“You’re not the only godborn who was dumped, kid,” Hondo said.
Brooks sighed and lifted one shoulder. “I don’t think they let thieves go to the World Tree.”
I touched her arm. Way to be subtle.
Someone has to address the elephant in the room…uh, jungle. It’s reverse psychology. Get it? Tell them they can’t go and then they’ll want to go.
“What she means is,” I started, “um…what did you steal from the antiques shop? Is that what Ik is after? Because if it is, we have to know.”
Adrik groaned. “No one stole anything.”
“You were in a closed store,” I said, “and there was something glowy in your hand. And believe me, demons don’t go after nothing.”
Ren said, “I bet it’s just a misunderstanding. You guys don’t look like thieves to me.”
“They are kinda dressed like burglars,” Hondo muttered.
“What do thieves look like?” Adrik asked.
“We want to talk to someone in charge,” Alana said, tugging on a red hair tip. “Who would that be? Is there, like, some king of the gods?”
“All the gods think they’re the boss,” Hondo said. “So it depends who you ask. I bet that little round rain god thinks he’s king. What’s his name, Zane? Chaac?”
Adrik pulled his hood over his head, and it flopped over his eyes. That’s when I noticed that the jacket was too big for him, like maybe it belonged to his dad. “So, about this World Tree,” he said, “who’s in charge there?”
See? Brooks said. You’re welcome.
Technically, Itzamna, an all-powerful, all-seeing god, sits at the top of a sacred árbol. But he wasn’t the boss of SHIHOM, which is what Adrik was really asking.
“Ixchel, the moon goddess, got the job,” Ren said. “She’s also known as the rainbow lady.”
I was still desperate to find out what the twins were hiding. “If Ik is after whatever you have,” I said, trying to cajole them, “that means Camazotz, the bat god, wants it, which means—”
“You two are on his hit list,” Brooks finished. “And the only place you’ll be safe is at the Tree.”
Adrik and Alana shared a knowing glance. Silent words passed between them as their eyes flashed that electric blue. Then Adrik said, “Okay. We’ll go.”
“Bueno.” I pulled my phone free.
Alana practically lunged for it. “Who are you calling?”
“1-555-MAYAGOD.”
It was protocol. After I found a godborn and got them to agree to go to the Tree, I always left a recording for one of Ixchel’s assistants, usually an air spirit (they’re into this kind of reunion/happy-ending sort of thing). It was their job to then explain to the godborn’s human parent that their kid had been chosen for an exclusive art, music, math, engineering, et cetera summer camp complete with a scholarship to college afterward. No parent had refused yet.
As soon as I finished my message, including explicit directions not to call the twins’ aunt, Alana leaned into my phone and added, “If you call the Witch, we bolt.” Then she gave me half a grin and said, “Just making sure they get it.”
Hondo stretched his arms over his head and turned to me. “Your mom doesn’t know you’re home. You should go see her. She’s gonna flip.”
As we drove through the moonlit jungle, I was relieved that Adrik and Alana had agreed to go to the World Tree, and not just because they could finally learn who they really were. Two things were certain:
1) They had stolen something tonight that our enemies were after.
2) They weren’t like any of the other godborns, and I was going to find out why.
The past three months had been the longest of my life. They’d also been the más difíciles.
Before, I hadn’t I realized how much I needed my family to feel strong. And I don’t mean like fire-missiles strong—I mean the feeling that you belong somewhere, that someone has your back no matter what. Someone like my mom, who pretty much went crazy screaming and laughing and crying when she saw me, squeezing my guts out with a muy fuerte abrazo.