“Now,sis,let’sgoseeyourfriendsandthenfindthatstone.”
Chapter15
“Iwannagohome!”Kariwailed.Hertinyhandsfumbledwiththestraps forhercarseat,butshecouldn’tmanagetounbuckleherself.Herpudgyface turnedredasshebegantosob.
“I’mhungy,”Valwhinednexttoher.
“Settledown,girls,”Sanasaid.“We’realmostthere.”
“Wetusgo,youpoopyhead,”Karisaid.
“I’msorry,darling,butIcan’t.”SanatousledKari’slightbrownpigtails.
“JeriwouldbeveryunhappyifIdidthat.”
“It’snotfair.Wetwiedtohewpyou.You’dstiwbeafirstgwaderifnotfor us.”
“That’sverytrue,sothankyou.”Sanareachedintoapocketofoneduffel bagtopullouttwocandybars.“Here,haveatreat.”
“Idon’twannatweat!”Karishouted.ShethrewhercandybarbackatSana whileValgratefullyacceptedhers.Shebegantognawatthechocolate.
“Areourpassengersgettingfussy?”Jeriaskedfromthebridgeoftheirboat.
“NothingIcan’thandle,”Sanacalledback.
“Good.Weshouldbethereinaboutanhour.I’dsuggestthebabiestakea napbeforethen.”
“Wenotbabies!”Karisaid.
“No,ofcourseyou’renot,”Sanasaid.ShetappedtheendofKari’s frecklednose.“You’reabiggirlnow.Threewholeyearsold.”
“Youwiedtous,”Karisaid.
“IknowIdid.Ihadtodowhat’sbestformeandmyfamily.Andreally, it’snotliketwofirstgradersandasecondgraderwereevergoingtofindthe stone.”
“Wiar!”
“Now,Kari,ifyou’reagoodgirlfromhereout,maybeJeriwillletyoubea secondgraderagain.Wouldn’tthatbebetterthanthis?”
“Idon’tcawe,”shemuttered,butshestoppedhertantrumforthemoment.
Sanatousledherhairagainandthenwentuptothedeck.Turquoisewatersped pasttheboatwhilemoreturquoisewaterwaitedonthehorizon.Shehadnever beenonanoceanbefore.Shehadn’tevenbeeninapondbefore.Shadansonly likedwaterthatwasaninchortwodeep;anythingmorethanthatandthey becamenervous.
JeristoodonthebridgewithShteri,thehelmswoman.Jeriwascladina red-and-bluestripedsailordressnow,completewithawhitecapinplaceofher
usualcrown.“It’ssowonderfultobeouthereintheseaair,”shesaid.She raisedaneyebrowatSana.“You’relookingalittlegreenaroundthegills.”
“I’malittleseasick.”
“Welldon’tgetsickuphere.Ifyouhavetodothat,godownwiththe babies.”
“Allright,”Sanasaid.Sheclimbedbackdowntheladder.Shesettled downonacouchandclosedhereyes.Shehadnoideahowclosetheywereto wherethemountainhadbeen.Jerihadsaiditwouldtakeanhourtogetthere.
AfterthattheywouldhavetohopeherandKari’scalculationshadbeencorrect.
Iftheywerewrong,thenSanawouldlikelyendupinacarseatwithValandKari andJeriwouldneverleaveShada.
Please,letthiswork,sheprayedsilently.
***
Theboatbegantoslowastheynearedtheirdestination.Sanaputdownthe bagshehadbeenthrowingupintoon-and-offforthelasthour.Sheforceda smileandthenpattedKari’shead.“We’rehere,girls.”ShewinkedtoKari beforeshewentupstairstothebridge.
JeriturnedtoShteriandsaid,“Getthebabiesreadytotravel.”
“Howaretheygoingtogetdownthere?They’retoolittletoswim.”
Thewaterinfrontofthempartedintwogreatsheets.Thewaterrose higherandhigherintotheair,untilithadtobeashighasthemountainsusedto be.Shewatchedinaweasthesheetsofwaterpulledawaytorevealtheflattop ofthedormantvolcano.Sheputahandtoherlipstosuppressanotherurgeto throwup.
Theboatstartedtodescendasthewaterarounditevaporated.Beforelong, theywerelevelwiththetopofthevolcano.Theycontinuedtosinkalongits slope.Theboatcametoastopamongaclusterofrocksinfrontoftheentrance toacave.Sanadidn’tneedtobeanarchaeologistlikeKaritoknowthiscave wasn’tnatural;theentrancewasaperfectarchthatcouldonlyhavebeencarved.
Whyhadnoneofherpeopleevernoticeditbefore?
“That’swherewe’regoing?”
“That’sright,”Jerisaid.ShetousledSana’shairasifshewereatoddler.
