Vasco and Inés walked at the head of the party, the two vampires carrying the broken chest directly behind them.
The atmosphere in the throne room was oddly unchanged. Music was playing. A dance was going on. Female wind vampires twisted and rolled overhead while more women danced in circles before the throne. Macuya sat watching them with Jadzia and Valeria on either side of him, looking bored.
For the first time, Ben noticed the startling gender disparity. Most vampire courts were comprised of a roughly equal number of male and female vampires, but this court…
Female dancers. Women serving blood-wine and fruit. A few male drummers around the room and a notable number of males serving as guards. But the vast majority of those dancing or gossiping in the corners of the room were women. Beautiful, immortal women with flowers and feathers decorating their hair. Women on display for the proud man in the center of the room.
A scene that had amused Ben only weeks before suddenly made his skin crawl. There was something very wrong with this picture. Something was happening in the court of Los Tres.
“…that old man has been running Puerto Rico long before anyone from Europe arrived. He’s just pissed Columbus spoiled his food supply.”
“Three rulers. Three elements. Three peoples.”
“My brother shares his power from a sense of goodness and fairness… But make no mistake: we were here first.”
Who was really running Puerto Rico? Was it the man on the throne? The women beside him? Ben glanced at Inés and Vasco. Or was it someone else entirely?
The music fell silent as Inés stepped forward. “My brother, Macuya, I have brought the European, Giovanni Vecchio, to you, along with the treasure of our brother Miguel Enríquez.”
The crowd of vampires began to murmur.
Macuya turned his attention to Inés. “My sister, why do you trouble me with this European?”
The irritation was evident on Inés’s face. “Cacique, this is the man I told you of after we had news of the old scholar’s death.”
A dawning realization on the king’s face. “He killed the old human? Why?”
Giovanni spoke up. “I killed no one, honored cacique. But I believe I know who did.”
The murmurs grew louder. The two queens came to attention on their thrones. Jadzia’s eyes narrowed. Valeria’s eyes went wide.
Macuya turned his attention to Giovanni. “Señor Vecchio, why did you not present yourself to this court when you arrived on my island?”
Ben saw Jadzia bristle. Interesting.
Giovanni spoke to the cacique in a familiar way, one peer addressing another. “I do apologize. I was assisting my nephew with a business matter he could not handle on his own. You understand, of course.”
Ben revealed nothing with his expression, playing the part of the dutiful apprentice to the older, wiser immortal.
“I’m sure you’ve had the same experience with those in your court. Young ones who take on more than they are capable of.” Giovanni stepped next to Inés and continued to address Macuya directly. “I had every intention of introducing myself and enjoying the many pleasures of your court once the fire”—Giovanni snapped his fingers, rolling a ball of fire around his hand before he grabbed it and snuffed it out—“was put out. If you understand my meaning.”
It was a very clever play. In one short speech, Giovanni had asked forgiveness, demonstrated his power, played with it like a figure of speech, and excused himself from blame, all the while flattering the cacique and his court.
I want to be him when I grow up.
It was a thought Ben had entertained more than once.
Macuya was similarly impressed. He liked this powerful immortal wanting to spend time in his court. “I do understand. Many times my wives or my sister take on a task they are unprepared for. I often have to intervene on their behalf.”
Ben watched the reaction of Jadzia, Valeria, and Inés. All three quickly schooled their expressions, but not before Ben caught the bristle at the old man’s insult.
“I do appreciate the intricacies and riches of your court,” Giovanni said. “And I wish I could linger and enjoy its pleasures. But I am grateful that your sister interrupted our work, because the matter of August Camino is a very grave one.”
“Oh yes.” Macuya frowned as if he’d suddenly heard something discordant. “The old man.”
“Señor August Camino was a friend of mine, a respected international scholar who had consulted with many immortals and remained under the continuing aegis of the O’Briens of New York City.”
“He was on my island,” Macuya said.
