The Shadow Crosser (The Storm Runner 3)

the gods and Brooks and—”

“Quinn,” Hondo put in.

Man, I felt for the guy. If Quinn really had been married off, there was nothing he or any of us could do to change it. Brooks had once told me that, in the sobrenatural world, arranged marriages meant forever, like, your-souls-are-bound-together kind of stuff. So why would Quinn agree to it?

“We need to find as many of the gods as we can,” Ren said. “Bring them here and then regroup. Figure out what to do next.”

I loved Ren for trying to come up with a nonviolent plan, but deep down I knew I had to take down Ixkik’. And the only way to do that was to face her.

Ixkik’ spoke softly, but her words were biting. “You must come and negotiate with me in person.”

Ren shoved me aside and placed her hand on the vine. “So you can kill him?”

“Ah,” Ixkik’ said. “I see you brought your godborn friends. Well, don’t count on their help. I want you and you alone.”

I didn’t even have to throw a glare Ren’s way. I could tell by her expression she realized her mistake. “I’m sorry,” she whispered, releasing the vine like it had burned her palm.

“Listen well, Zane,” Ixkik’ said. “I know how fast you can move when you want to. So I will give you ten minutes to reach the Tree. For every minute you are late, I will kill a god.”

“Wait,” I told Ixkik’. “I—”

Marco cut me off. “There has to be a way to trick her. Let her think she’s won and then—”

“We go in for the kill,” Ah-Puch interjected.

At the same moment, Adrik cried, “Look!” He inched back, his face drained of all color.

Our gazes followed his trembling finger to the World Tree in the distance.

Two god lights on the trunk sputtered haphazardly before winking out.

“NO!” I screamed. What if one of those lights had belonged to Hurakan?

A grunt of shock flew from Pacific’s mouth.

“I just want to make sure you understand what’s at stake,” Ixkik’ said. “To ensure you do not question my intentions and power. Don’t try to run away, and don’t resort to any tricks. Any plan you think you have is a foolish one, I can assure you.”

“I understand,” I said, the words choking my windpipe. “Just let me…let me think for a minute.”

“If she wants you this bad”—Ah-Puch paced the deck—“it means you are of great value to her. There is still a part of her plot that hasn’t been completed, and it won’t be until—”

“She has Zane,” Pacific added.

“You’re the ace in the hole,” Marco said like I had won some kind of trophy.

“Rosie and Brooks will find the gods,” Hondo suggested. “And we can…we can split up. We can look, too.”

“Even if we could,” Ah-Puch said, rubbing his chin, “we wouldn’t be able to reach them all in time. Demons are excellent hunters.”

“We have to try!” Ren cried.

This wasn’t happening.

This. Was. Not. Happening.

I felt like my legs had been swept out from under me. I took my hand off the vine. “I have to go to her,” I said. Because what choice did I have?

But then I remembered how her mist had extinguished my fire skills at the Pyramid of the Magician, how it had held Brooks in place. How could I go up against a goddess with that kind of power? A goddess I had never even seen in the flesh.