by Lani Forbes
“The sign of the monkey.” The lord of Atl failed to conceal his exasperation.
“A favorable day for a wedding.” Tenoch bounced up and down like a jumping bean.
“Mayana will not be married today,” her father reminded him. “Today, she will travel to Tollan. Tomorrow, she and the other princesses will be presented to the prince. Then, the matchmaker will choose several tasks for them to complete to prove their worth and dedication to the rituals.”
Their dedication to the rituals? Mayana shifted uncomfortably on her feet.
“When will he make the decision?” she asked, curious exactly how long she had to live.
“It depends. The union must ultimately be approved by the matchmaker, but some princes have taken days, and for others, it’s taken weeks.”
“Let’s hope the prince is indecisive,” Mayana muttered.
“It will be before the Nemontemi, so within two weeks,” her father said. Of course, the prince would not want a wedding to take place during the last days of the calendar, the five unluckiest days of the year.
Tenoch’s face fell, so Mayana reached out a finger and tickled him under his ribs. She couldn’t stand seeing him in pain.
“Here,” she whispered to him, pulling out the small sack filled with wool she had made during her preparations that morning. It fit perfectly in his hand as he grabbed and squeezed the small, soft bag.
“What is this?” he whispered back.
“Something to throw at the girl you think is prettiest and get her attention,” Mayana teased, ruffling his hair. The mischievous grin that spread across his face suggested he already had the perfect girl in mind. She smiled to herself as he scampered away to find his victim. At least he would have a happy memory of today. Mayana prayed his pretty girl had a playful spirit.
“You are encouraging him to throw things at other children?” Her father watched Tenoch disappear behind a curtain, frowning slightly.
“It’s a soft little pillow of wool. It won’t hurt anyone. Besides, he needs something happy to distract him,” she said.
Her father pinched the bridge of his nose with a thumb and forefinger.
“If the matchmaker approves of you, it will be a miracle.”
His words struck her heart where it was most vulnerable. “Thank you, Father. Your confidence in me is overwhelming.” If she couldn’t even make her father proud, who would choose her for his empress?
“I will pray and bloodlet every day for the Mother goddess to bless you. You must do your part, Mayana, to impress them. You must be willing to give to the gods as much as you give to the family. Please, promise me you will try.”
“I will.” Her cheeks burned. Did he have so little faith in her?
The lord of Atl turned away as the servant from Tollan arrived, accompanied by a small crowd of well-wishers. Her brothers were among them, each taking a moment to hug her in turn. Mayana could see her extended family watching and waving from nearly every window and opening in the palace face. A lump formed in her throat at such a loving farewell.
Mayana glanced toward the mass of green shadows waiting in the distance and groaned internally. All day in this heat—if she couldn’t wash everything off, maybe she would at least sweat it off as they hiked through the jungle. She was fortunate Atl was one of the closer city-states to Tollan. The poor princess from Papatlaca must have had to leave the volcano last night to reach Tollan in time.
To her surprise, her father waved his hand and several servants appeared. Three of them carried large packs on their shoulders filled with various items for her to take to the city. Two more carted a smaller version of the throne that had carried her father back to the palace during the celebrations yesterday. A plain wooden chair rested on poles that two men alone could carry instead of four. Mayana eyed the chair apprehensively. She generally walked or rode in boats everywhere she went.
Compared to most of the woman in the noble family of Atl, Mayana weighed hardly more than a feather. Her aunt—the same one who was so shocked that she possessed the “proper curves” after all—always lamented that Mayana didn’t look properly fed. Regardless, she didn’t like the idea of being carried all the way to Tollan. The poor servants would be exhausted, even with her small frame.
“I want you to look rested and beautiful when you arrive,” her father said, seeming to read her thoughts. “Please sit in the chair, Mayana. We don’t want to ruin the work your aunts did this morning.”
Mayana frowned but nodded in consent. She clambered awkwardly onto the seat and the servants lifted her off the ground, balancing the poles on their shoulders. Sure enough, they acted as if she weighed no more than a quetzal feather.
“Um … let me know if it gets too heavy for you,” Mayana said, but her seat just vibrated with the servants’ laughter.
