Page 118 of Aru Shah and the End of Time

Maybe it was just her imagination, but she thought she felt the faintest bit of warmth coming from the tile of home in her pocket.

Word Vomit

When the end bell of sixth period rang, Aru could barely stop herself from jumping onto her desk. She wasn’t the only one who was excited. It was the day when school got out for winter break.

Even though Atlanta was just cold instead of snowy, the whole world felt like almost-Christmas. Which was the best. Fairy lights and paper snowflakes covered the ceilings. The Christmas songs that had been playing since November hadn’t started to drive her crazy yet, either. And in that day’s chemistry class, their teacher had taught them how to make fake snow with baking soda and water, so most of the tables were covered with tiny snowmen.

Aru started to pack up her things. Her lab partner, Arielle, smiled at Aru, but it was a slightly waryare-you-a-witch?grin.

“So…where are you going for Christmas?” Arielle asked.

As usual, Aru lied. But this time, it had a far different purpose. “Nowhere,” she said. “You?”

“Maldives,” said Arielle. “We’ve got a timeshare on a private island.”

“I hope you have fun.”

Arielle looked a bit surprised at that. But then she smiled more genuinely. “Thanks. Um, by the way, my parents are throwing a New Year’s party at the Fox Theatre downtown. I don’t know if you got the invite already, but you and your mom are invited if you want.”

“Thanks!” said Aru. This time she didn’t lie. “But we’ve got family plans.”

She’d never said the wordsfamily plansbefore, and she didn’t think she’d ever get tired of saying it.

“Oh. Well, have fun.”

“I’ll try!” called Aru. “Have a good break!”

And with that, she slung her backpack over her shoulder and stepped into the cold. While most of her classmates were on their way to their private jets or chauffeurs, Aru was on her way to her training session in the Otherworld.

Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, for three hours, Aru and Mini learned war strategy from Hanuman, dancing and etiquette from Urvashi, and folklore from Boo. They were supposed to get more teachers starting next week, and even join the other Otherworldly kids who were training (although none of them were the offspring of gods).

“Other kids? Like us?” Mini had asked.

“Yup,” said Aru. “Maybe that snake boy from Costco will be there.”

“I don’t think he’d remember me….”

“You walked into a telephone pole, Mini. I’d say that’s pretty memorable.”

Minithwackedher on the head with Dee Dee.

But before they could join the other students, their parents had wanted to make sure they had mastered the basics and caught up. It was essentially, said Boo, “remedial classes for divine dunces.”Rude.

Aru wasn’t thrilled about having to take Dance, but as Urvashi had explained, “When Arjuna was cursed to lose his manhood for one year, he became a wonderful dance instructor, and it made himthatmuch more graceful in combat. I should know—I’m the one who cursed him, after all.”

“When are we going to get to the stabby stuff?” Aru had asked last Wednesday.

Vajra, who had decided to become a glowing pen instead of a lightning bolt for that day, burned brighter at her question.

Boo’s gaze had narrowed. “One should not want to rush toward violence.”

Today, as she walked home, she thought about the last message she’d received from Mini. Aru still didn’t have a phone, so they couldn’t text, but that’s where the stone elephant came in handy. When she’d checked the elephant’s mouth this morning, Mini’s letter was simple:

How am I going to train today?

I’m 99% sure I’ve contracted bubonic plague.

(I even saw a rat yesterday.)