Page 118 of Aru Shah and the Tree of Wishes

She picked it up and gasped. “It feels…familiar,” she said, weighing it in her hand. “I don’t know how to explain it.”

Mini passed it to Brynne, who also looked stunned.

“I mean, that’s impossible, right?” asked Mini.

Brynne handed it to Aiden. A slow smile spread across his face as he placed the egg gently into Aru’s palm. The moment Aru touched it, a memory flared inside her skull: a pigeon preening its feathers and tucking its head under its wing to sleep.

“Wait,” she said. “This…This isBoo?”

“Well, he—or she or they; one can never tell what souls want to be—may want a different name once it hatches,” said Kubera. “You were the ones who freed Subala, after all. Perhaps he will want nothing to do with the life he previously had.”

“Freed him?” repeated Aru, shocked. “But he was cursed! Only a wish could free him….” Aru trailed off, as the exact words she’d said floated back to her:I wish you would just get out of our lives.

The words had been so ugly that Aru had felt nothing but guilt over what she’d said. She hadn’t even considered that it was the first time she’d saidI wishto Boo. It was a cruel twist to his curse.

If she’d known that was all it would take, she could’ve freed Boo ages ago. Maybe all she’d needed to say was:I wish you were free.But she’d never thought of that, and Boo, panicked and trapped, had ended up going to the worst lengths imaginable to try to save them.

“Whatever hatches from that egg will no longer be Subala,” said Kubera. “But it will contain his soul. And a new chance.”

Biju crept a little closer to Aru, as if stalking the egg.

“Stop that!” snapped Kubera.

Biju scowled.

“We don’t eat our friends!”

Biju huffed, and a round opal fell from its mouth.

“Unless they become enemies…in which case, fair is fair,” said Kubera, shrugging.

Mini looked horrified, and Kara giggled at her expression. Brynne stared hungrily at the empty platter while Rudy kept trying to snatch up the little gemstones Biju dropped whenever he opened his mouth.

Aru caught Aiden glancing at her. For the first time since the nightmare of everything that had happened in the House of the Sun, he smiled. She smiled back, then peered down at the flame-and-ruby-swirled egg in her hands. She pulled it a little closer to her belly, and the knot of guilt inside her loosened.

Aru never thought she’d think this way, but she’d had her fill of gold and jewels. She’d seen enough of both to last several lifetimes, and in the end, neither compared to the rare treasure in her hand. A golden army might be precious, but a second chance with someone she loved?

That was priceless.

After their meeting with Kubera, Rudy decided to return to his parents’ palace. First he gave the Potatoes multiple, though somewhat unwanted, assurances that he’d find a way to see them every week.

“I’mliterallya hero,” said Rudy. “AndI’m a prince. Who’s going to say no to me now?”

He winked. Aru noticed that this time he wasn’t looking at her…but at Mini. Who didn’t seem to notice. Or, if she did, she acted like it didn’t matter.

Mini, Brynne, and Aiden were able to get ahold of their families…but there was still no word from Krithika Shah.

“What if she hasn’t come back yet?” asked Aru.

Kara squeezed her hand. “She will.”

Together, the five of them returned through the newly reopened portals to Atlanta. On one side of the street stood the Museum of Ancient Indian Art and Culture. On the other side stood the elegant home that belonged to Aiden and his mom.

“Do you want me to come with you?” asked Aiden.

“That’s okay,” she said. “Your mom is probably waiting for you.”

Aiden nodded. He looked like he wanted to say something else, but he turned and left.