“Music?”asked Vasuki, tilting his head a little.
As he did so, bits of rock and debris clattered around them.
“Yeah,” said Rudy. He shoved some of his rocks forward. “Like this.”
Rudy’s music flowed through the cave, and it felt like that first time he’d saved them, when he’d shown up with speakers and annoyed the naga king Takshaka so much the Pandavas were able to escape the treasury. Only this time the music was of Rudy’s own making, and it was unlike anything that had ever played on a radio. It sounded like thunderstorms prowling across a mountainside and it felt like running your finger along the edge of a knife—dangerous and sharp.
Vasuki’s great eyes closed. His head swung a little. Aru crouched, ready for the snake king to lunge…but he didn’t.
Instead, he…bopped to the music?
Did not expect that one, said Brynne.
“A musician in the family,”said Vasuki warmly, opening his eyes. The music stopped.“That is…surprising.”
“Surprising enough that you’ll give us your piece of the Sun Jewel?” tried Rudy.
Aru sighed, thinking he had pushed things too far.
Vasuki paused, and then, ever so slowly, bowed his great head in a nod.
“I am amused by the possibility that you will do something different with it. Let us see whether you succeed in surprising me again….”
“Thank you,” said Brynne, clutching the jewel to her chest.
Vasuki gave a great rumbling laugh. He moved closer, his forked tongue darting toward Rudy.
“Hmm,”said the great snake thoughtfully. His eyes turned a hypnotic shade of green. “I like you, child.”
“Yay?”
“So I shall give you this final warning. You have awoken me. And when I move, so too does the world….”
Lord Vasuki lowered himself farther to inspect his treasure. Around him, Patala began to crumble. Chunks of the cave wall broke off and fell, crashing into one another. All the poison maidens except Aleesa retreated into the wall, and the Potatoes ducked for cover.
Aleesa flung out her hand, and the door at the end of the hall swung open. “Go!” she told them. She tossed a small lantern in their direction. Aiden caught it one-handed. “And take this! It shall contain the pieces of the Sun Jewel and guide you.”
“C’mon!” yelled Rudy. “I’ve got Mini!” He gathered her up while he was still in his naga form. His hood flared above her like a shield.
Aiden and Brynne ran ahead. Aru knew she had to leave quickly, too. She could feel the ground trembling and hear more rocks falling. But she couldn’t look away from Aleesa. For all Aru knew, no one would ever see the poison maidens again.
Aleesa smiled. She tugged one of her bangles off her wrist and threw it to Aru. When Aru caught it, she winced. It felt like she’d touched a too-hot pan.
“Go and remember us, daughter of the gods.”
“I will,” said Aru. “I promise.” She turned and ran, shoving the bangle deep in her pocket.
“Aru!” yelled Brynne from the doorway. “The whole city is falling apart! We’ve got to gonow!”
Aru sprinted. She had just stepped across the threshold when the rocky floor beneath her gave way. A hundred feet below, a great cloud of dust and rock spewed from what had once been the city’s agora.
The jewels embedded in the caves screamedEMERGENCY! EVACUATE! EMERGENCY! EVACUATE!
Aru teetered backward, her arms pinwheeling as she scrambled for secure footing. Someone caught hold of her wrist.
“I’ve got you, Shah,” said Aiden fiercely.
It was the last thing she heard before something thudded against her head and the whole world went dark.
