Aru Shah and the Soul Trident

I'm, Like, the Definition of Careful

"NO!" Mini screamed. Brynne could only watch on in horror as the flames headed towards her friends. She couldn't even move-she felt like she was paralyzed. But Mini came to the rescue. With a command, purple foam shot out of Medy and headed towards the fire, dousing it before it reached her three sleeping friends. Brynne let out a breath she didn't even know she was holding, and nearly sank to her knees in relief.

Thank goodness Mini was there too, she thought to herself.

Takshaka, on the other hand, didn't seem so pleased. He scowled and instead of aiming at her comatose friends like Brynne thought he would, he started his attack on her again. His swords clanged against her jeweled mace, and she was locked in an intense battle with him. After a couple more hits, Takshaka broke off and backed away a little.

Brynne was about to go after him again, when someone behind her tapped her shoulder.

"Brynne! Stop it already!"

Brynne turned around and looked at her sister, whose usual calm expression was replaced with that of anger.

"Mini?" Brynne asked, confused. "What's wrong?"

Mini crossed her arms. "What's wrong is that you're trying to do everything by yourself again! I told you that we should have made a plan! Aru, Aiden, and Rudy nearly got killed, Brynne! Stop trying to do everything yourself!"

Brynne stared at Mini in shock, and slowly realized she was right. Maybe she had been a little emotional and bossy. She gulped and hesitantly said, "Sorry, Mini. I-I got caught up in my emotions and I-"

Mini's face finally relaxed into a tiny grin. "It's alright." Then, she stared at Takshaka who was slowly starting to inch towards them again. Her grin widened, and lifting Medy a little higher in the air, she said, "Well? Feel like hearing my plan now?"

Brynne smiled and narrowed her eyes at Takshaka. "No time like the present."

After a couple of seconds of discussing the plan, Mini gulped and charged at Takshaka, taking him by surprise. She shouted commands to Medy, and foam wrapped around Takshaka, and he struggled to shrug it off. While Mini kept the naga king busy, Brynne snuck over to where her friends were soundly sleeping.

Aru, as usual, was drooling. A huge glob of saliva rested near her mouth as she snored gently. Rudy's snores, on the other hand, sounded like a loud clap of thunder. Brynne was surprised that the ground didn't shake at the noise. Aiden, unlike the other two, slept like a statue. He stayed absolutely still and didn't make any sounds. Brynne giddily thought of crossing his arms over his chest in a position that would make him look like he was dead, but she concluded that she didn't have time for that.

As Mini fought Takshaka, Brynne quickly moved all three Potatoes near the portal. Aru was the easiest to move; that girl weighed about a feather. Brynne shook her head like a disappointed Indian auntie. She definitely needed to fatten her up a bit. Aiden and Rudy were considerably heavier, but Brynne had lifted full-grown rakshasas before. Aiden and Rudy were a walk in the park.

She dragged all three of them and deposited them right next to the portal and stretched, her bones cracking as she bent backwards. Brynne glanced at the blue and black swirling mass. She tentatively put a finger in there, but it bounced her right out. Huh. That was weird. Maybe it would work for Mini?

Speaking of her sister, Brynne glanced over to where Mini was. She was still locked in battle with Takshaka, and Takshaka was definitely losing. At least, that's what it looked like from her point of view.

Glancing one more time at her sleeping friends, Brynne turned into a small, blue bird and chirped. She flew over to where Mini was and said, All done! Let's go, Mini! She grinned in her bird form. Mini's plan had worked out perfectly.