’t have time for this!”
Aiden ignored her. He unzipped his bag. Detritus whirled overhead, blotting out the night sky. Aru and Brynne inched closer together, the wall now less than a foot away from them.
“Okay, just”—Aiden’s eyes flashed between Aru, Mini, and Brynne—“don’t be mad.”
Aiden reached into his backpack and brought out a pair of gloves. As he slid them on, realization struck Aru.
“Are you serious?” she demanded.
Aiden made soft cooing sounds as he lifted something bright and glowing from the depths of his pack.
“Oh no,” said Mini.
“WHAT?!” said Brynne.
A significantly larger—and apparently fresh from a nap—Baby Boo appeared in Aiden’s hands. The firebird was now the size of a laptop. He blinked at them and chirped happily. Smoke spiraled off his ruby-red plumage. His flaming blue crest flickered happily. He looked up at Aiden, ruffling his feathers.
Mini just spluttered. “The…the hygiene! The air circulation! What about his food?” And then, at a loss for how to convey all her fury at once, she finally blurted out, “Baby Boo has a very strict sleep schedule!”
“The backpack is enchanted and extremely comfortable, and of course I know about BB’s sleep schedule!” snapped Aiden. “Why do you think I kept checking my backpack?”
“Focus, Ammamma!” said Brynne. “Battle first, baby later!”
“Right,” said Aiden, awkwardly bouncing BB.
The wall swirled closer. Aru was almost scared to breathe, convinced that if she sucked in any of the debris she’d fall asleep on the spot.
“Wifey…” said Mini warningly.
“On it,” said Aiden.
