At the same moment, Ixtab materialized in a column of blue mist. Rosie was right behind her.

“Did you decide?” she asked.

I cleared my throat and looked from Hondo to Brooks to Ren and back to Ixtab.

“Yes. I’m ready to die.”

I need to pause right here.

Mostly because what happened next was pretty much the beginning—or end—of everything, depending on how you look at it. It’s hard to explain, but it was sort of like this: Imagine you’ve spent your whole life as a sea creature and then one day you break the surface and discover you have lungs. And all of a sudden the world above is different and scary and so much clearer than it was under the water. Even if you don’t like what you see, you know you can’t ever go back to living in the ocean again, because, well, now you have stupid lungs.

Here’s the bottom line: Things were about to change big-time, and life was never going to be the same. Not for me or my friends or my family or any godborn. Sorry about that. If you want to murder me, take a number.

Ixtab had changed into a long black silk dress that touched the terrace’s stone floor. This is how she dressed for a Desesperadas meeting? Didn’t look very desperate to me. “You’ve made the right choice,” she said.

“Don’t do it,” Brooks whispered.

Ren’s eyes widened. “Zane, what if…?” She didn’t finish, because there were too many what ifs to consider. What if I wasn’t strong enough? What if I didn’t succeed? What if the godborns died because of me? What if I became permanently dead? I thought about the ancestors’ message: In the dark, you shall choose the path, but beware. All roads lead to the gods’ angry wrath. Was I doomed no matter what?

Maybe it was the fire power I’d just felt, or the fact that I was standing in hell, but I decided in that moment to ignore the prophecy. Why should the ancestors get to call all the shots? They weren’t going to rule me anymore.

Rosie let out a small whimper as a spear sailed overhead. Hondo mumbled to her, “Those demons don’t have very good aim, do they, girl?”

Ixtab straightened. “Are you ready, godborn?”

“Zane…” Brooks warned.

There was no more time to think about it. Before I could chicken out, I shook Ixtab’s hand.

Hondo came over and hooked his arm around my neck. “I got your back, Diablo.” He looked at Rosie and whispered, “Dead or alive.” Then he turned to Ixtab. “If he doesn’t live through this? I’ll hunt you down.”

I love my stupidly brave uncle, but it’s never a great idea to threaten the queen of the underworld. I for sure thought Ixtab would shoot fire at him or choke him with her gold chain.

Instead, she ignored him and said to me, “You will only have one opportunity to return to Xib’alb’a. This will open a gateway where none exists.” She handed me something about the size of a quarter. It was blue and a little spongy. Was it…a kernel of corn?

“What am I supposed to do with this?” I stared at the seed in my hand.

“Even small, seemingly insignificant things can be powerful,” she said. “Maize is sacred to the Maya, Zane. Quinn will give you instructions on how to use it, and no matter what, do not misplace it.” She spun toward Quinn. “You know what to do. Please do not dally with death boy like last time.” And then she was gone.

Death boy? Dally?

All eyes were on Quinn. I have to admit, she looked flustered, and I had a feeling it had to do with whoever this “death boy” was. She spun and marched up the steps toward the waterfall.

“Hey!” I called after her. “Where are we going?” But she didn’t answer. I couldn’t wait to get her alone and learn more about the secrets she’d discovered about Ixtab.

“Does this mean we get to skip Pus River?” Hondo said.

Ren followed on my heels. I slowed to let her catch up. “What did you and Ixtab talk about when you used telepathy?” I asked her again.

Ren kept her gaze straight ahead. “She’s not my mom.”

“Yeah, you already said that. Does she know who is?”

“She didn’t say.”

I wanted to ask more, but we’d come to an overlook deck halfway up the stairs. A narrow twenty-foot bridge extended from it, leading straight into the pounding cascade. “After you,” Quinn shouted over the crashing water.

Scratching his chin, Hondo said, “Uh…you want

Tags: J.C. Cervantes, Jennifer Cervantes The Storm Runner Fantasy
Source: readsnovelonline.net