“As a guest, was he not? He had proper introductions and protections?”
Inés said, “He did.”
“So what can be said of the court of Macuya?” Giovanni said. “What do I tell my friend Cormac O’Brien when I inform him of August Camino’s death?”
The court once again grew utterly silent.
What are you doing, Gio? Ben began to look for exits. There was still one way in and one way out. Tenzin had moved to his side and was hovering off the ground. No one was paying attention to them. All eyes were on Giovanni speaking before the Macuya’s throne.
“Are other immortal rulers to understand their aegis cannot be respected on this island?” Giovanni asked. “Will murderers be welcomed in your court as I smell the scent of those who killed my friend in yours?”
Dead silence greeted Giovanni’s challenge, and the atmosphere in the court went from serious to volatile.
Macuya rose to his feet, his face cold with anger. “You accuse me of murder? You, a thief who was trying to steal my people’s treasure from them?”
“You call me a thief when my associates and I are here on behalf of a client and we received proper permission from you to search for his property?” Giovanni turned and addressed the crowd. “Does the word of the court of Puerto Rico mean nothing?”
“Who is your client?” Macuya roared.
Giovanni was silent for a long time. “My client is Roberto Cofresí.”
The whispers of the court grew louder.
“Are you kidding me?” Ben turned to Tenzin. “How many damn pirates became vampires? Seriously, was this a trend during the seventeenth century or something?”
Tenzin shrugged. “Cofresí was eighteenth, I think. And I don’t know what to tell you. We tend to run in the same circles.”
“Did you know he was Giovanni’s client?”
“No. I did have my suspicions when Gio told me he wasn’t welcome on the island. Cofresí annoyed a lot of vampires here.”
Macuya was livid. “Cofresí? The thief! The pretender! Does he have more right than me? I, who am king of this island? I, who am the heart and soul of this place?” He pounded his chest. “I, who am the oldest vampire in Puerto Rico, the most powerful, the beloved of my people?” His arms spread, as if to embrace the court, but the walls of the mountain began to shake.
Sounds of panic from the air as flying vampires rushed to the ground, searching for escape from the shaking walls and falling rocks.
“Be ready,” Tenzin said.
“For what?” Ben hissed. “We need to go now. Forget the treasure!”
“Not yet.” She grabbed his arm. “Giovanni is poking the hornet’s nest, but he won’t be the one who gets stung.”
The shaking continued as Macuya’s face grew red with rage and indignation. Larger rocks began to tumble down the walls. The earth beneath their feet began to move.
Jadzia and Valeria both rose to their feet. Valeria frantically searched the crowd while Jadzia shouted, “Inés, what are you waiting for?”
Macuya’s sister stepped forward to the foot of his throne. She raised one hand, stomped a bare foot, and the walls of the mountain grew still.
“Enough.”
22
Ben watched in wonder as Inés stood in defiance before the cacique’s throne.
“What are you doing?” Macuya shouted.
“Wh
at are you doing, brother?” Inés kept her hand up. Her expression was as immovable as her power.
Ben could smell the amnis in the air. There was a scent of churning earth and the snap of ozone, like the air after a lightning strike. Though it wasn’t visible, he knew there was a terrible battle going on between the elemental powers of Macuya and Inés. The earth rolled, but the walls remained stable. Wind vampires along the edges of the room began to flee toward the exit, but Tenzin held on to Ben’s arm.
“Wait.”
Giovanni had stepped back, melting into the crowd that had pushed forward toward the throne. Ben was guessing they were earth vampires who didn’t worry for their safety and were more curious to watch what would happen.
“For too long you have believed your own lie, Macuya.” Inés spoke in a loud voice. “For too long I have been content to allow you. But you go too far. You threaten our people. You ignore our alliances. This cannot continue.”
“I am the cacique,” Macuya said. “Oldest of immortals—”
“You lie!” Jadzia yelled. “She is your elder! Look.” She stepped forward and addressed the crowd. “She is more powerful than he is! Look who protects us from the mountain coming down! It is not Macuya. It is Inés.”
