Aru Shah and the City of Gold - Roshani Chokshi Page 0,75
across the wall….
“Another demon?” asked Aru. She flicked her wrist and Vajra turned into a javelin.
“Let’s hope it’s just one,” said Mini, twirling her Death Danda. “I’m making us invisible.”
Brynne raised her wind mace. “I’ll keep us silent.”
Keeping one gust of air under Kara, Brynne directed a different vortex to swirl around the group. Mini whispered something under her breath, and a twinkling violet invisibility sheet stretched over them.
“Best to ambush, I think,” said Aru. “They won’t know what hit them.”
“Agreed,” said Aiden. He fell into step shoulder to shoulder with Aru.
“Uh, you’ve got something on your face,” said Aiden, pointing to his own cheek.
“If it’s a hair, you could just brush it off,” said Aru, angling her face a little toward his.
“I think it’s blood?” said Aiden, recoiling slightly.
“WHAT?!”
“Now!” yelled Brynne as they got within a few feet of the figure in the darkness.
Brynne aimed a cloud of steam at the being just as Mini threw off the invisibility sheet. Aru cast her lightning-bolt net. There was a sizzling crack and a howl of pain before a familiar voice shouted, “Again with the demented rope? Really, Shah?”
The Potatoes raced forward, and when the fog from Brynne’s attack cleared, Aru spied a garish tie-dyed denim jacket, blinding-white sneakers, and a familiar smirk. Pinned beneath Aru’s net, Prince Rudra of Naga-Loka managed a weak wave.
“Sup, fellow Potatoes?” said Rudy.
“Rudy, what are you doing here?” asked Aiden.
He bent down to hoist the naga off the ground, but Rudy batted away his hand and leaped up, dusting the shoulders of his jacket and pretending like nothing had happened.
“That’s a nice way to greet your closest living relative,” said Rudy.
“You’re not my only cousin, Rudy,” pointed out Aiden.
“I’m the only one who matters.”
Aiden groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose, which he did a lot whenever he was with Rudy.
“Who’s the cute unconscious girl?” asked Rudy, craning his head to look at Kara.
“She’s the Sleeper’s daughter,” said Brynne.
Other daughter, Aru wanted to say. But she didn’t.
“She single?” asked Rudy.
“Me?” asked Mini.
“Huh?” said Rudy, looking at Mini as if he’d just noticed her standing there. “I meant the unconscious chick.”
“That’s your first question about her?” demanded Aiden.
“I mean, I figured I’m missing some info, but you guys will just fill me in later.”
“Info, along with brain cells,” muttered Aiden.
“She’s not a chick,” said Aru. “A chick is a flightless baby bird, and Kara’s got a sunlight trident….”
“And she’s smart and has a ridiculous vocabulary,” said Mini.
Rudy frowned. “I wasn’t calling her a bird. I was calling her a chick, like, ‘Cute or Handsome being of Indeterminate origin who might Consider Killing you.’ You know. A chick.”
The Potatoes stared at him.
“So, what’s this chick’s name?” asked Rudy.
“You keep using that word…” said Aru. “I do not think it means what you think it means.”
“Her name is Kara,” said Mini.
“Cool,” said Rudy. “So, do you want to keep talking in this tunnel, or do you want to come back to my palace?”
“I hate that you just said that sentence,” said Aiden.
Rudy ignored him.
“That could be…interesting,” said Mini.
Aru scrutinized her sister’s face, wondering if Mini still had a crush on the naga.
“I can’t believe we ran into you,” Aiden said to Rudy, shaking his head.
“I can,” said Aru.
The last time she’d seen Sheela, the prophetic girl had told her Two friends will return. One you will welcome, the other you’ll spurn.
Though Aru frequently wanted to kick Rudy, she had no desire to spurn him. Which meant he was the welcome friend. Who was the other one?
“How did you find us?” asked Brynne.
“I mean, technically, you guys are on my property. This tunnel is part of my parents’ royal naga territory. I heard a weird crashing sound and came out to investigate.”
“You must have heard our battle,” said Mini, eager to talk to him. “We were fighting our doubles, and Aru—”
“See that?” Rudy talked over her, puffing out his chest a bit. “I’m officially on guard duty, which proves that my family thinks I deserved an upgrade in responsibility. I mean, even I lost count of how many times I saved your lives on the last quest. My parents are calling me by my full title now: Prince Rudra of Naga-Loka, Heir of the Jewel-Strewn Seas. And I even have facial hair.”
Rudy angled his face up and Aru saw a single sad hair beneath his nose.
“Last time I saw you, your mom called you ‘Baby Snekky-Snake’ and carried you into a fountain,”