The Book of Wonders (19 page)

“On my back,” a small, fluffy-looking Roc squawked. Zardi leaped up onto the bird's warm body and Rhidan clambered up behind her. With a beat of his wide wings they were carried into the air, leaving the teeming snake pit far below. As they climbed higher, Zardi saw that all of the Rocs were in the air, with Sinbad and the rest of his men in their clutches. “Thank you,” Zardi called out. “You saved us.”

The bird turned his head, his indigo beak catching slivers of light from the last rays of the setting sun. “You saved me once,” the bird warbled. “Now we're even.”

“I saved you?” she asked, mystified.

“I was an egg at the time, so you probably won't recognize me, but my mother told me of you. I'm Roco, by the way.”

“Nice to meet you, Roco.”

“Nice to meet you, too,” Roco chirruped as they swooped through the darkening sky.

Rhidan nudged her shoulder. “Not everyone understands
bird
, Zardi, what did he say?”

She quickly told him who Roco was.

Her friend gave a low whistle. “Everything is so big on this island. Those snakes were enormous, and Roco was just an egg a couple of weeks ago.” He looked out at the fleet of Rocs with their grateful, yet still dangling, passengers. “Ask him something for me, will you? How did the Rocs know we were in trouble?”

Zardi asked, and found that her blue stone was warm but did not burn as it had when she'd first been trying to understand the snakes.

“I was out flying with my cousins when I saw the snakes attack.” The young Roc made a fierce cawing sound in his throat. “They kill anything that moves. I wasn't going to let them kill you as well.”

“Tell him thank you,” Rhidan said, once Zardi had translated.

“You must stay away from that valley and the whole west side of the island,” the young Roc warned, his squawk echoing in the darkening sky. “Especially at night. It's the home of the serpents and their queen. Everything that lies under the island earth is her domain as well.”

“Who is she?” Zardi asked.

“We don't know where she came from,” Roco replied. “But she sends her snakes to kill us and strip us of our feathers. She's not interested in peace, only destruction.”

The baby bird gave a little sneeze, and Zardi realized that Roco didn't have proper feathers like the older Rocs, just downy fluff. He must be getting cold, now that the sun had dipped out of sight.

“Roco, we're in your debt,” Zardi whispered as they wheeled through the sky.

“There's no debt. You saved my life and now I've saved yours,” Roco cooed.

Below Zardi could see a cluster of enormous trees. She thought for a moment that they were completely bare, but as she got closer she saw that the branches sprouted leaves that looked like giant spiderwebs. They writhed in the wind like ghosts. She leaned forward and asked Roco about the white billowing canopies.

“Those trees are where we make our home,” Roco replied. “We bind our nests with those silken leaves. They are lovely and sticky.”

Too soon their flight came to an end, and the Rocs lowered Zardi and the other sailors onto the sandy shore of their camp next to the roaring fire. The other members of the crew ran up to them, surprise and fear shading their faces. They couldn't help but gawp at the Rocs with fascination. Roco loved the attention, walking back and forth, preening and ruffling his feathers. He would have stayed on the beach all night if his cousins had let him. Instead, he was urged upward.

“Till next time,” he warbled.

“Until next time,” Zardi repeated, waving up at him until he was out of sight. Her fingers went to her tunic's pocket, tracing the softness of the feather that Roco's mother had given her on their first meeting. The Rocs were such incredible creatures, brave and clever, and thanks to Sula's stone she could understand them.

Ouch!
She drew her hand from her pocket swiftly. The sharp end of the feather had pricked her finger. Zardi sucked at the wound and laughed to herself.
All right, the Roc may be my allies but they are still dangerous
.

Zardi suddenly heard a roaring sound behind her and whirled round, ready to fight again. Her eyes widened as she took in the scene in front of her. Sinbad and the twins had emptied their diamonds onto the ground and the crew of the
Falcon
crowded around the heap. The roar had been their collective cry of approval and amazement.

Rhidan met her gaze and held up his own sack, emptying his jewels onto the rapidly growing mound. He was followed by Nadeem, Musty, Tariq, and Zain. The crew was wild with excitement now, picking up diamonds and passing them round eagerly. Sinbad had to shout himself hoarse to get their attention.