The guards advanced on the thrones, their swords and spears raised, but Ben could tell they were confused. They looked to Vasco, who was standing at Valeria’s side.
“Do nothing!” Vasco said.
“Kill her!” Macuya shouted. “Kill anyone who threatens the cacique. Kill Inés!”
“Do not call me Inés.” The ground beneath the earth vampire rose until she was face-to-face with her brother. “I am Yahíma, eldest born in mortal blood of our mother and eldest born in immortal blood of our sire. I am Yahíma, caretaker of my people. I am Yahíma, rightful cacica of this island.” She lowered her voice, but the room was dead quiet. “Step aside. Or I shall remove you.”
Macuya sneered. “You are nothing.”
With a single stomp, Yahíma ripped the earth in two, opening a gash beneath Macuya’s feet. He fell into the earth and it swallowed him to the neck.
The scent of blood was in the air, and the vampires around Ben were in thrall to it. Those who had fled poured back into the mountain, drawn to the fight. Some of the guards charged the throne while others hung back, confused by the conflicting orders of their king and their general.
Vasco pulled out his sword and shouted, “For Yahíma!”
“Time to go.” Giovanni appeared at Ben’s side as all hell broke loose.
“You think?” Ben turned and tried to remain as inconspicuous as possible as he, Giovanni, and Tenzin walked up the ramp and toward the exit. When they reached the outside, Tenzin took to the air and Giovanni and Ben began to run.
“Were you planning on provoking a coup while you were here?” Ben shouted as he ran. “Was that on your to-do list? Find treasure, hand out relationship advice, provoke Puerto Rican vampire coup?”
“Sometimes an opportunity presents itself.” Giovanni didn’t pant when he ran. “I may have had a heads-up that political changes were happening. I just decided to use them to our advantage when the opportunity presented itself.”
Ben glanced at the starry night sky. “Any idea where Tenzin went?”
“Probably back to the caves. Any idea how we’re going to join her?”
Ben jogged down the front steps and toward the garages, pulling something from his pocket. “You’re kidding, right?” He held out the keys he’d pocketed from their driver.
Giovanni grinned. “I knew I adopted a pickpocket for a reason.”
Ben spotted the truck they’d come in and ran toward it. No one was guarding the vehicles. No one was near the garages or wandering around the front of the house.
“Vampires do love a fight, don’t they?” Ben opened the doors, and he and Giovanni jumped in the cab.
“There has been dissatisfaction with the leadership on the island for years now,” Giovanni said. “Cormac and Novia have been monitoring it. The response to the hurricane was the final straw.”
Ben started the truck and put it in gear. “Vampires don’t get involved in human disasters.”
“Do you really think that’s true?” Giovanni asked. “Do you think Ernesto does nothing to help when there are wildfires in Southern California? Do you think Cormac sat back and did nothing during hurricane relief in New York City? If nothing else, it is in their financial interest to have their communities operating smoothly again. Not to mention it fosters goodwill with their human associates.”
“I’d honestly never thought about it,” Ben said. “Immortals just seem so… removed from human suffering.”
“Suffering on a grand scale affects everyone, Benjamin, human and immortal alike. Macuya did nothing to alleviate the disaster after the hurricane hit the island. From reports that Cormac and Novia received, he welcomed a return to what he called the original state of the island.”
“What does that mean?” Ben gaped at him. “You mean he didn’t like electricity, so isn’t it better if no one has it? People died because they couldn’t get medical care. People ran out of food and water.”
Giovanni nodded. “He was shortsighted and cruel. He didn’t even pressure his contacts in the human government, which is the minimum most vampire leaders would do. Inés has long been his equal in power, and she’s far more in tune with the modern world. Novia says she has been waiting to take his place for years.”
Ben smiled. “Don’t call her Inés.”