“It’sallthankstoyou.”
Sanafinallycouldn’tresisttheimpulsetoleanovertheedgetothrowup.
***
ShteripushedastrollerthatwaswideenoughtofitKariandVal.This seemedappropriateforShteri,whostillthoughtofherselfastwopeople.Sana walkedinfrontofthestroller,justastepbehindJeri,wholedthewayintothe cave.TheStoneofChangeglowedtoprovidethemenoughlighttoseeby.
Karigaspedandpointedtosomesymbolsthathadbeendrawnonthewall.
Shegesturedtothemexcitedly.“It’sthewanguageoftheancients!”
“Sowhat?”Valsnapped.
“Thismustbethewightpwacethen.Theowdstowiesweretwue!”
“Ofcoursetheywere,”Jerisaid.ShepinchedKari’scheekhardenoughto makeherwince.“You’resuchabrilliantlittlearchaeologist,aren’tyou?”
Thewallsatthispartofthecavewerestilldarkbrownrocksimilartothat oftheoutsideofthecave.Astheywentdeeper,though,thatchanged.There wasanotherarch,thisonemadeofawhitestone.Karibouncedupindownin thestroller,promptingValtowhineforhertostop.“Wookatthosesymbows!
TheywewcomeustoAniwa.Thatmustbethenameoftheircity!Thestone hastobeinthere.”
“Wewobviouswy,”Valsaidwithasnort.
Karistartedtobounceagain.“Wet’sgo!Wet’sgo!”
Jeriturnedtoglareather.“That’senoughofthat,younglady.You’llgeta spankingifyoukeepitup.”
“Sowwy,”Karimumbled.
Sanadidn’tshareKari’sexcitement.Insteadshefeltatremorinher stomach,asifshewerestillontheswayingboat.Theclosertheygottothe stone,thecloserthemomentcamewhenSanawouldhavetofindawaytoget thestonebeforeJericould.Ifshecouldn’t,herentireplanetwasdoomedto serveasJeri’splaythingsforever.
AsJeristeppedthroughthearch,theStoneofChangestoppedglowing, plungingthemintodarkness.Sanaheardascream.Shegropedaroundwithher handstofindthearchandthensteppedthrough.Shehatedherselfforhoping shewouldfindJeridead.
Shetrippedoversomething,whichsenthertumblingthroughthearchway.
Shelandedhardoncoldstonethatwasfartoosmoothtobenatural.Sheraised herheadandgasped.Allaroundherwasacitymadeofthesametypeofwhite stoneasthearch.Thebuildingsweremostlysquatandrectangular,notatall likeShadanarchitecture.Eventhesmallestofthebuildingswaslargerthanthe biggeststructureinheroldvillage.Thepathsbetweenthestonesweremadeof thesamestoneshelayon.
Shelookedaroundbutdidn’tseeanysourceoflightthatallowedhertosee
allthis.Yetthecitywaslitasbrightlyasdaytime.Itdidn’tmakeanysense.
Withagrunt,shesatup.Asshedid,shefinallycaughtaglimpseofherself.Her skinwasthedeeptanithadbeenwhenshe’dfirstbecomehuman.Shewas dressedinabrightyellowpoloshirtwithwhitetrimandequallywhitejeans.A blackbraiddangledoverherleftshoulder.Shefeltsomethingcoldonher
nose andreacheduptotouchapairofglasses.
“Itgotyoutoo,huh?”asoftvoicesaid.Sanalookedupandbarely suppressedanothergasp.ItwasJeriwho’dspoken,butshehadbecomefar differentthanbefore.Herbodywasshorterandthinner,withoutthecurvesit hadpreviouslypossessed.Herbreastshadshrunkintonubssmallereventhan Sana’s.Agoldsweaterandwhiteblousecoveredthesenubswhileawhite-and-blueplaidskirtcoveredpastherknees.Herhairhadturnedsopaleitwasnearly white.LikeSana,sheworeapairofglasses,exceptherstaperedtopointsonthe edges.Redspotsmarredskinthatwasnearlyaspaleasthestonearoundthem.
“Jeri?Whathappened?”
“Idon’tknow,”shewhined.ShefishedtheStoneofChangefrombeneath herblouse.“It’snotworkinganymore.Idon’tunderstand.”
Sanascrambledtoherfeet.Shelookedbacktowardsthearch.“Karimight know.Sheisverywiseaboutthesematters.”
“Youcan’tbringherinhere.”
“Whynot?”
“Isaidso,that’swhy,”Jerisaid.
SanastaredatJeriamoment,realizingheradvantage.TheStoneof Changewasnolongerworking.SheandJeriwerepracticallyequalinsizeand strengthatthispoint.Asmilecametoherface.“You’renotincharge anymore.”