Once he did, he told his men about the Valley of Diamonds and the snakes that they found there. “The snakes were bigger than you could ever imagine, but we faced them bravely, weapons in hand.” The captain placed his hands on his hips. “There was no way they were going to stop us from getting our diamonds!” The crew whooped with approval.

Sinbad picked up a jewel that was as big as a fist and thrust it up into the air. “Men, our fortunes have been made!”

The crew began swinging each other in wide circles, their shadows jerky and long in the light of the fire that they danced around. Some of the men hugged, and others wept.

The captain held up his hands and continued with his speech. “Riches are important,” he said softly, “but they aren't as precious as life.” He looked at his crew sternly. “I forbid you, any of you, to go back to that valley. Death waits there. It was only thanks to the Rocs and their friendship with Zee that we're even standing here before you. She saved our lives.”

Zardi ducked her head in embarrassment as the crew began chanting her name. She looked up and saw Rhidan grinning at her proudly. She was about to smile back but stopped when she spotted Nadeem looking at her with eyes as flat and dead as those of the snakes in the valley.

She sighed softly. Nadeem had the emerald key that would release the djinni that could take them to the Windrose guardian, but as sure as the sun would rise the next day, she knew getting it from him would not be an easy or pleasant task.

“C
ome on,” Rhidan whispered. “We've got to follow him.”

Zardi's gaze trailed Nadeem as he stalked away from the fire where the rest of the crew sat talking. As Syed began to brag about what he would buy with his share of the diamond haul once they got back to Arribitha, she and Rhidan slipped away.

The moon was full, a huge white disc in the sky. Its rays touched on Nadeem as he walked toward the bone-white pyramid that split the beach in two.

“Nadeem,” Zardi called. The boy's shoulders stiffened for a moment before he swiftly scrambled up and over the rocks.

Zardi and Rhidan pursued him, but instead of climbing over the outcrop they splashed through the water lapping the shore. They met Nadeem on the other side, blocking his way down the deserted beach.

“What do you want?” Nadeem's face was half in shadow.

Zardi hesitated. “We need to borrow your emerald.”

Nadeem laughed. “I don't think so. Why do you need it anyway? You've got diamonds now.”

“Do you remember what I told you this morning? That I'm looking for my parents,” Rhidan said softly. “Well, that's just part of the story.” He quickly told Nadeem about their quest to find the Windrose and its guardian before explaining that the emerald was the key to the djinni's prison.

“This djinni could get us to the Windrose,” Zardi finished. A thought suddenly occurred to her. “And if we release her she might even send the
Falcon
home.”

Rhidan looked at Nadeem hopefully. “So will you lend it to us?”

“No.” The boy's voice dripped with a selfish joy. “I don't think I will.”

“You'll get it back,” Rhidan insisted. “I promise.”

Nadeem shrugged. “I don't care about getting it back, I just don't want to give it to you.”

“Why?” Zardi burst out. “This djinni could help us, all of us!”

“And you two get to be the heroes again?” The words exploded from Nadeem's mouth. “No way. It's like everyone has forgotten that it's your fault we're here in the first place. It's always how great Zardi is. Did you see what Rhidan did to that brass giant? Oh, and can you believe she talks to giant birds? Now you've saved us from those snakes.” He shook his head bitterly. “Why should you be so special?” The words spewed out of him in a tarry mass.

Zardi's rage flared. But something held it back. It was as if she could feel Nadeem's jealousy. “We'll never replace you, Nadeem. The
Falcon
is your family, not ours…”

“Don't you dare pity me!” Nadeem spat. “Pity yourselves.” He grabbed the emerald from his pocket and flung it out into the inky sea. By the powdery light of the moon, Zardi watched the precious gem skim across the water and finally stop and sink.

With a scream of rage, Rhidan lunged for Nadeem. They quickly became a whirling mass of fists and kicking legs.

Yanking off her sandals, Zardi pounded toward the water. The sand was cold and slushy beneath her feet, but this in no way prepared her for the actual coldness of the sea as she plunged in. It cut through her, making her head ache, but with strong strokes she swam to where she saw the jewel sink and dived downward.

