Page 115 of Aru Shah and the Tree of Wishes

None of them had tried to help.

Before, people applauding her would’ve been a dream come true. Now it just annoyed her.

“Aru?” asked Kara. “I wasn’t sure if, um, it was okay to ask you, but—”

Aru could guess what Kara wanted to know. “You could have gone with the Sleeper,” she said.

“No, I—”

“But you didn’t,” Aru cut in. “So you’re stuck with us now. And that’s that.”

Kara beamed. “Really?”

“Really,” said Aru, flashing a true smile.

“Really!” chimed in Mini.

“Really,” added Brynne.

Kara looked happy, but her hand fluttered to her chest anyway, as if she were hurting. Aru knew how she felt. They’d won, but not forever, and not without losing something dear. What was the word Kara had used for situations like this?Pyrrhic. The victory had cost too much for all of them.

Except maybe Rudy.

He seemed delighted with all the new attention. He walked backward, blowing kisses to the crowd through the glass walls of the hallway. People threw flowers on top of the tunnel.

“THANK YOU! THANK YOU! FOLLOW ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA! MY INSTAGRAM HANDLE IS—”

Mini sighed, grabbing Rudy’s arm and hauling him forward.

At the end of the tunnel was a semi-dark room adorned with soft silken pillows and floating candles. Brynne’s eyes went immediately to the single platter of samosas on the low-lying table.

“Kubera wants you to wait for him here,” said Hanuman.

“The two of us must go back to the Otherworld,” said Urvashi. “We have left it unprotected for too long.”

They hugged each of the Pandavas.

“What you did today was truly a feat worthy of legends,” Urvashi said warmly. “The heavens will not forget your bravery.”

“And neither will the Otherworld,” Hanuman added, patting their backs.

“What about Boo?” asked Mini. “He…He died trying to protect us.”

Hanuman bowed his head. “We shall make sure his sacrifice is not forgotten, either.”

“But where is he?” asked Aru. She didn’t want to saybodyout loud. It didn’t feel right.

Hanuman and Urvashi exchanged a glance.

“No,”said Aru firmly. “Not that again. Don’t hide things from us anymore—”

“Peace, Aru,” said Hanuman, holding out his hands. “Kubera found something, and he wants to give it to you himself. He says it’s good news.”

Aru almost laughed. Good news from Kubera? It had to be a trick.

“He will explain,” said Hanuman.

“We must go,” said Urvashi urgently. “We have to make sure boundaries are secure. The Sleeper will try one last time….”