“I don’t plan on it.” Giovanni shook his head. “Macuya was an idiot. He would have had three powerful women on his side if he’d been willing to share his authority. Now he will have nothing.”
“You think he’s dead yet?”
“If he’s not, I think he’s wishing he was.”
“Who killed Camino?” Ben asked him. “I know you know.”
Giovanni’s face went blank. “I know.”
“And?”
“It’s going to be complicated.”
Ben sighed. “Shit.”
“So let’s find the rest of the treasure first,” Giovanni said. “Let’s get you and it away from that mountain. Then let me and Tenzin take care of the rest.”
“And what about your client?”
Giovanni frowned. “Cofresí? He got his map. That’s what I was hired for.”
“You mean he’s not still a client?”
“No. But he is the reason your taking the gold off the island in a boat is a very bad idea. He wants Enríquez’s treasure. He’s not going to give up easily.”
“Great. Just… great.”
They made it back to the caves while the moon was still high. Glancing at his watch, Ben noted that it was only two a.m. They still had a good amount of nighttime left, and once the sun rose, every vampire in Macuya’s mountain—or was it Yahíma’s mountain now?—would be locked inside while humans had the run of the island.
This could work.
“Okay.” Ben pulled out the notebook and map from the coveralls he was still wearing. “Luckily, they didn’t search us.”
“We’re going right back the way we came.” Giovanni walked into the cavern ahead of Ben. “We need to find it and get you somewhere safe by sunset today.”
“Got it.”
Tenzin was pacing in the cavern. “About time,” she said. “What took you so long?”
“Oh, you know, we can’t fly.”
She rolled her eyes. “So annoying.”
“Stop complaining,” Giovanni said. “We’re going in. Your job is next.”
Ben and Giovanni put their helmets back on and grabbed flashlights, along with Ben’s metal-detecting gear.
“Don’t touch,” he told his uncle.
“Would not dream of it.”
They walked back into the tunnel, following the cord to the chamber with the bones. Giovanni bent down to examine the bones that had been draped over the chest. He stood up with a frown. “Where’s the med
al?”
“What?”
“There was a saint’s medal around this skeleton’s neck.”
“I think Inés—Yahíma took it.”
Giovanni nodded. “There’s no way of knowing, but I think this skeleton was Tomás. I don’t think he ever left this cave. The clothing scraps match the time period. And from the glance I caught of that medal, I think it was Thomas Aquinas, which would have fit with a Dominican. How many other Dominicans are likely to be poking around caves in Camuy?”
“Okay, so…” Ben evaluated the scene. “Tomás follows the map, finds the treasure, and he’s bringing it out when he runs into a vampire?”
“The treasure would have been hidden here for years at that point. It’s very possible he surprised one when he was searching. Or maybe he was able to sneak by the creature on the way in because it was sleeping, but the noise and exertion of a human carrying a heavy chest woke it.”
“So why didn’t the vampire take the treasure?”
“That old box?” Giovanni smiled. “How heavy was it, Benjamin?”
“I mean, pretty heavy, but I was able to carry it.”
“Gold heavy?”
Ben thought about the crates of gold he and Tenzin had moved through China one summer. “No. Definitely not gold heavy.”
“I don’t know all of what was in that chest, but it looked like mostly weapons and some silver coins. Maybe some journals or other goods. But it wasn’t gold. It wasn’t something that would tempt a vampire.”
Ben nodded toward the far tunnel on the other side of the chamber. “So you think there’s more still back there?”
“Don’t you want to find out?”
“Hell yeah.”
“Eighth turn, left.”
“Marking.”
It had taken them another two hours to carefully work their way through the honeycomb of the limestone caverns beneath the surface. They had gone up and down, though nothing was uneven enough to use ropes. They were careful and still nearly marked wrong turns twice. No other signs of treasure or exploration had been found. Nothing that gave them a clue that they were on the right track.
Blood Apprentice: An Elemental Legacy Novel Page 22