Aru Shah and the City of Gold - Roshani Chokshi Page 0,83

friends. They didn’t have any secrets from one another. Even her mom had gotten better about not hiding things.

“So sad,” said Chhaya with a slow smile. “But what a delicious secret, is it not? Everyone’s hiding something….”

The door beyond Chhaya glowed brighter.

“Off you go, little ones,” she said, smiling.

A wave of unease went through Aru, but what choice did they have? The eye wouldn’t work here—it seemed to understand that it had no power inside the House of the Sun.

“May your journey be bright but not blinding,” said Saranyu.

Chhaya snapped her fingers and the door opened, leading to a hallway that looked pure white. Chhaya’s voice was a cold shadow slipping into her skull. “Hasten to your war, daughters of the gods….”

A couple of years earlier, Aru’s mom and a bunch of other historians had been invited to a tombstone-symbolism tour in the Oakland Cemetery in Atlanta. Aru had gone along because 1) What if there were ghosts? and 2) WHAT IF THERE WERE GHOSTS? and 3) If there weren’t ghosts, at least she could imitate the creepy statues.

Aru loved Oakland Cemetery. It was silent and peaceful, the air perfumed with blooming irises, and the shade cast by the glossy magnolia trees was cool and inviting. So inviting, in fact, that when the tour guide started droning on about the Civil War, Aru had tucked herself up under a tree that overlooked the unmarked graves of Civil War–era soldiers. She remembered her eyelids closing and her body getting sleep-heavy when a raspy voice had whispered in her ear, Not all of us have found rest here, little girl. And a body burning with energy such as yours could feed our restlessness for years….

Aru had scrambled out of the shade and run to her mom, whom she wouldn’t let go of until they were back in the car. Afterward, she’d told herself that the whole thing must have been a bad dream. But she’d never forgotten what it had felt like right before she heard that ghostly voice. It was if she had stumbled into a place she wasn’t meant to see, a place where the world turned in on itself and the light ran too thin, and all the shadows came alive.

That was how it felt now, as they entered the hallway lined with things the sun god had seen and never shared. It was full of low murmuring and soft weeping, harsh whispers and music played for no one. The sounds raised goose bumps on Aru’s arms. Dozens of pure white pillars as tall as ancient oak trees lined the passage, which stretched the length of a football field and then came to an abrupt stop, like a balcony with no rail. Beyond, there was nothing but the star-strewn expanse of space. Between each pillar stretched a long, cloudy mirror. The floor beneath them looked more like steel wool than clouds, definitely not the softness spun by the cloud-knitting elephant, Airavata.

“This place is not the vibe,” declared Rudy, throwing up his hood.

“I kinda like it!” said Mini.

“Let’s just get out of here,” said Brynne gruffly. Beside her, Kara floated on a ribbon of cloud that Lady Saranyu had given them. Kara was still glowing, her hair billowing around her eerily and her trident gleaming like a ray of sunlight.

“I’ll take the lead,” said Aru. Vajra wound up her arm as a rope and then stayed still and wary. “Mini, can you guard the middle? That way you can cast a shield on either side.”

Mini nodded, twirling Dee Dee with one hand.

“Can I hide behind, I mean assist Mini?” asked Rudy.

“Ask her, not me,” retorted Aru.

Rudy grinned at Mini. For the briefest second, joy spread across Mini’s face, but she quickly turned her smile into a glare.

“I guess so,” she said.

“Me and Ammamma will take the rear,” said Brynne.

Aiden rolled his eyes at the nickname, as usual, then tapped Shadowfax. The camera quickly folded up and turned into a watch on his wrist.

“What, no photos?” asked Aru.

He looked around the hall, his gaze narrowing. “Some things aren’t for us to see, Shah.”

Just then, something flashed in the corner of Aru’s eye. In one of the mirrors, instead of her own reflection, Aru saw a teenaged girl with long hair moving out of sight, her hands clutching her pregnant belly.

I wish I could keep you with me. But it’s better this way. I’m so sorry.

A chill stole through Aru. There was something familiar about the girl, but Aru couldn’t get a