Aru Shah and the City of Gold - Roshani Chokshi Page 0,41

his booming voice declared, “WELCOME, VISITORS, TO THE CITY OF GOLD! THE ONLY PLACE IN THE MULTIVERSE WHERE MONEY CAN, LITERALLY, BUY YOU EVERYTHING.” The god leaned forward and winked before settling back into his throne and turning as still as a photograph.

“So that’s Kubera…” said Aiden, gawking at the screen.

The god of wealth didn’t look at all like he sounded. His tone was so deep that Aru could’ve sworn she’d seen tiny nuggets of gold rattling on the streets. It was the kind of voice that seemed like it should belong to someone tall and imposing. But Kubera was a bald dwarf with a round belly, and stodgy fingers crowded with sparkling rings. He wore a golden tuxedo with a matching eye patch, and his uncovered eye seemed to change color every second.

“I don’t understand,” said Kara, looking around. “Everything seems…normal.”

The citizens of Lanka wove in and out of the streets, disappearing into the giant buildings or emerging from bright storefronts with their arms loaded with shiny bags. They walked their pets—one of which was a slow-moving crocodile with emerald scales—and stared at their phones and laughed with their friends.

“But—” Mini stopped, shaking her head. “But what about the lockdown?”

“Or the war?” said Brynne, staring around her. “I thought they knew the Sleeper’s army was coming!”

“They do,” said Aiden. “But why should they care? Lanka is a rich city protected by a god. They’re confident that if Kubera steps aside and gives him what he wants, the Sleeper won’t attack them.”

“But what about the rest of the Otherworld?” asked Aru, thinking about the images they’d seen in Aiden’s camera. People running around the Night Bazaar, screaming in terror as they grabbed their kids and partners, hoping that in the end they’d get to stay together.

“Not their problem,” Aiden said with a shrug. “Or so they think.”

A wave of fury rose in Aru. She wanted to shake every person here. Didn’t they know how much the Pandavas had gone through to get to Lanka? Aru’s mom was somewhere on her own trying to help them, and Hanuman and Urvashi were probably trapped in this dazzling city. Didn’t these people feel the constant threat of war, like a hand slowly closing around the throat? Or was it just Aru?

“It’s not their fight,” said Aiden, his lip curling in distaste.

Aru squared her shoulders, and Vajra sparked in solidarity. “Then let’s make it their fight,” she said coldly. “We’re going to win Kubera’s Nairrata army, and when the Sleeper shows up, he’s gonna get the battle of his life.”

Brynne snapped her fingers approvingly. Mini grinned, and Aiden flashed one of his closed-mouth smiles. Kara, however, wasn’t as enthusiastic. She fidgeted with the golden ring on her finger and didn’t look up.

“Now we just have to get to Kubera,” said Aru, scanning the thin, sharp buildings around them. She thought his palace would be obvious, but it seemed hidden.

“I know how to get there,” said Kara quietly. “I’ve seen the plans…and…and when we get to the palace, I’ll give you the name of the weapon that Dad is looking for. As promised.”

“Or you could tell us…now?” said Aru. “It’s not going to change anything.”

“I’m not going to be abandoned just like that,” snapped Kara.

“Whoa. No one said anything about abandoning—” started Brynne, but Kara had already started walking ahead of them.

Aru’s mind churned as she thought about what would happen next. In his message, Kubera had said he would put them through three trials before he gave them his army. But would he give them this weapon—whatever it was—too? Aru wanted to ask Kara, but the other girl prickled with unease.

“This way,” said Kara stiffly.

They followed her as she wound her way through the glittering streets of Lanka.

As they walked, Aru couldn’t help but overhear snatches of conversations around her. One guy covered in golden scales and wearing a pair of sunglasses on the back of his head started laughing into his phone. He wore an ID card around his neck: GRAYSON SURAPANENI, ANALYST.

“Bro, now is the time to invest in enchanted phone lines, I’m telling you. Everyone is like ‘Oh no, are my loved ones okay?’ and they’ll pay through the snout to find out,” he said.

Gross, thought Aru.

“Yo, I’m not worried. My dad can pay for all that stuff. I’d be shocked if I didn’t get paid—”

Shocked, huh? thought Aru. As she walked past, she snapped her fingers, and a tendril of Vajra’s electricity whipped into the air and smacked the analyst