Aru Shah and the Tree of Wishes (Pandava Quartet #3) - Roshani Chokshi Page 0,73

car’s headlights?”

The rest of the birds laughed, and Sohail hung his head in shame. “A car, ’tis a fearsome thing. And it is true, I have been lured by false lights before. But what I feel now…it is like realizing my whole life has been lived in shadow.”

Brynne rolled her eyes and muttered, “What do you think this bird would do if it saw a glow stick?”

Aru stifled a giggle, then glanced over at Mini, Rudy, and Aiden. They weren’t laughing. Mini’s eyes were shining. Aiden looked stony-faced, but there was something wistful in his gaze. Rudy’s lip trembled…and he started slow-clapping in genuine appreciation.

“Yes, all right, fine,” grumbled the highest bird. “So you wish us to translate something for the reprehensible mortals. Where is this fair love of yours? Is it being held captive by the odious children?”

“Hey!” said Brynne.

“No!” said Aru vehemently. She raised her arm, where Vajra sparkled. “It is a fearsome weapon.”

The birds took one look at Vajra in bracelet form and burst out in raucous hoots and caws.

“Oh, Sohail has really fallen this time!” said one, choking with laughter. “What do you think he’ll do when the battery runs out?”

Sohail could not blush, but Aru noticed that the delicate feathers around his cheeks fluffed out in shame.

“Perhaps I see what you do not,” he said quietly.

A prickle of energy wound through Vajra. Without even a command from Aru, the lightning bolt shot up to its true, staggering size of at least six feet. Even Aru had never seen Vajra so big. Usually, her lightning bolt preferred to be compact, subtle.

Now Vajra looked like all the crackling heavens wrought into a single zigzagging shape.

The laughter quickly died. The silence was only broken by the sudden click! of Aiden’s camera.

Sohail looked proudly at the rest of the birds. “There shines my beloved.”

Vajra sparked one last time and elegantly folded itself back into a bracelet on Aru’s wrist, reminding her of a queen who has deigned to sit at a table with commoners.

“Ahem,” said the highest bird. “Well. I, uh…As you can see…Well—”

The second-highest bird piped up: “We don’t work for free! Man or monster or god, we don’t care. We demand fair compensation in the form of secrets.”

“What do you need secrets for?” asked Aiden.

“They draw the moonlight closer,” said Sohail. “And we can bask in the light.”

“We don’t have any secrets,” said Aiden quickly. Too quickly.

Aru winced. It was like he had thrown chum toward sharks.

The second-highest chakora bird flew toward them. “No secrets, eh?” it said, leering. “Well, why don’t we just see about that?”

At least a hundred chakora birds rose into the sky.

“Oh, is that quite necessary?” asked Sohail gently. “Is it not best to coax out the secrets of those around us through mutual trust and respect?”

The flock ignored him. They beat their wings and a glittering dust fell upon Aru and her friends.

“What is this?” demanded Brynne.

Mini pinched her nose. “What if I’m allergic?”

Rudy furiously tried to brush the stuff off him.

“Is this…Is this moon-bird dandruff?” asked Aru. “Because that”—shake—“is”—shake—“unacceptable!”

Aiden stared at his sleeves with growing horror. “It forces out secrets,” he said, his voice tinged with fear. “Keep your mouths closed—”

“Perhaps we might start with what currency you have available,” said the head chakora bird, staring directly at him.

Aiden clamped his hands over his lips, then lurched forward as if someone had lassoed him with a rope and tugged—

“I always volunteer to be the official photographer at school dances because I don’t want anyone to find out that I’m a good dancer,” he said in a rush, his eyes wide. “And for six months, I practiced the poker-chip trick that Le Chiffre did in Casino Royale. But I don’t know how to play poker, so I don’t know when I’m ever going to use the trick.”

About two feet away, a small pile of silver dust gathered on the floor—the equivalent weight of Aiden’s secrets. He slumped to the ground, clutching his stomach, mortification written all over him.

Rudy was next. He backed away, but the birds’ magic worked on him all the same:

“I’VE NEVER KISSED A GIRL. ONCE I PRACTICED ON A GEM, BUT I CHOKED ON IT!” he yelled.

Aru plugged her ears with her fingers. “Do you have to shout?!”

Rudy sank onto the rubble, blushing deeply.

Brynne looked wild-eyed. “Oh wait, no, no-no-no—”

“Ah, but we demand a secret for our work,” said the bird. “And all must pay!”

Brynne went blue in the face trying to hold herself back, but she too lost