A dull silence engulfed her. The undersea world was blue-black like a bruise, the moon and stars cutting no shaft of light here. Using her fingers as eyes, Zardi searched the seabed. Fine grains of sand, knobby coral, long, sharp bits of shell grazed her fingers, and then she found it—a hexagonal object with smooth cut edges. Grasping the brass rider's emerald eye, she kicked upward.

In the cool moonlight she treaded water and stared at the emerald in her hand. Zardi grinned as she struck back toward shore.

“You're alive!” Rhidan ran up to meet her, his clothes sopping wet. “Nadeem left and I swam after you, but I couldn't find you…” He trailed off. “I thought you might be in trouble.”

“I was fine,” Zardi insisted.

“Still, you shouldn't have run off into the sea like that in the dark.” Rhidan's face was serious. “You could have gotten hurt.”

“You could have gotten hurt fighting Nadeem but that didn't stop you!” She smiled and opened up her palm. “Look!” The emerald glinted in the moonlight.

Rhidan stared at the gem, openmouthed. “I can't believe it. Zardi, you're amazing.”

He quickly rummaged in his pocket and brought out the other emerald. “Tomorrow, we'll slip away from the others and then get the herald to direct us to the volcano.”

“Why wait until tomorrow, when we can go tonight?” Zardi grinned. “We'll wait for everyone to go to sleep and then sneak away. We'll be back by dawn.” She gripped the emerald key tightly. “Hopefully, with a djinni who has the power to get us to the Windrose. If we free her she's bound to want to help us.”

Rhidan closed his hand over the emerald. “We go tonight.”

Back at camp, sailors were yawning and stretching their limbs in the firelight, far too sleepy to notice that Zardi's and Rhidan's clothes were wet. Nadeem was nowhere to be seen, and before long, the crew of the
Falcon
headed to their beds. Zardi and Rhidan did the same.

She lay like a statue, listening to the even breathing of the sailors who surrounded her. Far away, from the east side of the island, a roar thundered across the bay. None of the sailors even flinched.

Maybe they're all pretending to sleep just like me
, she thought.
Maybe they don't want to think about what else is on this island
. Zardi shuffled down under her rough covers and stared up at the thatched roof of her shelter. The roaring finally stopped, leaving just the sound of snoring. All she had to do now was wait for Rhidan, wait a little while longer…

“Wake up,” a voice hissed in her ear.

She looked up groggily to see Rhidan crouching over her, a flaming torch in his hand.

“Come on, sleepyhead, let's go.”

In one fluid motion she sprang to her feet and fastened her archer's belt around her waist. They tiptoed past the sleeping sailors and plunged deep into the forest. Once in the heart of the trees, Rhidan handed Zardi the torch, fished the emerald out of his pocket, and rubbed it.

The herald appeared, his green glow even brighter at night. “What time do you call this?” he asked grouchily.

“Time to visit the djinni,” Zardi said, holding up the other emerald for him to see.

“Are you sure you want to do this?” The herald yawned and rubbed his eyes. “This djinni was locked away for a reason.”

“What reason?” Zardi tried not to show she was bothered by the herald's question.

“Well, I don't know exactly,” the herald muttered. “But I'm sure it's bad.”

“We know how to handle ourselves,” Rhidan said confidently.

“Fine, but don't say that I didn't warn you.” The green guide hovered shoulder height to Rhidan and Zardi and then burst ahead, leading them through the humid forest.

As they emerged from the trees, they came to a mountain range. They scrambled over the lowest part and were hit by the freezing air coming off a series of sand dunes that rose up before them.

“Where are we?” Zardi asked, lifting her torch a bit higher.

“The east side of the island,” their guide said huffily as he led them up the first sand dune. “But we still have plenty of ground to cover before we reach the volcano.”

“You're taking us eastward?” Zardi asked uneasily.

The herald's eyes became sly. “That's right. You've heard him, haven't you? Roaring in the night.”

“Who is
him
?” Rhidan demanded.

“Why, the Cyclops of course,” their guide said, arching an eyebrow. “His name is Okre. He was here first. Desolation Island is his island more than anybody else's. I'm surprised he hasn't been over to your camp for a visit yet.”