“Iamtoo!”Shestampedherfootlikeasmallchildwould.“I’mthe queen!”
“Notanymore.”Sanaspunaroundandstompedbacktothearch.“Shteri, bringthegirlsforward.I’llhelpthem.”
“No,don’tdoit!”Jeriscreeched.SheclawedatSana,untilSanashoved herdowntotheground.Jericriedoutinpain.Hercheeksturnedasredasthe spotsonherfaceasshebegantosob.“Thisisn’tfair!”
Sanasawthefrontofthestrollerinthearchway.Shereachedthroughto yankitthrough.“Youshouldstayoutthere,”SanasaidtoShteri.“Thereare strangethingshappeninginhere.”
Themomentthestrollercamethroughthearch,itvanished.ValandKari weredumpedontothestone.Astheycriedinpain,theirbodiesbeganto change.Sanaputahandtoherlipsasshewatchedthemgrowinglarger.They
swelleduntiltheywerethesamesizeassheandJeri.Karibecamemuchthe sameaswhenshe’dbeensevenyearsold,onlytallernow.Herlightbrownhair waslonger,downtothemiddleofherback.Apairofnubsappearedunderneath herpinkT-shirtwhileredspotsbegantodotherface.Herglassesbecame slightlylargerandthelensesthicker.
AsforVal,sheturnedintoalmostatwinofJeri.Theprimarydifference washerhairremaineddarkandshortenedintoahelmetcrownedbyaheadband.
HerglasseshadthesameshapeasJeri’sonlytheywerewhite.Hersweaterwas darkgreen,herblouseagreenish-yellow,andherskirtyellow-and-brownplaid.
Shepattedherfaceandthenwailed,“I’mageekagain!”
“We’reallgeeks,”Karisaidwithasmile.ShemotionedtoSana.“Even youandyouneverhavebeenbefore.”
“Whatisa‘geek?’”Sanaasked.
“It’ssomeonewhomaybesmart,butisn’tasprettyorpopularasherpeers, makingheranoutsider,”Kariexplained.ShelookeddownatJeri.“Whydid youdothis?”
“Ididn’t.Wecamethroughthearchandthisiswhathappened.Thestupid StoneofChangewon’tevenworknow.”
Karinoddedasifshehadexpectedthis.“Ofcourse,it’ssoobvious.”
“Whatis?”Valasked.
“It’stheotherhalfofthestone.It’snegatingtheStoneofChangeandit madeusthisway.”
“Whywoulditdosuchathing?”Sanaasked.
“Well,mybestguessisitwantedtoleveltheplayingfield.Lookatus: we’reallequalsnow,justfourteenagerswithbelowaveragestrengthandsight.”
“We’renotallequal,”Valsaid.WhileKarihadbeentalking,she’dmoved overtowhereJerilay.InsteadofhelpingJeriup,sheyankedtheStoneof Change’schainoverJeri’shead.IttangledinJeri’slonghairwhileshecriedout inpain.
Jeriflailedarounduntilthechaincamefree.“Goahead,takethestupid thing!Itwon’tdoanygood.”
“Maybenotnow,butwhenIfindtheotherhalf,thenwe’llsee,”Valsaid.
Shegrinnedatthemtriumphantly.“Later,losers.”
“Val,no!”Karishouted.“Youdon’tknowwhatyou’redoing.”
Valturnedaround.“IknowwhatI’mdoing.I’mcompletingtheobjective.
That’swhatasoldierdoes.”Sheracedawayfromthemalongthestonepaths.
Sanaturnedtogoafterher,butKaricaughtherarm.“Don’t.Wedon’t knowwhatelsetheotherhalfofthestonehasinmindforus.Weshouldstick togetherfromnowon.”
“WhataboutShteri?”
“She’sbetteroffoutsidefornow.”
KaribentdowntohelpJeriup.Althoughtheyhadbeenmortalenemiesfor thelastyear,Karistillaskedifshewasinjured.“I’mfine,”Jerimumbled.
Thentheysetouttofindtheotherhalfofthestone—andVal.
Chapter16
Thecitywascompletelydevoidofanylife.Therewerenohumans, Shadans,orevenanyinsects.Theonlysoundcamefromtheirfeetonthestone pathwaysastheywalkedthroughthecity.Theirfeetallmadeslightlydifferent noises:Kari’smadearhythmictappingasshepracticallyskippedalong,Sana’s madeanoccasionalsqueakasshecreptbehindKari,andJeri’sscuffedthestone asshetrudgedbehindthem.
Ateachbuildingtheycameto,Kariinterruptedthenearsilencebybabbling excitedly.“Fromthemarkingsontheportico,thismusthavebeenabathhouse,”
shesaid.“Theymusthavepracticedcommunalbathing,atleastsomeofthe time.Orperhapstheyjustuseditasaspatorelaxin.”
