Aru Shah and the City of Gold - Roshani Chokshi Page 0,107
museum lying in rubble around them.
“I apologize for barging in like this, but I wouldn’t miss my daughter’s fifteenth birthday for anything,” he said. “And if all goes according to plan, I will never have to miss your birthday ever again.”
He smiled at her, and then he turned his blue and brown eyes to her friends in suspended animation. “A powerful spell, I must admit—one I haven’t used since our meeting three years ago. It’s quite a draining endeavor, even though this version is a less powerful one. It will allow for exactly eleven minutes of stillness—more than enough time to convince you to let me back into your life.”
“You made your choices,” said Aru. She hated the way her voice was shaking. “And I’ve made mine. There’s no way I’m joining you.”
Next to her, Aiden clanged his scimitars together. Aru raised her lightning bolt, fury threading through her….
“Nuh-uh-uh,” said the Sleeper, wagging a finger at her. “I wouldn’t do that.”
He took one step to the left and revealed Kara standing there, trembling, her wrists bound. The ring on her hand looked dull. There was a faint glow behind her, and Aru knew the beacon must have gone off.
The Sleeper frowned at Aiden, tilting his head to the side as annoyance rippled across his face. “Who is this? Were you alone with him?” he demanded. Then he started to laugh. “Ah, so this is what parenting feels like. Well, that’s easily settled.”
The Sleeper snapped his fingers, and Aiden went limp, falling to the ground.
“No!” cried Kara.
“What have you done?” screamed Aru, dropping to her knees.
Aiden’s eyes were wide open, his lips parted. He was breathing, but he wouldn’t move.
“He’ll be fine,” said the Sleeper, annoyed. “Though, considering his last thought was about a certain kiss, I’m not so certain he deserves—”
Across the lobby, the entry doors burst open. For a moment, Aru couldn’t make out the figure silhouetted in the threshold. But then the person stepped forward, and Aru’s heart threatened to burst.
“Mom!”
She’d come back!
“Get away from them!” Krithika yelled at her husband.
She raced across the lobby, and Aru ran toward her, completely sidestepping the Sleeper. She’d take any risk to hug her mom again.
Krithika Shah caught her in an embrace. Aru breathed deeply, fighting back a sob. She caught a trace of her mother’s perfume…but her mom’s body didn’t feel the same. It was too thin, and the arms around Aru seemed frail. Aru pulled back to look into her face. It was almost skeletal, and now Aru could see the grime on her clothes and the way her mother struggled to stand.
“What happened to—?” Aru started to say, when a bright light illuminated the room.
Aru spun around, lifting her lightning bolt high, only to lower it when she saw that the light had come not from the Sleeper, but Kara. Aru’s half sister gasped at the much brighter glow that now surrounded her. Aru was stunned. That beacon was supposed to alert Kara to the presence of the Sleeper, and also to her mom…. Did that mean…?
Aru looked between Krithika and Kara, and the similarities in their faces melded as comprehension struck her in the gut.
She and Kara didn’t just share a father….
“You’re my mom?” asked Kara, looking straight at Krithika. “But…how?”
Krithika said nothing. She just leaned harder on Aru, as if she were about to faint any second.
“I thought you never came looking for me because you couldn’t,” said Kara softly. Her eyes moved to Aru. “But I guess it was because you had a daughter you wanted to keep instead.”
“No,” said Krithika, fighting to speak. “It’s not what you think, I swear it. I—”
“Oh, my Kara,” said the Sleeper, wrapping his arm around her. “I never meant for you to find out this way. Pay no mind to your mother. She doesn’t know what a treasure you are.”
Kara was shaking. Silent tears streamed down her face.
“I’m no one,” she said.
“You couldn’t be more wrong, child,” said the Sleeper. “Your mother wanted to hide the truth from you. I always planned to tell you, but first I had to make sure I could give you all that you deserve and—”
“Stop it,” said Krithika hoarsely. “Enough! I’ve been watching you, Suyodhana, I see what—”
The Sleeper flicked his wrist, and Krithika crumpled. Aru caught her before she fell to the floor. Her eyes were open and straining, as if she could hear everything but say nothing.
Aru’s jaw clenched. She swiveled Vajra in her hand and lunged toward the Sleeper.