Aru Shah and the Tree of Wishes (Pandava Quartet #3) - Roshani Chokshi Page 0,94

from trees and a greedy, lengthening shadow. She jerked back, her heart pounding.

“That one is a dream rose,” said Nikita, patting the top of its head.

“You mean nightmares?”

“Nightmares are just its defense mechanism,” said Nikita.

The plant seemed to snuggle a little deeper into the earth. When Nikita turned her back, Aru stuck her tongue out at the rose.

“I have to talk to all of them,” said Nikita. “Interview them one by one…But that means taking them out of the soil. Otherwise it’s hard to hear through all the dirt and stuff.”

Aru glanced again at the statues…so still.

Suspiciously still.

Nikita turned to look each of the Potatoes in the eye. “When I take them out, they’ll be loud and fussy. You’re going to have to keep them quiet, okay?”

“You want us to hush up some plants?” asked Brynne, rolling her eyes. “How hard can that be?”

I’m Not a Regular Mom, I’m a Cool Mom

One by one, Nikita lifted up the baby plants, whispering to them as a soft green glow enveloped her hands and face. And one by one, she put them back….

Only, the plants weren’t asleep anymore.

And they definitely weren’t happy.

Ten down, five to go. All ten of the uprooted baby plants threatened to summon the statues. One plant hiccupped loudly, and Aru felt her blood run cold as a mongoose statue started to creak. It wouldn’t take much noise for the yali to peel off from the wall and take a step toward them.

“Shh, shh,” said Aru to her two plants.

They were the color of dusty roses with chubby roots and squinty eyes beneath a riot of petals on their heads. Aru wasn’t sure if plants even made expressions, but these two were definitely glaring at her.

“Be quiet or we’ll die!” she said in a singsong voice.

One of the plants burped loudly in response, and dirt sprayed from its roots. The sound of stone grinding on stone echoed behind Aru. She snuck another glance at the yalis. The statues had halfway detached from the walls. It would take them ten steps to cross the room and reach the magical white-chalked boundary.

Once Nikita spoke to a plant, it was up to the Potatoes to shush them. But Aru’s plants weren’t cooperating. She tried to squish them back into the dirt, but they kept climbing out, making strange gurgling sounds, and sometimes wrapping their roots around her wrist.

“Stop that!” she scolded.

One of them began to cry, then the other. Why did she end up with the worst plant babies? Aru glanced around the table to see how everyone else was managing.

Mini was crouched over her pile of plants, diligently tucking them into the soft dirt. The fronded tops of their heads wilted in sleep…or maybe it was boredom. Mini seemed to be muttering something to the plants as she worked.

“What are you doing?” Aru asked.

Mini blinked up at her. “I’m telling them about the human anatomy! They’re finding it so fascinating they’re keeping quiet.”

A low hum broke through the wailing of Aru’s plants.

“They’re snoring,” said Aru.

Mini looked down and sighed. “I really thought they liked hearing about the endocrine system….”

Aru gathered her plants back in her arms, shivering when the cold dirt touched her skin. “Be quiet!” she said, trying to clamp a hand over a little plant mouth, which seemed to work until…

“OW!” she yelped, shaking out a bitten finger.

Aru felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. A creak sounded behind her. She risked a glance over her shoulder. The yalis were now seven steps away.

“What happened?” asked Brynne from the other side of her.

“It bit me!” hissed Aru in a low voice.

“Then bite back!”

Aru had zero desire to do that.

“Why aren’t yours yelling?” Aru demanded.

Brynne dangled a packet of sugar. “Mixed some sugar and water and sprinkled it on them. Bam! Instant sleep.”

“Do you have any more?” asked Aru, feeling frazzled. She tried bouncing the plants a little, but that shook some of the petals off their heads and they cried even louder.

“Nope, all out.”

Behind her, Aru could hear the groans of the approaching statues. Five steps away.

“Get it together, Shah!” whisper-hissed Brynne.

Aru tried to cover the baby plants with more dirt when they suddenly quieted, their wrinkled faces upturned at the sight of…Vajra? Her lightning bolt shone softly on her wrist, and the plants reached their leaves toward it curiously.

“That’s right,” crooned Aru, piling dirt onto their roots. “Look at the shiny thing! Shiny, shiny, shiny.”

At the front of the table, Nikita continued murmuring to