“Aru glared. 'Well, you swim in your own toilet!'
The fish did not have an eyebrow to raise villainously. But its tone managed the effect well enough, 'And you'll never know when I use the ocean as a toilet. Enjoy the mystery.'
It flapped its tail and swam off.”
Source: Aru Shah and the Song of Death
“Hey"--I shrugged--"If Aru Shah can have adventures in her pajamas, why can't I?”
Source: Sal and Gabi Fix the Universe
“Aru didn't want to see all those gray spaces between good and bad - she just wanted things to be easy.”
Source: Aru Shah and the Song of Death
“Rein in the optimism Shah, It's too much.”
Source: Aru Shah and the Tree of Wishes
“How would you describe yourself?" asked Tumburu.
Aru consider this. And then, in a very measured voice, she said, "Kind."
Brynne snorted. "You mean sneaky."
"Uh, imaginative," said Mini, a touch defensively. "Very imaginative."
No one asked you to elaborate! Aru said through the mind link, but her sisters only laughed.
"Kinda weird," said Rudy.
Aiden glanced at her. The corner of his mouth tipped up. "Chaotic.”
Source: Aru Shah and the Nectar of Immortality
“Aiden really looked at her then. His eyes were wide and dark, but not pure black. There were flashes of blue iridescence in them, like in Urvashi's eyes. Maybe it was an apsara trait. It made sense to Aru. Apsaras spent so much time dancing in the night skies that maybe their eyes eventually mirrored them.”
Source: Aru Shah and the Song of Death
“'Please, Shah?'
Aru opened her eyes. the swarm of black leaves and dirt was barely six inches from her face. She shuddered, jumping back and colliding with something warm and solid. She caught her breath... Aiden.
His hand moved to her waist, drawing her against him. 'I've got you, Shah,' he said. When he spoke, his voice ruffled the wisps of hair that had escaped from her braid. 'Don't go.”
Source: Aru Shah and the Nectar of Immortality
“There's no way I'm coming out there to watch you guys make eyes at each other for five minutes straight!' shouted Brynne from the kitchen.
'We don't do that!' said Aru.
You do, said Mini through their mind link.
Aiden pretended to be very preoccupied with Shadowfax.”
Source: Aru Shah and the Nectar of Immortality
“Pandavas, will you see my truth?'
See well. Those words, uttered by Varuni, Sage Durvasa, Ratri, and Agni, echoed back to her. Aru's jaw clenched, but she nodded. She owed it to all of them, and, a small part of her said, she owed it to herself.”
Source: Aru Shah and the Song of Death
“Hope follows me wherever I go,
but Hope is my biggest obstacle.
She keeps me focused on the future,
focused on becoming.
Despair is holding my hand,
he keeps me stuck in the past.
Hope and Despair walk hand in hand with me,
happily distracting me from what I am,
distracting me from reality,
inviting me to look anywhere but here and now.
Hope acts as my friend,
Despair acts as my enemy.
Sometimes Despair feels more comforting than Hope,
but they are the same character with different clothing.
I’m here, I’m now,
I am reality and I have the power to turn down any
and all invitations into the land of illusion.
Hope is just a thought,
and so is Despair.
I alone is real.”
Source: The Silence of Awareness