to Sooleawaâs warning, he thought as Tammand reached out to grab his other arm. Sheâd been right after all.
And that was when the ground began to shake.
Rory fell backward, wrenching out of the grip of both Munsees as he fell to the ground. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the two siblings stumble as well, reaching for the elm to steady themselves as the ground vibrated like the floor of a fun house. Screams floated by from elsewhere in the park as the world continued to move. A crack and a crash sounded behind him, but Rory didnât turn to look. He gritted his teeth and waited for the shaking to pass.
And pass it did, finally, leaving Rory shaken but unhurt. Glancing around, he caught sight of the origin of the crash; the large elm had toppled to the ground. If it had tilted in a different direction, he realized with a shudder, it would have landed right on top of him. Rory pushed himself to his feet and staggered over to Soka, who remained kneeling where she fell. Tammand lay nearby, stunned.
âAre you all right?â Rory asked, still trying to catch his breath. Looking up with wild eyes, Soka climbed unsteadily to her feet, clinging to him for balance.
âGo!â she hissed in his ear. âYou must! Before Tammand gets his wits about him again.â Her lips were so close it almost felt like a kiss. Rory glanced guiltily over at Tammand; the older boy was staggering to his feet, slowly regaining his balance. Rory touched the cheek where her breath had caressed him, imagining that the skin felt warmer there. Then he shook himself out of his stupor.
âGood-bye,â he said, backing away. Soka watched him retreat, already regaining her composure as she waved a hand in farewell, while her brother finally found his footing. Seizing the last of his moment, Rory turned before Tammand could stop him and dove through the brush, trying to get away as fast as he could.
2
MCCOOLâS
T he man in the fedora climbed up out of the manhole, brushing the dirt off his nicely tailored suit. The earthquake had surprised even him, but he knew what it meant. They were just about out of time. Heâd designed the Trap to be opened, and opened it must be. What happened after, that was the worry now. He had hoped to avoid resorting to drastic measures, but circumstances pushed him. Heâd wanted to spare Rory; they all did. But he no longer had a choice.
The man in the fedora began to stroll down the street, surrounded by the confusion left in the earthquakeâs wake. He prayed the Light was strong enough for what was to come. He could only hope that one day Rory would find it in his heart to forgive him for what he was about to do.
Iâm sorry, kiddo, he thought, then pushed the regret out of his head. He had work to do, and little time to do it.
Rory burst out onto the path, running full speed toward the street entrance. Leaves covered the walkway, and fallen branches blocked his path as he ran. Finally, the exit came into view. Breathing a sigh of relief, he swept through the opening in the wall and out onto the street. But that relief was short-lived as he took in the crazy scene around him.
Cars had run up onto the sidewalks all along Central Park West, slamming into street signs and lampposts, and one another. Smoke rose steadily from their ruined, still-sputtering engines. People were pouring out of the buildings, looking bewildered and frightened. Tree branches lay strewn all over the sidewalks, as did pieces of stone fallen from the buildings lining the street. Everywhere Rory looked confusion reigned. Big earthquakes were supposed to happen to Los Angeles and San Francisco, not New York City.
A loud bark warned him to brace himself before Tucket barreled into him, jumping up to try to lick his face. Then the tawny dog noticed something near Roryâs feet and his tail began to wag at supersonic speed.
âKeep that monster away from me!â a voice cried. Glancing