Page 105 of Aru Shah and the Tree of Wishes

Kara frowned, looking confused.

“Kara, Rudy, Rudy, Kara,” said Brynne tersely. “Kara, ignore Rudy.”

Rudy scowled.

Overhead, the archway glinted, beckoning to them. Aru walked over to Airavata. The cloud elephant regarded her solemnly.

“Any chance you want to ride into battle with us?” asked Aru hopefully. “I’d probably look ten times fiercer with you.”

Airavata snorted.

“Gonna take that as a no,” said Aru. “Will you…Will you tell him I said thank you?”

Airavata flapped his large white ears. With his trunk, he tugged at the silken cord between his tusks, and a soft thundercloud the size of Aru’s hand knitted itself before her eyes. It drifted gently over to her and she touched it gingerly, only to have it burst apart. The air was filled with the scent of the world after a thunderstorm…the smell of rain-soaked stone steps and the faint metallic fizz in the air that she imagined she could taste on her tongue. It felt like the kind of hard won-peace that always follows a tempest. Aru closed her eyes and breathed it in.

“Thanks,” she said.

But when she looked up, Airavata was gone.

There was nothing left for her to do but face Kubera. As Aru followed the others through the doorway, she could hear the sound of marching soldiers getting closer and closer. Thunder churned inside her, and on her arm, Vajra glowed fiercely. Everything Kubera had asked, they had done.

He had to give them the Nairrata army.

Aru held on to that hope as the Potatoes crossed the threshold and entered Kubera’s throne room.

The chamber had completely changed. It looked nothing like the place they had first entered days ago….

On the other side of the threshold, they stepped out onto a huge golden pier, as long as an aircraft carrier, jutting into the dark blue ocean. There was no sign of the god of treasures except the eye that had accompanied them all this time, which was wide and unblinking.

Then Aiden called out, “Lanka—it’s gone!”

Aru whirled around. The pointy city skyline had disappeared completely. The pier was now floating in the middle of the sea. The sun bore down on their heads, and the gold beneath their shoes radiated heat.

Where had everyone gone?

Where was the Sleeper’s army?

A loudbang!went off in the middle of their circle. There was a flash of light and a puff of smoke, reminding Aru of the mongoose show.

“Oh my gods,” said Mini when the air cleared.

There, standing in all their finery, were Hanuman and Urvashi.

Brynne ran to her half brother and flung her arms around his neck. Hanuman, the monkey-faced demigod and Lord of Strength, picked up Brynne in a ginormous hug. Urvashi opened her arms to Aiden, her nephew, and he embraced her.

Rudy, who looked starstruck by the sight of Urvashi, followed him. “Uh, I’m related to Aiden…. Can I have a hug, too?”

Mini and Kara hung back with Aru.

Kara looked nervous. “What do I tell them?”

“Tell them you’re with us,” said Mini. “They’ll understand, trust me.”

Brynne beckoned Kara. With one last panicked look at Aru and Mini, Kara walked toward Brynne and Hanuman, her ring glowing brighter on her hand. Part of Aru yearned to join them. She felt like bothering Hanuman, who for some reason was dressed in a gold tuxedo and had a coin dangling from his left ear. She itched to check on Urvashi, who, in her gold sari, looked like she’d been wrapped in sunlight. She wanted to make sure both of them were okay and hadn’t been hurt…and at the same time, she wanted to yell at them.

I know this is my fault, but it’syours,too!

Just then, Hanuman and Urvashi caught her eye. She didn’t move. Beside her, Mini coughed lightly, and Aru glanced over to see her sister staring at her with a worried expression.