Aru Shah 4.5

Who Let Aiden Get a Driver's Permit?

Aru Shah used to have a lightning bolt and she really wanted to use it. Unfortunately, it was gone. Which was too bad, because it really would've come in handy right about this time. All she could do was glare at the birds rapidly approaching the vimana from behind.

"Remind me why we decided to take this...thing again?" Rudy groaned, slumping forward onto the seat as the bus listed sharply. He looked slightly green.

Next to him, Mini looked serene, but a faint crease between her eyebrows betrayed her uneasiness. She was folding a piece of paper over and over again: the instructions for how to get to the labyrinth. Everyone had been given a copy, just in case something happened to one of them.

Aru touched her own pocket, checking that the instructions her mother had given them to the labyrinth were still there. She could feel the warmth of her mother's hands as Krithika Shah and gripped them and said, "Promise me you'll come back, Aru. Please stay safe. I love you."

"For the last time, this is the only solution," Mini said, talking over Rudy as he continued to complain about being discreet. "Portals everywhere are being monitored by the devas. This is the only place that isn't being watched. Plus, we can't take the risk that the Sleeper has spies among the devas' agents."

"This place doesn't look like much," Rudy said, peering out the window. "It's a field. I suppose this is where mortals go on those trips." 

Mini sighed "It's low-key, and we want to be low-key."

"It's literally impossible for me to be low-key," grumbled Rudy. "I was born to stand out."

"You're going to die that way, too," Aru said.

"Hey, that's my line!" Aiden called from a few seats over.

Aru looked at him. The afternoon light slanted on his face, highlighting his features. He looked a little more tired, like all of them. Even though he had a faint smile on his face, there were stress lines around his eyes, that she'd realized had become more noticeable in the last few months. Something was bothering him. But what? She wanted to talk to him, but she hadn't really gotten a chance. Plus, there was the matter of the kiss that still made Aru a little unsure about exactly what they were...

"Ammamma!" shouted Brynne from the driver's seat. "Come help me over here!"

"Why?" groaned Aiden.

"Because you have your driver's permit. Now, hurry up! I don't have enough ingredients to make bird stew out of that flock."

"Looks like you'd better get to it, Wifey," teased Aru.

Aiden's gaze snapped to her and lingered there for a second. Aru's skin grew prickly. But just as quickly, he looked away and he made his way toward the front of the bus.

Aru looked down and rubbed her wrist reflexively where Vajra had once rested as a bracelet. She wished she didn't feel so stung.

The vehicle suddenly accelerated and everyone lurched forward in their seats. Aru nearly choked on her seatbelt. The next minute, the vimana swerved sharply to the right, throwing everyone to the left side of the bus.

Rudy peeled his cheek off the window and groaned. "I could've just taken a plane here."

"Nah," Aru said, smirking at him. "When you're with the commoners, you travel like the commoners."

"We lost them," Aiden said as he came back, slumping into his seat with a relieved air.

"How much longer do we have?" groaned Rudy, his face turning slightly green.

"Nagas get carsick? Wait, never mind, I don't want to know," said Aru.

"If you're feeling nauseous, ginger helps!" Mini piped up. "Or looking at a fixed point--"

She started to dig around in her backpack, but the vimana abruptly lurched to a halt.

"We're here!" Brynne called as she bounded out the door.

Rudy scrambled off immediately, Mini close on his heels. 

As Aru followed Aiden off the bus, she said, "I love you, Aiden, but please let someone else drive back."

She almost regretted it when the words came out of her mouth, especially when they still hadn't established who exactly they were. She blushed.

Aiden looked startled, red coming into his cheeks, but then he smirked at her. "Like you could do any better, snob."

"Troll."

They stopped in the middle of an unremarkable piece of land. It had a few sparse trees and yellowing grass underfoot. No one would expect a god to be summoned here. Assuming Agni would show up.

Aru took the coin from her pocket and took a breath. "So, here goes nothing?"

She flipped the coin.

It landed on the ground...and still looked very much like a coin.

Aru stared at it, wondering if they had to do some tap dancing ritual around it too. Then the ground shook and an unmistakable smell of gasoline filled the air.

Aru stumbled back as smoke blossomed over the coin in a large cloud.

"Oh good, I was starting to think you'd forgotten my gift," a deep voice said.

The smoke solidified into a tall, muscular man with reddish-brown skin. He wore sunglasses, a hoodie that said SPARKY, and jeans. He looked a lot like a normal human until he took off his glasses. Fire smoldered in his pupils, although his eyes seemed to be more amused than annoyed.

The Potatoes all came forward individually, performing pranama.

"Lord Agni," Aru began as soon as they were all standing again. "I'd like to collect on your offer."

"I'd guessed as much. You need divine weapons, correct?"

"Yes." Aru glanced at her friends, wondering how much to say about their predicament. Aiden looked neutral. Rudy was staring at the god in awe. She looked to her sisters.

You're doing great so far! Mini encouraged.

Yeah, Brynne chimed in. If he asks, tell him about the weapons, but try not to if you can help it

"Unfortunately, Pandavas--" (Aiden looked resigned as he elbowed Rudy, who had started to open his mouth indignantly) "I do not have the weapons with me. You must retrieve them yourself by venturing into the place where erased and forgotten things lie. As a god, I can grant you access. Among the halls, you will find memories, which will both be your guides and your greatest nightmares."

"How do we get to this place? Is there like, an Agni Express?" Aru asked.

The god paused. "Hmm...that is a catchy name! But alas, no. You'll have to go through the halls of Surya. I think you know the way."

Aru felt like someone had poured ice-cold water down her back. "What?"

Beside her Aiden shook his head. "No. Not again."

Brynne and Mini glanced between Aru and Aiden with worried expressions.

The last time they'd gone through the halls of Surya, Aru had lost control when she'd seen her mom in the mirror, and broke one of Aiden's scimitars. And to top it all off, Aiden had gotten a prophecy.

The girl you love will be the death of you...

A bad feeling pooled in the pit of her stomach. She wasn't quite sure what it meant...but something told her she might know. Aru pushed the thought away. Whatever had happened, it had made Aiden more withdrawn and sullen. And she didn't want to hurt him again.

"Isn't there another way?" Aru pleaded.

"I'm afraid not. You will have to be quick. Oh, and beware of the guardian."

"The guardian?"

The god stood up. "And that's my cue! Good luck, Pandavas." He opened his hand and fire swirled from his palm into a blazing portal. "Do try to stay alive!"