Aru Shah 4.5

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Suddenly, Aru felt everyone's eyes on her. She hunched her shoulders, staring at the pot. How was she supposed to choose who would get the amrita? She could barely pick out her own clothes in the morning!

Focus, Shah. Aru took a deep breath. She didn't want the devas to gain any more power. They'd abused it enough. Yet if she gave the amrita to the asuras, war would break out again. She'd just ended a war. She didn't need another. But if she didn't, the power imbalance would continue. The Otherworld would never truly be united.

Aiden was watching her, his eyes glowing with encouragement. That gave Aru the courage to lift her head and say, "I've decided."

"What is your will?" Uloopi asked.

"The asuras will be allowed to take their share," Aru said, projecting her voice until it bounced off the pillars around them.

A weighted quiet fell over the Council. "What do you mean?" Hanuman asked finally, eyeing her cautiously.

"You heard me." Aru looked around. "This entire war could have been avoided if the asuras had been treated equally in the beginning."

"But the asuras are unwise and irrational!" burst out Jambavan. "They were not given the nectar because they would not be able to--"

"Oh, so we're back to judging people by their origin?" Aru raised an eyebrow. "I thought the Council was past all of that. After all, they are meant to be the wisest people in the realm. Maybe I was wrong."

"I'm part asura and you can't say I haven't fought for you as hard as anyone else here," Brynne said, crossing her arms and lifting her chin.

"We cannot give the asuras the amrita," Uloopi said, but her expression was unsure. "The other devas will revolt. They--"

"My word is binding. You must abide by it. And if you don't..." Aru changed Vajra into a lightning bolt and carefully lowered it to the ground. "I will not be part of your Pandavas anymore."

Mini laid down her Death Danda on the floor. "Nor will I," she said loudly.

"Or me," Brynne added, dropping her wind mace.

Aiden set down his scimitars and Rudy set his bag of gemstones on the ground. Together they stood, chins raised, facing the Council.

"These are my terms," Aru said firmly. Looking at her friends, she corrected herself, "Our terms."

A little smile crept up Urvashi's face. Hanuman leaned forward, his eyes shining with pride. The serpent queens looked simply stunned. Jambavan crossed his arms and glared at them all.

"If you leave, we can still defend ourselves," the bear king said. "We are still a united Council."

"Not if I resign," Urvashi said, standing from her throne.

"And I," Hanuman added. "Too long the asuras have been kept from their dues. Today, we rectify our wrongs."

Eww, Aru thought through the mind link. Isn't that, like, a body part?

That's a rectum, Aru, Mini replied, rubbing her forehead. Rectify means to put something right.

Neo-Boo made a few squawking noises and flapped upwards, levitating off his throne. Aru chose to see that as agreement.

"You cannot have a fractured Council nor the Pandavas," Urvashi said firmly.

Jambavan heaved a great sigh--Aru swore she could feel a breeze against her forehead--and rose. "Very well. All in favor of granting this wish?"

"Haan," everyone said in unison.

"This Council is adjourned," Hanuman said.

The street was beginning to lighten as Aru and Aiden walked down the streets of Georgia. Mini, Brynne, Rudy, and the twins had separated from them a couple blocks prior.

"What time is it?" she asked Aiden.

He checked his wristwatch. "6:30 am."

Aru's heart leapt. Her mother would be up at this point, making chai  in their apartment kitchen. She would be packing her bag, preparing to lead the tours. She would be there to hug Aru and tell her that everything was going to be fine...

Aiden cleared his throat, suddenly looking nervous. "Can I, uh, walk you home?"

"Yeah, of course, snob," she said, bumping his shoulder.

"Troll," Aiden replied. Their fingers slid together. For no reason, Aru found herself blushing.

"Come on. Let's go home."

When they reached the museum it was dark, but Aru could see the lights on in their apartment. She looked at Aiden. "I guess this is goodbye...for now."

The moonlight turned his hair silver. When he turned to her her, it cascaded down his face like a waterfall. With a jolt, she realized they were still holding hands.

"I really don't want to leave yet," he said, smiling ruefully.

"Maybe you won't have to." Aru took a breath. "Aiden, can we start over in our relationship? I want to actually be partners. No ignoring the other person for eight months. No breaking up after three days. No more secrets. We'll do this the way it was supposed to be. Maybe it won't be normal, but..."

"Since when have we ever been normal?" Aiden smirked. "But...I'd like that, Aru. There's no one I'd rather be with."

She threw her arms around his neck. "I'll see you soon, Acharya."

Aiden tensed in surprise at her use of his last name, but then he laughed, his breath warm against her neck. "You too, Shah."

And with that, he slowly pulled away from her and headed for his house. When he reached the door, he waved. She waved back just before he disappeared inside, catching a glimpse of his smile.

Aru took out a key from her pocket and opened the doors to the Museum of Ancient Indian Art and Culture. The halls were dark, but she used Vajra in the form of a Ping-Pong ball for light as she made her way to their apartment and opened the door.

Krithika Shah looked up from the kitchen counter, where she was typing on her laptop. Her thick, dark hair curled down her back in elegant waves and she wore a navy pantsuit. "Beta! Aru!" She immediately ran around the kitchen island and encircled her daughter in her arms.

"Mom!" Aru buried her face in her mom's shoulder. She smelled like neroli perfume. Aru breathed in the familiar scent, her body relaxing.

In her mom's hug, she knew instinctively that everything was going to be okay. And at long last, she let her tears fall.