Aru Shah and the City of Gold - Roshani Chokshi Page 0,16

was stupid, but a small part of her hoped that her mom somehow knew Aru was home and had come back to her. But when she crossed the hall, she found Kara holding a bottle of Krithika Shah’s neroli perfume to her nose.

“What do you think you’re doing?” asked Aru harshly.

Kara jumped and hastily put back the bottle. “Nothing.”

“I can see that,” said Aru.

“I was just looking around,” said Kara.

Aru could feel mean words rising in her throat….

But then Kara said, “I…I just wanted to know what a mom’s room looked like. I’m sorry.”

Oh, thought Aru. It felt like someone had stuck a needle in her anger. Aru had spent her whole life being curious about her own absent parent. It made sense that Kara would feel the same way.

“Actually, when I miss my mom, I do the same thing,” said Aru.

Kara’s gaze darted to a framed photo of Aru and her mom on the wall. “She’s beautiful.”

Aru nodded, unsure of what else to say.

“You’re lucky to have her,” said Kara, staring openly at the photo.

“What, um, what happened to your mom?”

Kara shrugged. “I don’t know anything about her. Dad said she had to give me up but she always wanted to come back for me. She never has, though…. Or maybe she did, and Dad hid it from me.” Kara stepped toward the door, not looking at Aru. “We should go. Again, um, I’m sorry.”

Without waiting for Aru to respond, Kara rushed out of the room.

The bus to Dahlonega was practically empty, so they could sit wherever they wanted. Aru grabbed a window seat in the back and immediately stuck in her earbuds. Aiden sat with Kara, who asked him about his camera. Mini cleaned her seat with an antibacterial wipe, and Brynne dove into the snack bag.

Aru had barely started listening to music before the rumble of the bus dragged her to sleep. Her dreams were a chaos of stars and planets. Her feet kicked wildly as she fell head over heels through the sky—

“Gotcha!” yelled a familiar voice.

In the dream, Aru opened her eyes and found herself lying on a bed of clouds. She recognized this place—it was the dream studio where Nikita liked to tailor elaborate gowns and outfits. When Aru sat up, two pairs of ice-blue eyes stared back at her. Within seconds, Sheela and Nikita piled onto her in an attack hug.

“We’ve been searching every dream for you!” said Sheela accusingly.

“Don’t make us worry like that again,” said Nikita imperiously.

The twins hadn’t changed much in the past few months. Sheela was in a unicorn onesie, and the horned hood flopped over her head as she waved. Nikita was wearing a metallic pantsuit with a matching headband that held up her heavy braids.

“I hate panicking,” said Nikita. “It makes me slouch and that ruins my clothes.”

“I’m glad you guys are safe, too,” said Aru, hugging them. “I was really worried….”

Knowing the twins were safe, sound, and still a little ridiculous felt like a much-needed gulp of air after being underwater too long.

Nikita’s haughty look melted into a warm smile. “We’re better now,” she said. “We’re back with our parents. But we spend some nights training with Brynne and Mini.”

“I hate training,” grumbled Sheela.

“I hate losing creative time to gross, sweaty sparring,” said Nikita, examining her nails. “But all the Otherworld portals are shut down because of the Sleeper, so, not much of a choice.”

“I’ve been seeing things,” said Sheela dreamily. “Glimpses here and there…”

“Of what?” asked Aru.

Or who…? she wondered.

“Shiny things!” said Sheela in a singsong voice. “Scurrying stuff, and a man with a deep laugh.”

Did she mean the Sleeper?

Sheela’s eyes flashed silver as she recited:

You must remember to be polite

Even to things far out of your sight.

Not everything that glitters is gold….

The truth will lead to the Lanka road.

Choose poorly and you’ll find that there’s no way out,

And you’ll end up where no one can hear you shout.

A tendril of cold fear curled through Aru’s heart.

Aru jolted awake when the bus slammed on its brakes.

“Almost there,” said Mini from the seat in front of her.

Aru’s shoulder felt damp.

Gross, she thought, is the bus leaking? She looked at her shirt. Nope. It was drool.

“Ugh,” said Aru, pushing herself upright.

“Drooling again?” Mini sighed and started rummaging through her backpack. “Don’t worry! I have wipes.”

Aru looked beyond Mini to Kara and Aiden’s row. Kara’s book was open on her lap, and Aiden was reading it over her shoulder. The afternoon sunshine illuminated them so perfectly it was