The scales tipped slightly to one side before settling. They were both equally measured out, finally, a fine balance. The monkeys upon them had stilled, holding a sulky silence.

At long last, Ahmad knew, he’d figured out the trick to playing in Paheli. You had to beat the game with its own tricks.

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

AHMAD AND WINNIE CLASPED each other’s hands and danced around, tossing their heads back to shriek their triumph at the sky. They had done it, they had done it, they had done it. It was another step—perhaps the final step!—toward survival, toward freedom and home.

“Now let’s find your uncle,” Winnie said happily, “and GO HOME.”

“Wait,” Ahmad said, gently drawing his hands out of Winnie’s. “Is it just me, or is it really quiet?”

Winnie frowned. “It is. Where are those monkeys? And where is the puzzle piece we earned?”

“Right here, on both counts.”

“Whoa!” Ahmad hollered, and drew back, Winnie backing up with him. They were surrounded by the zombie-monkeys, hair bristling and backs arched. The leader of them—the one that Ahmad was sure he had roughly tossed aside, moments ago, pounced in front of them, teeth bared and paws outstretched.

And it was the monkey that had spoken.

It took a moment for Ahmad to realize what it held between its teeth.

“Hey! The puzzle piece! That’s ours!”

The monkey backed away. “Not so fast. There’s something else you seem to be missing.”

Ahmad and Winnie glanced between each other. “Uh, excuse me, Mr. Monkey,” Winnie snapped, “but we really don’t have time for riddles.”

“And who told you just that?” the monkey asked, a smug tone to its voice that grated on Ahmad’s nerves.

“Madame Nasirah, of course. Heard of her? She’s the . . .” Ahmad’s voice trailed off. “The Gamekeeper. The Gamekeeper disappeared and we haven’t found her yet!”

“When all the pieces aren’t on the board, there is a reason for concern,” the leader monkey responded. He brandished the puzzle piece, and Winnie leaned forward gingerly. When he made no sudden movements, she took the piece, subtly wiping it off on her jeans.

“Uh . . . thank you. For the piece. And the advice.”

The monkey nodded. But Ahmad had a question of his own.

“Back there, you were ready to tear us apart. Why help us and hand the last piece we need over now?”

“Everyone has their role to play,” the monkey said. “Some more willingly than others.” He backed up, and the monkeys moved expectantly with him. As they left, he turned and looked over his shoulder at them one more time.

“Stay on your guard. You aren’t in the clear. Not by a long shot.”

And with that, they moved back into the rising sand. The platform and its bizarre architecture, with a single rumble, receded into the earth.

“Wow,” Ahmad said with a whistle.