Chapter 53—The Oracle of Opua

Jojo sipped his black coffee. "What kind of crystals are you looking for?"

"Extreme light-bearing stones," Chaz answered. "Do you know of any veins close by?"

Jojo was suspicious of anyone who wanted to remove stones from their resting place. Especially karaihe, the Maori name for light crystals. He took hold of the amulet hanging from his leather necklace, a tiki bone carving given to him by his great-grandfather. The amulet kept Jojo connected to his ancestor, Kuthumi, Ipu's deceased grandfather. Ipu needed no necklace or other token. She and her grandfather were always connected.

"There are mines here, but they're no longer in operation," Jojo said. "Most are not safe. The digging has caused some of the tunnel walls to become unstable." He believed the digging had made the mine spirits restless, but didn't say so.

"I was hoping to find a few for a project," Chaz said, shrinking into his chair.

The solid, brown man leaned forward. "Why do you want to disturb the earth? Bad things happen to people who do these things." He leaned back. Everyone was quiet, waiting for a story.

Jojo glanced at Ipu standing behind Chaz. Ipu nodded slightly and Jojo went on. "We knew a man once, a white man, who took crystal stones from a sacred cave. That night he was strangled in his bed by a snake. We believe it was the rainbow serpent seeking retribution."

Chaz swallowed hard and Tip's face turned pale. Taylor laughed. "A joke, right?"

"Rainbow serpent, what's that?" Chaz asked. A chill ran up his spine.

Jojo sat in thoughtful silence. The wind rattled the windows. He shook his head and grabbed the honey and added a large dollop to his coffee. "Not a joke," he said while he stirred. "We believe the rainbow serpent protects the underworld and the crystals that live there."

"You're saying if we take crystals we might be strangled by this serpent?" Tip asked.

Jojo looked at Ipu and gestured for her to join them. "We don't know for sure," he said. "What do you think, Ipu, should we do the cards?"

"Yes. Let's do the cards," Taylor insisted. Since she was little she had watched Ipu draw cards to read the future. Ipu used Oracle cards that were like Tarot, but instead featured symbols important to the Maori culture. The deck facilitated the tradition of gaining advice and guidance from ancestors who had passed on.

Ipu could often see the future without the cards, but others were more convinced when she used them. She had been waiting for this invitation. "Go," she said, waving everyone into the living room and then pointing Chaz to a stack of large pillows set before a coffee table. "You sit," she ordered.

Chaz sat on the pile. "What's she doing now?" he asked, watching Ipu walk to the sink. She reached onto the windowsill, pulled down a white porcelain bottle, and sprayed a fine mist over her head before washing her hands.

"She's preparing to handle the cards," Taylor said, dropping down on the floor next to Chaz. "Reading the cards is like handling the bones of your ancestors, and we never bring them into the kitchen or the bathroom. We must show them respect or they won't communicate. It's called tapu, or sacred rules."

Ipu returned and sat on the couch directly in front of Chaz. She covered her shoulders with a white shawl with silver feathers dangling from the bottom. Lighting a candle, she closed her eyes and took in a few deep breaths. The candlelight flickered as if blown by a mysterious breeze. Chaz sat frozen in placed, watching Ipu. Her eyelids flipped up and she pulled open a drawer and removed a box painted with unusual symbols. After opening the box, she slid out a tall stack of shiny green cards and spread them on the table like fallen dominos. Seagulls screamed in the distance. Wind gusts grew louder. Ipu nodded to Chaz. "You."

Chaz winced and looked at Taylor. "What do I do?"

"Take card, put here." Ipu pointed to the lineup and motioned Chaz to turn it over.

He selected a card at random and turned it over before Ipu. Her mouth tilted into a tiny smile. It was the Kȃhu: "What was hidden comes to light."

"Again," Ipu pointed. Chaz had no idea which card to pick and arbitrarily grabbed another. He laid it face up next to Kȃhu.

Jojo took in a breath. "Kea," he said, glaring at Ipu.

Chaz looked at Taylor. "The kea bird," she said. "It means bold exploration." And she quoted from memory: "It is with bold exploration that the greatest treasures can be uncovered." Taylor knew all the cards and meanings by heart. Chaz relaxed a bit. Tip stiffened.

"Take one," Ipu ordered, and Chaz scanned the lineup. He pulled out another card and turned it over near the other two.

"Tȃwera," Taylor said, and smiled at Tip the way a sister smiles when she's right.

"What does it mean?" Chaz asked, intrigued. The symbol looked like a crystal.

"Action," Taylor said. "It means the time for action is now." She quoted the meaning directly: Tȃwera is the guiding light by which an expedition can begin."

"Wow." Chaz leaned in to get a closer look at the symbols on the three overturned cards.

Ipu was not fully convinced. Although three cards were usually drawn in a reading, she asked him to select one more. Chaz turned over his final card.

"Kȏtuku!" Taylor said, jumping to her feet. "I knew it."

Jojo sucked in air. Ipu's mouth dropped open.

"What is it?" Chaz was hopeful yet spooked by the ritual of the cards.

"Kȏtuku has the favor of the gods." Then Taylor quoted: "Kȏtuku is a sign you are on the right path." She grinned, showing the space between her upper teeth.

"Now what?" Chaz asked as a window shutter beat back and forth in the distance.

Ipu banged her hand on the table and everyone jumped. She pointed to the first card Chaz had drawn. "Kȃhu." Her black eyes penetrated his. "First you tell hidden secret."

His eyes blinked like someone who'd been caught lying. Taylor and Jojo stood over him. Chaz sat still as a stone, his mind in a muddle. Ipu continued to stare into his eyes without blinking. He felt dizzy but couldn't look away.

He realized he had to tell the truth. She'll know if I lie, he thought.

Taylor put a hand on his shoulder. "It's okay. Tell us what's going on. We know it's important."

Chaz looked down at the blurring cards. He focused on the silvery bird with its long thin legs and neck that curved gracefully toward its protracted beak. "Favor of the gods—a sign you are on the right path," Taylor had said.

Chaz took a deep breath and then began his story starting with the appearance of the crystal angel in the crater near Happy Valley. He went on to describe the details of the quest for a crystal chain that had to be activated on the next full moon only four days away.

After Chaz finished speaking, silence weighed heavily. The windows shook as if the wind wanted to get in, or perhaps the spirits of the ancestors. Jojo sat back down next to Ipu and grabbed his amulet. He put his arm on her shoulder. "Kuthumi wishes us to do the search." Ipu nodded and without a word, stood and left the room still wearing her ceremonial shawl.

"Is she okay?" Tip asked. He had yet to regain the color in his face.

"She'll be fine," Jojo said. "This is much to take in. The Maori have prayed for the planet for thousands of years—perhaps now it will heal."

"When do we start?" Taylor asked.

"And where do we start?" Chaz asked.

"I know of three mines that have crystal veins," Jojo said and stood up. "We search the first one tomorrow morning. We leave at daybreak."

Tip looked at his sister and shook his head. "You'll be fine, Tip," Taylor said. "You're with me and Jojo, and Chaz here who was visited by an angel."

Tip raised his arms in surrender. "All right, I'll go, but under severe protest, mind you."

Taylor threw her arms around her brother. "You won't regret it," she said.