Aru held her breath, staring around the room. What was it that Sheela had said?Look for the crack and the sparkle. Aru glanced at the Boo egg slowly breaking and the shiny coin in her hands.
She’d found both.
Ahead lies something new….
No way to avoid the fire and pain, but at least now you know that you are true….
Something new,thought Aru. In that second, it seemed like someone had opened a window, letting in light and fresh air.
Aru tapped into the Pandava mind link:I’m calling an emergency meeting of the Potatoes. Come ASAP.
The Potatoes assembled in the museum lobby within an hour. Greg was totally out of commission, but the front door still worked and so did the portal that Urvashi had installed in Aiden’s house a couple of months back. A team of yakshas sent by Hanuman and Urvashi had just finished repairing the museum’s broken ceiling and floors, leaving the Potatoes alone in the lobby. Their faces were downcast, their hands shoved in their pockets.
“Where are Sheela and Nikita?” asked Aru.
“We can’t call the twins over without telling their parents,” said Brynne, “and then they’d want to know why, and—”
“They’d find out we lost our weapons,” finished Aru.
Brynne nodded, her fingers almost going to her neck, where she used to wear Gogo as a choker. She dropped her hand abruptly.
“Is this meeting about telling Hanuman and Urvashi what happened?” asked Mini. “We can’t keep this a secret forever. If people are running around thinking we can protect them when we can’t—”
“Wecan,” said Aru. “I think we have other options. But before I tell you, I need to show you something. C’mon.”
Aru led them upstairs. Krithika’s bedroom door was shut so she could get some rest, but Aru had set up a surprise at the end of the hallway, on the windowsill.
Cheep!
Mini stopped short. “Is that…? Oh my god…Is it—?”
Brynne ran to the sweater nest.
“It’s hatching!” said Aiden.
“Get your camera ready, Ammamma!”
Aiden lifted Shadowfax, but not before glancing at Aru. She pretended she didn’t see him looking at her. They hadn’t really spoken to each other sincethe kiss, and now Aru wasn’t sure what to do. It’s not like she could casually ask,So…WHAT WAS THAT?Could she?
One thing at a time, Shah, Aru told herself.Starting withthis.
They all watched as larger pieces of the Boo egg fell away.
“Awww,” said Rudy. “This looks just like my baby photos in the family album.”
Everyone went silent. Rudy looked confused. “You guys weren’t hatched in two hundred days?”
“No?” said Mini.
“Humans are weird.”
Mini was about to argue with him, but just then the remains of the ruby egg caught fire. Aru jumped back and almost screamed before the blaze went out suddenly. There, in a smoldering pile of ashes, sat a baby bird no bigger than Aru’s thumb.Cheep!The chick looked like a living flame, its fragile wings haloed with smoke. On top of its head wavered a burning blue crest.
“Boo?” said Mini, leaning closer.
Cheep!
“Is that really him?” asked Aiden.
