Page 8 of Aru Shah and the Tree of Wishes

Instantly, they pulled her into a hug. Aru felt her heart practically bursting with joy. Mini’s hug was nice and warm, but Brynne’s was starting to break her ribs.

“Need—air! Help!” managed Aru.

Her sisters released her, and Brynne hoisted her off the ground. Aru peered around, confused. The last time she was in Atlanta, it had been early spring, still chilly enough for her to need a sweater in the morning. But now it was warm…almost muggy. The sun glared down at them.

“Shah,” said a familiar, velvety voice. “You’re okay. I couldn’t stop thinking about you. I mean, you know, thinking if you were okay and stuff…”

Aru looked up to see Aiden Acharya staring at her. As usual, his camera, Shadowfax, hung from his right shoulder. He wore a loose-fitting black tee and jeans. Even in the daylight, there was something about his eyes that reminded Aru of distant stars. For a second, it looked as if Aiden was going to hug her. Aru took a step forward.

But then Aiden’s arms fell to his side.

Aru stepped back.

Whatever hadalmosthappened fizzled and died on the spot when Aiden coughed and pointed to Kara, still passed out on the grass.

“Who is she?”

Aru took a deep breath, then looked at her friends. “So…as it turns out…I’m not the only daughter of the Sleeper?”

If there was one upside to certain doom, it was Brynne’s cooking.

The moment Aru stepped into her apartment above the Museum of Ancient Indian Art and Culture, she smelled something baking. But not just any baking—it was Brynne’s stress desserts: golden maladu, bright orange and creamy rava kesari, pistachio cake, and macarons sandwiched with honey and cardamom buttercream. Aru’s mouth watered.

“Don’t look so happy about the food, Shah,” grumbled Brynne. “We’ve been worried about you for almost two months. It’s been hard to find enough sugar lately!”

Aiden smirked. “Brynne, to be fair, you ran through a small kingdom’s supply of ingredients.”

Two months?It felt like she’d spent barely two hours in the Sleeper’s lair. Aru glanced at the wall calendar hanging by the stairs, her heart sinking. When they’d started their search for the Tree of Wishes, it had been March. Now it was May.

Aru looked around the apartment she shared with her mom and frowned.

It was way too tidy and neat.

No half-empty coffee cups perched on chairs, no open books, no jasmine scent from the shampoo her mom used. At this time of year the museum should’ve been open for tours and summer camps, but it was completely empty downstairs.

Mini pinched her arm.

“Ow!” said Aru. “What was that for?”

“Checking your skin turgor for potential dehydration,” said Mini. “What have you been eating? Have you been drinking enough water? Your skin looks—”

Aru raised an eyebrow. “Flushed and glowing from running back to you guys?”

“I was going to say ‘dull.’”

“Thanks.”

“Howdidyou get back to us?” asked Brynne.

As Aru was steered to the dining table, she nodded toward Kara. Aiden had carried the unconscious girl up the stairs and laid her on the couch. “She’s still out?”

“Your mom put an enchantment around the museum that makes any stranger temporarily fall asleep once they get too close,” said Aiden. “Anyone with Otherworldly blood, that is.”

“Pretty sneaky,” said Brynne admiringly. “Kinda like you, Shah.”

“Where is Mom?” asked Aru. “Is she out for groceries or something?”

Brynne and Mini exchanged a look.