The Shadow Crosser (The Storm Runner 3)

K’iin went on to say, “You will only receive a single answer. Is this your final question?”

Why did I feel like a contestant on a really bad game show? Just then, I wiped more sweat off my forehead with the back of my hand, and in doing so my fingers accidentally hooked my destiny thread. When I tried to pull them free, they got more entangled in it.

“Don’t tug!” Ren shouted.

“What do I do?” The words just barely got past the gran lump in my throat. If I moved my hand, I might mess up my destiny. But I couldn’t stand like that forever….

I wondered why I wasn’t feeling heat in my veins, and then I remembered that I had no fire power in this place. It was for the best. If it came out, I could’ve accidentally sent my future up in flames.

“Can you let go slowly?” Ren suggested.

Gingerly, I reached out with my other hand, which was quivering like mad, and unwound the single thread that had ensnared two of my fingers.

Everyone exhaled with relief.

But when I tried to let go of the thread, it stayed glued to my fingertips. As I struggled to get it off, the thread pulled the destiny ribbon, squinching it in the middle. Finally, the string separated from my skin, but when it did, it snapped back to the ribbon and made a knot the size of a cherry seed.

I bent over, completely winded.

“At least the ribbon didn’t unravel,” Alana said. “That’s good, right?”

At that, I straightened a little, and Ren’s eyes c

aught mine. She was clearly worried, but her words were confident. “Knots are always good. They probably keep out the bad stuff.”

“Actually, they cause congestion,” K’iin said. “Knots represent—”

“Wh-what was—” I stammered.

“Your future has been altered significantly,” K’iin said. “I cannot tell you how or when.”

“That’s so mean!” Ren cried. “Why would you dangle that in front of him?”

“Sooo mean,” Louie agreed.

K’iin said, “The moment was meant to be, godborns.”

“Guys,” I said in a voice that sounded too far away, “it’s okay. It’s done.”

“Then you did make him pay after all,” Ren said angrily. “Now give us our answer.”

The mirror shards spun and turned, seeking their puzzle partners, until we were looking at a perfectly smooth surface. Slowly, an image appeared in it. There was no mistaking what I was looking at—the same place where Hondo, Brooks, and I had gone to find the hero twins, and where I had met Jazz, the giant, and Antonio, the Fire Keeper. “It’s Venice Beach,” I whispered. “Again.”

“Why would the gods be in California?” Ren asked suspiciously.

She was right to wonder. It seemed like the worst place to hide the gods—unless Zotz and Ixkik’ wanted them to be found.

“We need something more specific.” Alana threw her head back defiantly.

Louie nodded. “Like an address.”

“Oh, I can give you an address, but it won’t help you,” K’iin said in a gleeful tone that made me wish I could launch a fireball into the mirror.

“What do you mean?” Alana asked.

K’iin told us the exact location. “But if you go to that address, you will not find the gods.”

“Zane just paid with his destiny, and you made me give you an IOU!” Ren spluttered. “Why would we do that for nothing?”