Chapter 15

CHAPTER 15 Tata was breathing. Marcus could see that. But then why didn't he open his eyes? Why didn't Tata answer when Marcus called his name? The rock seemed to have knocked him into a deep and terrible sleep, and Marcus could not wake him up. The storm of rocks continued. Flaming boulders whooshed through the sky, their explosions booming all around. Somehow Marcus managed to drag Tata through the rocks. With a strength he never knew he had, he hoisted Tata up the five stairs that led through the temple's open doorway. He laid Tata on the cold stone floor and collapsed next to him.

Hours passed before Tata's eyes finally fluttered open, and even longer before the fog cleared from his eyes and he could sit up. With each passing minute, it seemed, the mountain's fury grew stronger. The booming and whooshing and thundering and pounding had melded together into a bone-rattling roar. The walls of the temple shook and groaned. They were running out of time, Marcus knew. And then suddenly Tata turned to him. He took Marcus's hand. "My dear son, it is time for you to go," he said. "I know," Marcus said. "As soon as you're strong enough we can—" "No," Tata interrupted. "I'll never make it to the gates. But if you go now you'll still have a chance." It took a moment for Marcus to understand what Tata was saying: that Marcus should escape by himself. "No," Marcus said, locking eyes with Tata. "Please, Marcus. I have thought about this. I have considered every idea. There is no other possibility."

Marcus knew that this was right. But it didn't matter. "I'm sorry," Marcus said. "But I'm staying here with you." He looked away so Tata wouldn't see his tears. And that's when he finally took a good look at the statue that stood right in front of them. The god with wings on his hat and on his sandals. Marcus's whole body tingled. The god was Mercury. A strange but familiar voice whispered in his mind. "When hope is lost, follow the hand of Mercury." The words were so clear, as though the old beggar woman was still right next to him. Marcus jumped up and went to the statue. He touched the marble, half expecting the statue to turn to flesh and blood, for Mercury to scoop him and Tata into his arms and fly them to the heavens. "What is it?" Tata said. He turned to Tata. "That old beggar woman, Tata," Marcus explained. "There was something

else she said to me." He spoke her words slowly to Tata. Marcus waited for Tata to tell him it was crazy to believe in the ranting words of a stranger. But Tata didn't shake his head. He stared at the statue intently, studying it. And Marcus understood that at that moment it didn't matter whether the beggar woman's words were science or magic or madness. Marcus felt the truth of her words in his heart. And so, it seemed, did Tata. Tata rose to his feet, shaking off his pain and weakness. "Marcus," he said, his eyes wide with excitement. "Look at the statue's right hand." Marcus saw it too. It seemed the statue was pointing to something. But what? The floor was bare. Unless… Marcus dropped to his knees. He felt around the tile floor until he found a gap between two large tiles. His heart pounded as he dug his fingers into the gap. There was a groove in the side of one of the

tiles. He lifted it up. And he could barely believe what he saw underneath. There was a trapdoor.