5 Smoke and Mirrors

CHAPTER Five Smoke And Mirrors They dashed through the dark entrance and found themselves in a vast cavern. The red glow from a lava pool lit the high walls around them. "Phew! It smells burned in here," Neal whispered, creeping up behind Eric and Keeah. "Sort of like that brick oven pizza place back home." "Without the good pizza smell," Eric added. "Sparr is good at burning things," Khan said. "I hope to repay him for attacking my village." Julie shivered. "You know, most people don't go inside a volcano. I hope we can get out."

"If we're careful, we will," Keeah said. "Now, first things first. Which way do we go?" The cavern around them was dark and smoky. But it was empty. In the flickering red light, they saw a rough path dug out of the rock. The path wound downward into the earth. Eric knew where it led. He wasn't sure how he knew, but he knew. It led to the center of the volcano. "We have to follow that path all the way down," he said. "I have a feeling that's where Sparr keeps the Eye. Down there." "How can you be sure?" Julie asked. "Because the center is probably the scariest place anybody can think of," Keeah replied. "And Sparr would want to make it as hard as possible for anyone to find the Eye." Max nodded. "And it will be harder, once he knows we are here." Eric wondered how long it would take Sparr to find them poking around his secret hiding place. And what he would do when he did. Khan sniffed. "Danger this way. Let's go on." They all started down the winding path. It led below the level they had entered on, passing boiling pools that hissed

and bubbled loudly. They were being as quiet as they could be. "The rock is getting hotter," Max said, crawling along the jagged walls of the path. "I wonder how we'll know when we reach the center." "That's where they keep the lava," Neal said. "Phew!" Julie sniffed. "What's that smell?" Neal looked down. "My sneakers are on fire! Yikes! Now I know where my dream came from!" He stamped his sneakers until the fire went out. "Oh, man, that really hurt!" "So do Ninns!" Eric hissed. "Quiet!" The kids crept down to still another level. The air was even hotter and smokier. It smelled worse. Keeah stopped. She held up her hand. "There's a cave up ahead," she whispered. "Something's moving. I saw a shadow—" Suddenly, a figure stepped out of the cave. "Guards, seize them!" a man said in a deep, snarly tone. The man was Lord Sparr! "Whoa!" Neal gasped. "Let's get out of here!" Everyone rushed back up the path, but Julie didn't move. She seemed frozen to the spot. "Guards, seize them!" the sorcerer repeated in the same deep tone as before.

Eric dashed back to her. "Julie, come on! Sparr's the bad guy! Do I have to drag you out?" "Wait a sec," Julie whispered. "Wait?" Eric cried. "For big greasy Ninns to come clomping over and grab us? Come on!" But Julie wouldn't budge. Seconds passed and there were no clomping footsteps. No greasy Ninn claws grabbing them. Instead, Sparr turned stiffly and walked back into the cave. He appeared to touch the cave wall, but didn't quite touch it. "See?" Julie murmured. "That's not him—" "We'll be caught, you two!" Max cried, scampering up behind them with the others. Julie laughed. "No, look. That isn't Sparr. I mean, it's not really Sparr. That is—I don't know what—special effects or something." The figure strode forward again, not even blinking. Neal cringed as it stared icily at them. "Guards, seize them!" Sparr repeated. "Ha!" Julie said. "I don't think so, Sparr." Then she leaned forward and slapped the sorcerer in the arm. Her hand went right through!

"Whoa!" Neal whispered.

"See what I mean?" Julie said. Keeah nodded. "Maybe Sparr created a double to take his place because the jewel burned him. Maybe the real Sparr is hurt." "Maybe it's done with mirrors," Eric said. "Weird," said Neal, peering around the figure. "He's Sparr, but he's fake." "Well, they aren't!" Max suddenly chirped. The spider troll pointed at two giant red-faced Ninn soldiers. They came clomping down the passage right toward them. "I thought I smelled something bad," Khan snorted, starting to run. The Ninns grunted and hissed. They pulled out big swords. "GET THEM!" yelled the Ninns.