Page 123 of Aru Shah and the Tree of Wishes

So she said nothing.

It didn’t matter, Aru told herself. Her birthday was coming up. She had an epic party to look forward to. And something deep in her heart told her that her mom was finally coming home.

Today, Aru Shah was fifteen years old.

She wasn’t sure what she expected to happen. Magically glossy tresses? The sudden, inexplicable disappearance of unwanted facial hair? Waking up to birds and small animals doing her hair and bringing her clothes?

Would’ve been awesome, but…nope.

Instead, Aru had spent the day rewatching movies and eating whatever baked goods Brynne dropped off, because she was totally barred from leaving the upstairs apartment until the transformation of the downstairs was complete. All day, Aru could hear Rudy testing out the sound system and Mini yelling about disinfecting the decorations. She smelled Brynne’s Extra-Amazing-All-Other-Cakes-Should-Quit Chocolate Cake, which had taken her awesome sisterthreedays to make. When Aru had peeked—shortly before Brynne directed a powerful wind to force her back, becausethey weren’t done yet!—she’d seen Kara carrying bundles of string lights and Aiden snapping photos, and Aru had beenalmosthappy.

Almost.

Now, with just five minutes to go before she went downstairs, Aru glanced at the photo of her and her mom on the mantel.

“Yesterday, Urvashi said I was starting to look like you,” said Aru to the photo.

Aru hadn’t believed Urvashi, but now that she looked in the mirror, she saw that something about herhadchanged. Her skin was still darker than Krithika’s, and Aru liked it that way. Her hair wasn’t as curly and glossy, but it was thick and heavy and fell past her shoulders, and she was pleased with the fishtail side braid she had made for her party. Unlike her mom, who was endlessly fashionable, Aru would prefer to spend an entire day in pajamas. Tonight, though, she was wearing a two-piece dress made special for her by Nikita. The skirt was dark gold and high-waisted, with a pattern of gold-foil lightning bolts. The top was black velvet studded with gold pearls, and it had ballooned sleeves that cinched delicately at her wrists. Maybe that was it—she was now old enough to pull off this kind of look.

“What do you think?” Aru asked the picture.

Through the Pandava mind link, Aru heard Brynne’s voice:NOW you can come down!

Aru grinned. “Wish me luck, Mom. Love you.”

As Aru walked to the door to the stairs, she carefully tucked the astra necklace behind the neckline of her blouse. Ever since Kubera had given them the weapon as a pendant, the Pandava sisters had taken turns wearing it. Most of the time, Aru didn’t mind it, but on some nights she could feel it like a heaviness lying over her heart.

“One of us can wear it on your birthday?” Mini had suggested the other day. “So you can be free?”

Brynne had nodded.

“It’s fine,” said Aru.

Honestly, she was kind of grateful for its sometimes-annoying presence. At least it kept her mind off the fact that Krithika still hadn’t returned.

Once she had reached the alcove by the door, Aru checked on the Boo egg. It seemed to be getting warmer with each passing day, and now when Aru stroked it, it was like touching a too-hot glass straight out of the dishwasher.

“Be good,” said Aru, giving it a kiss for luck.

The egg was silent.

Leaning against the wall beneath the nest was Aru’s backpack. About two years ago, Kamadeva, the god of love, had given Aru a silver lipstick tube that was actually a celestial spotlight.

Use it when you feel like the world should see you in a different light.

Her fifteenth birthday seemed as good of a time as any?

Aru dug into the messy depths of her backpack. There, lying amid some candy wrappers, was the lipstick tube and something else she hadn’t seen in a while….

It was a little gold coin, with the lettersIO(F)Uprinted across it, forIncendiary Offers of Future Use. Agni, the god of fire, had given it to her ages ago. He’d said something rather strange when he did:I have an arsenal of weapons that you will have need of, daughter of Indra. When that time comes, call on me.

Aru frowned, grabbed the lipstick, and shut her bag. Then she untwisted the tube. Immediately, a beam of silvery light engulfed Aru. Her hair lifted a little off her back. On her wrist, Vajra sent curls of electric curiosity down her arm.

“Happy birthday tome,” said Aru, throwing open the door and walking down the stairs.

Aru’s birthday party started offgreat.

There was cake! And music! Plus, Mini and Kara had decorated the museum so that it looked like the inside of a fairy-tale carnival tent. Hira and Brynne—wearing matching chef hats—had made the food, which wrapped around the lobby in a delicious circle. Sheela sat in a corner, joyfully counting each string lightbulb, while Nikita stalked Aru’s every move.