Aru Shah and the City of Gold - Roshani Chokshi Page 0,70

was the same thing Other Aru had whispered right before she got to Kara. And when Aru heard revenge, it triggered a memory of Boo quoting Confucius: “If you seek revenge, you should dig two graves.”

Aru didn’t want to destroy herself, and yet that was exactly what was happening.

So how could she stop it?

Maybe it was her tired mind jumbling voices together—the voices of so many people who had tried to teach her—but Aru also remembered Uttanka’s gentle words: We are all our own beginnings and our own ends….

Aru felt as if her whole soul had exhaled a sigh. She understood now.

Other Aru pulled back the lightning net. Vajra stretched into spear form, crackling proudly, but Aru made no move to throw her weapon.

“I knew you were weak,” said Other Aru.

On the other side of the arena, the dust settled long enough for Aru to see Brynne and Mini standing back-to-back. Brynne was sporting a black eye. Their counterparts faced them, breathing heavily and looking just as scuffed. A few feet away, Aiden had thrown off Other Aiden’s scimitars and kicked them across the room. He looked victorious for exactly one second before Other Aiden rushed at him with his bare hands and they tumbled to the floor.

This has to stop now, thought Aru.

Mini saw Kara sprawled out on the floor. She looked quickly between Aru and Other Aru, her eyes widening.

I don’t like that look on your face, Aru. We have to keep fighting to save Kara.

No, thought back Aru. We don’t.

She could hear Mini’s panic like a thrumming string stretching between them, but she ignored it, focusing instead on her opponent.

“You’ve caused so much destruction,” said Other Aru.

It stung, but Aru pushed it aside. “True,” she said. “But I can’t fix it if I get destroyed, too.”

Other Aru scoffed, lifting her golden blade. “Any last words to yourself?”

Aru scowled. “Well, that’s how I know you’re a fake. I’d be quoting Princess Bride and be like ‘You seem a decent fellow; I hate to kill you,’ and then you’d say—”

“AHH!” screamed Other Aru, charging forward.

“Okay, not what I had in mind.”

Aru braced herself. Her hands tightened into fists, but she kept them clenched at her side. She’d drawn Vajra back down to the form of a bracelet. Her lightning bolt frantically zapped at her wrist, as if pleading to fight, but Aru resisted. She held tight to Uttanka’s words. She was the beginning and the end, and this was going to end with her.

“SHAH, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?” screamed Aiden.

“No, Aru! Keep fighting!” shouted Brynne. “Don’t give up!”

“I’m not giving up,” said Aru, closing her eyes. “I’m letting go.”

Up until that moment, Aru hadn’t considered how those painful memories of Boo, her mom, the Council, and the Sleeper were like claws sinking through her skin and into her soul. She only noticed it now because she released her anger as the Other Aru rushed at her. Aru felt so much lighter without all that resentment.

But she couldn’t even appreciate it, because, the next moment, darkness exploded behind her eyes as she fell backward and her head hit stone.

The first thing Aru noticed was someone running their fingers along her skull. It felt kind of nice, actually, but then the person took their hand away.

“Well, no noticeable contusions,” said Mini.

“What’s that mean?” asked Brynne.

“It means Aru’s got an exceptionally hard skull.”

“Surprise, surprise,” said Aiden.

Aru grumbled. Her mouth felt dry and her throat was scratchy as she said, “Stop talking about me behind my back.”

“Don’t worry, Shah, we’re right in front of you,” said Aiden.

Aru could practically hear the smirk in his voice. She opened her eyes to see her friends crouched around her and looking anxious. Mini squealed happily as she lifted Aru slightly to give her a hug.

“Ow…careful!” said Aru.

“Sorry, sorry,” said Mini.

Around them, the chamber no longer looked like an arena. The walls had slid back to form a small room, the floor strewn with dust and debris. The doppelgängers had vanished, but the blue lotus remained in its column of light, rotating slowly. Just behind it, Kubera’s eye blinked. Aru almost thought she’d imagined the whole battle…until she saw a familiar shape lying just beyond the group.

Kara.

Someone had crossed her arms over her chest. Her trident lay tucked in one elbow, its glow ebbing and flowing as if it were snoring. Brynne kept a stream of wind directed at her, which both lifted Kara off the dusty ground and caused her long hair to ribbon around her.