The Shadow Crosser (The Storm Runner 3)

“And then?” Adrik asked, rubbing his forehead anxiously.

I didn’t have an and then. I didn’t have anything but my determination to keep the gods and my friends alive, and right now the clock was winding down on both.

“Look,” I said, “we didn’t go all the way to 1987 to give up now.”

Ren gripped my hand and squeezed. “Zane, no. There has to be another way.”

“There is none,” Marco said. “Blood Moon knows she’s calling the plays.”

Ixkik’ added, “I have eyes everywhere, and I will know if you are not alone. And if you betray me? More gods will die. The choice is yours. Are you ready?”

“She is a vile creature,” Pacific said, white-knuckling her rope.

“Can’t you just stop time?” Adrik asked the goddess.

“I already tried,” Pacific said. “It’s tied to my power, which isn’t working.”

Ah-Puch stroked his chin, avoiding the zit. I knew that look. He was plotting, and when the god of death plots, it definitely means Run for your life. “Let us do ground control, Zane,” he said. “We’ll find as many gods as we can and bring them back here.”

“But the demons,” I said. “You have no power to go up against them.”

A looming clawlike shadow grew above Ren’s head. “We have our godborn powers, Zane.”

I grabbed the vine again and said, “I’m ready.”

“Because I am fair and just,” Ixkik’ continued, “I will start a clock to time your journey.”

A loud sound filled the forest, grating on the last of my nerves.

Tick. Tick. Tick.

Marco gripped my shoulder. “There’s no more time to huddle, Zane, so…so…uh, call a great play when you get there.”

“Right.” He means well, I thought. But he’s about as useful as a single chopstick.

“We’ll find as many gods as we can,” Pacific said, tugging up her hood.

“Remember,” Ah-Puch said, “Ixkik’ doesn’t want to kill you. Well, at least not yet. So try to learn all you can about her plan, why she wants you so bad.”

“Okay, but when you find the gods,” I said, “promise me you’ll get them out of here.”

Look, I didn’t have some sudden affection for the gods (at least most of them), but there is an order and a balance to the universe and they’re part of it whether I like it or not.

“We won’t let you down,” Ren said as I stepped into the hole, hugging the trunk.

“Zane,” Hondo said. Our eyes met. “Be careful out there.”

Nodding, I stepped onto a platform below and summoned my cane. The platform unfolded into a kind of moving escalator, and a cool mist wrapped its arms around me. Someone seemed to be rolling out the red carpet for me. With Fuego’s help, I ran down the steps and burst into the jungle.

At the same moment, a brilliant golden light flashed above.

It was so sudden I shrank back, shielding my eyes.

But just as quickly, the light vanished.

I kept heading for the Tree.

Tick. Tick. Tick.