Kari’sscrawnybodytensedasifshewantedtoboltinside,butsheheld herselfback.Fromwhatshesaid,theStoneofChangehadbeenlocatedina templeontheplanetshecalledKif.Shesurmisedtheywouldfindtheotherhalf ofthestoneinasimilartemple.Sanadidn’tseeanyreasontodoubtthis assertion.SincefindingthestonebeforeValdidwastheirprimaryobjective, Karicouldn’trunintoeverybuildingshesawtostudyit,muchasshemight wantto.
“Thisisstupid,”Jerimumbled.“Val’salreadygotahugeheadstartonus.
WemightaswelljustsithereandwaittobeMolegirlsagain.”
“IdoubtValknowswhatshe’slookingfor.Shehasnoideahowtoreadthe ancientlanguage.She’sgoingtospendalotmoretimesearchingfrombuilding-to-building.”
“Yeah,right.”
“Ifyouwanttostayhere,SanaandIwillgoonalone.”
“Good.Youdothat.”Jerilookedtowardsthebathhouse.“MaybeI’llgo seeifthere’sanyhotwaterleftbeforeIendupbackindiapers.”
“Jeri—”
“Youtwokeepgoing.Seeallthegooditdoes.”Shetrudgedupthesteps ofthebuildingandthendisappearedthroughadoorway.
“Shouldweleaveher?”Sanaasked.
“She’llbefine.Shecanalwaysgobacktothegatewayifshegetsbored.”
“Isuppose,”Sanasaid.Shedidn’tlikesplittingupmorethantheyalready were.ThiscitywasvastandwhileKarimightwanttothinkshewasanexpert, therecouldbeallsortsofboobytrapstheydidn’tknowabout.Withthatthought inmind,shelookeddownathersneakersastheycontinued.
“Thisissoamazing,”Karigushedastheywalked.“Therewasnothinglike
thisonKiforPhera.Therewereruinsandthattemplewasrelativelyintact,but nothingonthisscale.Awholecitythat’sstillintactafterthousandsofyears!
There’ssomuchwecouldlearnfromthis.Awholeteamofarchaeologistscould spenddecadeshere.”
“Onlyiftheywanttobeturnedintogeeks,”Sanasaid.
Shehadn’tmeantitasajoke,butKarigiggled.“That’strue,butreally most
archaeologistsarealreadygeeks.Formethisisactuallyanimprovement.
ThefirsttimeIwasateenagerIwasreallybig.”Sheheldoutherarmsabout fifteencentimeterstoeithersidetoindicatehowlargeshehadbeen.
“Whywereyousowide?”
“Ididn’teatverywellandIdidn’tdomuchexercising.”ShestaredatSana foramoment.“Don’tShadansevergetfat?”
“No,wedidn’t.Notuntilyouarrived.”SanasawKari’sfacetwitchasif she’dbeenslapped.“I’msorry.Idon’tmeanyoupersonally—”
“You’reright.I’mtheonewhobroughtJeriandValhere.”
“Whydidyoudothat?”
“IthoughtifIcouldfindtheotherhalfofthestoneIcouldstopValfrom usingtheStoneofChange.Butallthat’shappenedsofarisJerigotherhandson ittomakeyourpeoplesuffer.I’mverysorryandIpromiseifIcanfindtheother halfofthestoneandstopVal,I’llmakeeverythingasitwas.”
Sananoddedbutdidn’tsayanything.Shewonderedhowmanyofher peoplewouldwanttogobacktothingsastheywere.Certainlyhermotherand siblingswerebetteroffashumansthanthey’dbeenasShadans.Sanawasbetter offthanshe’dbeenbefore,forthemostpart.Shesighedtoherself.Theonly downsidewasthepricehadbeentobecomepuppetsforJeri’samusement.That waswhysheandKarihadtofindthestoneandchangethingsback.Butmaybe, shethought,maybenot everythinghastochange.Maybeshecouldkeepthe citiesastheywerewiththeirwoodandglassstructures.Maybe—
Kari’ssquealshatteredherthoughts.Beforeshecouldseewhatwasgoing on,Karihadalreadyboltedtowardsabuildingthatwaslargerthananythey’d seensofar.Karistoodatthebaseofthesteps,gazingupatastatueofawoman cladonlyinarobe.Sheheldatabletupasifitwereashield.“Ohmygosh!I can’tbelieveit.”
“Isthisthetemple?”
“No.It’salibrary.”Karicontinuedtolookupthestepsatthestatue.“Just imaginehowmuchknowledgeiscontainedwithinthere.Everythingwewantto knowabouttheancientscouldbeinsidethere.”
“Butyousaid—”