Page 52 of Aru Shah and the End of Time

“I’m not Arjuna,” said Aru, lifting her chin. “I’m Aru.”

Boo puffed out his chest. “I know.”

The Library ofA–Z

The tunnel led to a massive cavern that opened out into a grand library.

“Books! Just what we need!” said Mini. Her eyes might as well have been heart emojis. “When my mom told me stories about the Night Bazaar, this was the place I wanted to see most. All the books are enchanted. They covereverythingandeveryone.”

“Great?” said Aru.

She liked libraries. She liked going to the audiobooks section and listening. And she liked pranking people by waiting until they pulled out a book, only to see her making strange faces in the empty space on the shelf.

But this library made her feel uncertain. She had that prickly cold feeling that had followed her in the parking lot right after they’d gotten the first key. Aru slipped her hand around the golden ball in her pocket. It was warm to the touch, but thankfully not hot the way it had been when the Sleeper had shown up before.

“So the bite-of-adulthood key is somewhere in here…” said Aru. Was she mistaken, or was the book design on her hand glowing?

“Then by all means, meander slowly and ponderously until my feathers molt,” said Boo.

“I’m looking!” said Aru defensively.

Easier said than done. The library was the size of a village. Shiny black stone formed the ceiling. Large windows cut into the walls looked out onto unusual settings. Through the first, Aru could see the depths of the ocean. A stingray glided past. Through the second Aru could see the leaves of a dense jungle. The third window peered out over the skyline of New York City.

Hundreds of shelves loomed before them. Aru watched, eyes wide, as the books hopped and fluttered around. Some of them even fought one another. A giant encyclopedia markedA–Fsquawked at a dictionary. And a book entitledWhat to Expect When You’re Reincarnated from a Cockroacharched its spine and hissed at a bookmark.

“Maybe this place is organized like a regular library?” suggested Mini. She looked like she was in heaven, surrounded by all the books. “Adulthoodstarts with the letterA, so let’s see if the shelves are alphabetical.”

“What if adulthood isn’t a book?” asked Aru. “Maybe it’s hidden in something. A book isn’t a key.”

“Neither is a sprig. I think a book would make sense,” said Mini quietly. “They’re keys to lots of stuff.”

When Aru stopped to think about it, she had to admit this was true. She may not have liked the books she’d had to read for school, but she’d loved the stories her mom had read aloud to her. Those tales had unlocked things that ordinary metal keys never could. A particularly good book had a way of opening new spaces in one’s mind. It even invited you to come back later and rummage through what you’d learned.

“What do you think, Boo?” asked Aru.

He didn’t respond. He was circling the ceiling. There was an agitated, restless quality to his movements. He moved jaggedly back and forth, as if he were trying to suss out something.

“Seriously, Boo? Do you have to stretch out your wings now? Must’ve been so tiring just sitting on our shoulders the whole time.”

Shaking her head, Aru wandered over to the first aisle. Mini had already pulled out two stools, stacked them one on top of the other, and climbed up to read the book spines. A few volumes leaned out, inspecting Mini as closely as she was inspecting them.

“I can’t quite see the titles at the top,” muttered Mini. “Can you ask Boo to come help?”

“He’s busy pecking at the ceiling or something,” said Aru. “But I’ll try. Boo?”

He was still flying in an agitated manner. Beneath him, his shadow sprawled over the books. It didn’t seem like an ordinary pigeon’s shadow. This shadow had wings the size of small boats and tail feathers that looked like trailing ribbons.

Aru turned to look at the tunnel entrance and saw that all the people who had once been in the library had disappeared. They were alone.

Aru frowned, looking upward for Boo again.

The ceiling had changed. It seemed to be moving….The colors were swirling and melding. Aru realized that what she’d thought was polished marble was not stone at all, butskin.

She’d been wrong about something else, too: they were definitely not alone.

Boo soared back to them, squawking, “RUN! It’s him!”

Mini tumbled down from the two stools.