The Secret of Sinbad's Cave

  Chapter 34

  The Emerald Eye of Babylon

  Deep in the black water, Nat hugged the jewels as she was tumbled over and over with the current. She could see nothing. Strange thoughts floated through her head. Kathleen rode past on Sundance, her legs and arm in casts. Her father called out to her, but she kept drifting. Riki and Abraham rowed around her as Pi flitted above. Elijah and Jack waved, and Barnaby reached out his hand as she bounced along the bottom of the cave. Her shoulder throbbed. A light scanned back and forth above her, transforming the inky water into an eerie green. Still clutching the bag, she pushed upwards.

  Her head pounded with the desperate need for oxygen. She paddled up and up, and shot through the surface. She gasped in lungful after lungful of air.

  ‘Thank God,’ said a voice. It was Jack. He reached out and grabbed her. ‘You were gone. I’d almost given up.’

  Nat hugged him. ‘Never, ever give up.’

  ‘Wylie’s dead,’ said Jack. ‘When you went under, a massive rock fall came down, then a giant boulder tore down the slope and flattened him.’

  Nat nodded. The curse of the Emerald Eye had claimed its rightful victim.

  ‘Time to go,’ said Jack. He tied the rope around her, and sent the signal through. Nat looked around a final time. So much of the beautiful cavern had been destroyed.

  ‘Sorry,’ she whispered. ‘I wish we could have done better.’

  Slithering through the tunnel, she burst free on the other side. She opened her eyes to see Riki, Barnaby and Elijah pulling her towards them. They heaved her out of the water. Jack appeared a second later, and they lugged him onto the rocks. His foot was a mashed up mess. Beside Nat sat the first canvas bag. She grinned and set down the second bag. Barnaby, Riki and Elijah began screaming and cheering. For a moment there was chaos as everyone demanded to know exactly what had happened and how, and they all told their story at once.

  ‘The canvas bag was so heavy!’ said Elijah. ‘We really had to heave it through.’

  ‘Have you opened it?’ asked Jack.

  Barnaby shook his head. ‘We were waiting for you two.’

  Nat unfastened the first bag. Reaching in, she grabbed the biggest gem she could find. She pulled it out and handed it to Barnaby.

  ‘Oh man!’ said Elijah.

  ‘That’s got to be the Emerald Eye of Babylon,’ said Riki.

  Barnaby was awestruck. His voice cracked as he spoke. ‘That’s the most incredible thing I’ve ever seen,’ he said.

  ‘That fits into the golden tiger mask left here by Sinbad,’ said Nat, her voice wavering with excitement. ‘That’s what we saw in the Glowworm Cave!’

  Barnaby dug around in the other bag. ‘So what’s this?’ He produced an enormous ruby, deep purple in colour. There was a star inside the ruby, and as Barnaby turned it, the centre of the star moved.

  ‘The Scarlet Eye of Ceylon,’ said Riki. ‘We have both gems.’

  Nat looked up. Everyone’s headlights were still on – the group was intensely bright. It was such a total change from the deep blackness she’d been immersed in that suddenly she gasped for air, as if she was still in the water.

  ‘Are you okay?’ asked Riki, leaning close. ‘You did amazing. I knew you would.’

  Nat looked up at her. ‘Thank you’ she whispered. The sight of everyone’s glowing, smiling faces was more than she could cope with. All of a sudden she burst into tears.