The Secret of Sinbad's Cave

  Chapter 6

  Pockets of Magic

  Nat stared at Abraham. ‘A roc?’ she repeated. ‘But I thought the last one died hundreds of years ago.’

  ‘You must remember,’ said Abraham, ‘there are pockets of magic in this country where things that have vanished from the everyday world live on. When I was a boy, there were two eagles left. The female of the pair was chased from her cliff top home when the settlers started dividing up the land, and they herded her towards the sea.’

  ‘They herded her?’ Nat didn’t understand. ‘How could they even chase her? She could just fly away.’

  ‘She was tame,’ said Abraham. ‘When the people came to capture her, she trusted them. Before long, she was bound up in ropes. She was the colour of sunsets. The settlers knew she was too beautiful to kill, but she was too dangerous to let live. So they delivered her here, to our people, and told us they never wanted to see her again.’

  Nat couldn’t understand why, but she had tears in her eyes. ‘What happened to her?’

  ‘The tohunga untied the ropes and rubbed salve into her wounds,’ said Abraham. ‘The bird asked for Rewi, and the tohunga explained he’d been forced to leave forever. The bird flew straight up, let out a melancholy cry, and disappeared to the west, never to be seen again.’

  ‘What about the other eagle – the male?’

  Abraham’s eyes darkened. ‘The last eagle was given a grand task, and gave his life for it.’

  Nat was about to ask another question, but a wind rustled the trees and a man emerged from the bush. He was wearing traditional Maori dress and was fully tattooed in a way she’d only seen in books. Nat blinked: she could see straight through him. He stepped onto the porch and bent down to whisper in Abraham’s ear. Abraham leant forward and Nat caught a glimpse of a large greenstone hanging around the old man’s neck. It was dark green, almost black. Nat blinked again, furiously, as the tattooed man stood up, stepped back into the bush and disappeared into a tree.

  ‘Unfortunately my dear, I must leave.’ Abraham stood up with a strength that surprised Nat. ‘I am needed across the valley. There is someone you should meet however; she will be most helpful in your quest. My great-niece Ariki.’

  A Maori girl stepped from the house. She had two black plaits that flowed over her shoulders and the same piercing dark eyes as Abraham. Nat remembered her from the primary school bus; she was the year ahead of Nat, which meant she was about fourteen.

  ‘I’ll see you again,’ said Abraham. ‘There is much more to tell.’ He rested his hand on her shoulder. ‘Be careful Natalia – you have stumbled across a mystery that has claimed lives.’

  With a final nod, he was gone. Nat realised she’d been holding her breath, and let it go with a shudder.

  The girl grinned at her. ‘I didn’t know your name was Natalia.’

  Nat screwed up her face. ‘I like Nat better.’

  ‘I get it. Everyone calls me Riki - except for Abraham.’

  Nat glanced back to the bush where the tattooed man had appeared.

  Riki chuckled. ‘That was nothing.’

  ‘But he walked right into the tree!’

  ‘Wait till you see some of Abraham’s other tricks.’ She grinned again. ‘I know how to get you into the Glowworm Cave.’

  ‘I’ve been before,’ said Nat. ‘Heaps of times.’

  ‘Course,’ said Riki. ‘But I know where we can hide – and other ways to get out.’ Riki leapt down the steps and wheeled a bike from the garage. ‘Your friends are waiting for you at the end of the drive.’

  ‘Friends?’ asked Nat. ‘Only my stupid brother came along.’

  ‘He’s gathered reinforcements,’ said Riki. ‘Elijah and Barnaby Lima are here too.’

  Nat pedalled up the driveway. Her brain was bursting with the mystery – Sinbad’s story, the cave maps, a giant eagle feather, the exiled Rewi. She didn’t even know how her great great grandmother fitted in yet – and now the Lima brothers were here!

  Nat pulled to a perfect stop in front of the three boys. ‘Hi,’ she said. Her heart was beating wildly.

  ‘Old Splattercat,’ said Elijah. His dark hair was short and spiked, and his olive skin still wore a summer tan. ‘Good to see you again.’

  ‘You too,’ said Nat. ‘How’s boarding school?’

  ‘Good,’ said Elijah. ‘I’m in the First Eleven. Not bad for a fifteen year old aye!’

  ‘Nice,’ said Nat. She couldn’t believe how much he’d grown; especially across his shoulders.

  Elijah was calm and in control, but Barnaby was always up to mischief. He had the same olive skin as his older brother, but Barnaby was skinnier. His long scruffy hair made him look like a surfer.

  ‘Hi Splat,’ said Barnaby. ‘Been climbing recently?’

  Nat groaned. Not again.

  ‘You’ve got natural Splatter ability,’ continued Barnaby. ‘Remember when we were out bouldering, and you boasted that you’d perfected that really hard climb?’

  ‘Was that the one she demanded we watch?’ asked Elijah. A massive grin spread across his face.

  ‘Yep,’ said Barnaby. ‘What happened next? That’s right, you fell and winded yourself so bad we almost called the ambulance.’

  ‘I was quite worried,’ said Elijah.

  ‘I was too,’ said Jack.

  ‘Yeah right,’ said Barnaby. They all laughed.

  ‘Anyway,’ said Nat. ‘What are you guys doing here?’

  ‘We were biking home when we found Jack crying ‘cos he’d lost his sister,’ said Elijah.

  Jack scoffed. ‘Whatever.’

  ‘Do you all know Riki?’ asked Nat.

  ‘Long time, no see,’ said Elijah. ‘How’s it going?’

  ‘Good,’ replied Riki. ‘Are you guys up for a mission?’

  ‘Absolutely,’ said Barnaby. ‘Does it involve finding the cave Jack’s been going on about?’

  ‘Not yet,’ said Nat. ‘We’re going to the Glowworm Cave.’

  The boys groaned. Repeated school trips through the cave had dimmed their enthusiasm for the glowworms and formations.

  ‘Let’s go to a real cave,’ said Barnaby.

  ‘You just want to play in the mud,’ said Jack.

  Barnaby smiled. ‘Yep!’

  ‘The thing is,’ said Riki, ‘we’re going into the cave with a tour – but not coming out with one.’

  ‘We’re staying the night?’ asked Elijah.

  ‘Probably not.’ Riki lowered her voice. ‘We’ll bust out once we find what we’re looking for.’

  Barnaby leaned forward. ‘Which is?’

  ‘Sinbad’s lost treasure.’

  ‘I’m in,’ said Barnaby. He glanced around the group. ‘I think we all are.’

  ‘Excellent,’ said Nat. ‘Listen up – here’s the plan.’