“They will be fine, Mayana.” The lord of Atl waved an impatient hand.
Mayana adjusted the blue fabric of her skirt as best she could, but it was no use. Her bare legs were visible no matter what she did. Her stomach clenched in panic. She looked down at her father, sure the fear and sadness were written as clearly on her face as the inscriptions in the temple. Her throat tightened, and she could not find her voice.
He placed his hand over hers. It was warm and strong, but soft. She wondered wildly for a moment if he used pigeon cream to keep his skin so smooth.
“This will not be the last time we see each other,” he told her. “And when I see you next, I will be even more proud of you than I am now. Your compassionate heart may hold you back at times from doing what is necessary, but it is also your greatest gift. You see what others see, you feel what others feel. Use that, Mayana. It can be a strength if you let it.”
Her heart must have swelled to twice its normal size. Her father was proud. He thought she had strength. Sort of. Mayana had never heard him say something so encouraging, but she needed his words now more than ever. They quenched a thirst in her soul.
Mayana didn’t say anything in response, afraid she would cry. Instead, she placed her other hand over his and squeezed, hoping the gesture communicated everything she could not say.
Her father nodded and pulled his hand back, clearing his throat uncomfortably. Mayana almost laughed out loud. The lord of Atl had never been good at expressing affection. Such a reaction was the best she could have ever hoped for from her father. She prayed to Ometeotl that she would see him again.
Chapter
8
“Have you ever been to the golden City of the Sun?” the servant from Tollan asked. The yellow feathers of his headdress bobbed as he walked along beside her.
Mayana wasn’t much for polite conversation. She often found that silence was less dangerous than voicing her thoughts, especially around her father.
“No, I’ve never left Atl,” she told him.
His round, boyish face broke into a wide smile, but Mayana didn’t know how to interpret it.
Their little caravan made its way through the palace gates and toward the canal. The rivers that flowed through Atl not only provided abundant water, they also served as conduits of transportation. The sparkling water crisscrossed the city like a massive blue spider’s web dotted with hundreds of wooden boats like dewdrops.
The servants lowered Mayana into a boat and took their seats beside her. The rivers would take them to Ehecatl on the coast, but not to Tollan. They would only need to take the boat to where the trade road through the jungles began. The boatman launched off the side with a large wooden pole, sending them into the traffic navigating through the heart of the city. Mayana dug her nails into the armrests of the wooden chair as the boat rocked violently to the side.
Every face in the city followed their progression as they passed. Traders and merchants paused in the middle of unloading their goods, children looked up from their games, and women’s conversations silenced, their
gazes filled with silent concern. Mayana kept her eyes firmly on her knees, and a blush rose high in her cheeks. Was she imagining the looks of pity and grief? Were they all convinced that she would fail to be chosen?
Apparently, the memories of her last day of sacrifice, when she had only seen twelve cycles of the calendar, still burned fresh in everyone’s minds. Mayana scowled. Only yesterday she’d managed to get through the entire day without a huge, tearful fight with her father in front of the entire city. Well, minus the mishap with the bird, but no one in the city would have heard about that yet. The situation with the emperor dying covered that whole debacle anyway. Mayana heaved a great sigh and resisted the urge to throw her head into her hands.
“Are you nervous, my lady?”
She didn’t respond. Of course, she was nervous.
“You may call me Xol.” He leaned toward Mayana with a warm, reassuring smile. She kept her mouth shut and merely nodded. Feeling slightly sick, she worried that opening her mouth was not the wisest of decisions.
“You will be amazed when you see the city, my lady.” The words came out in a rush as he nearly bounced up and down on his cushion. “Your temples and palaces are made of stone here in Atl, but in Tollan”—his eyes glazed over as a dreamy expression crossed his face—“the buildings themselves are made of gold. The aviaries and zoos managed by the naguals have the most unique and mysterious creatures. The botanical pleasure gardens are like nothing you’ve ever seen. Even farmers from Millacatl cannot believe how beautiful they are. I’m sure you would appreciate the fountains that run down the terraces of the gardens.”
“You … aren’t from Tollan originally, are you?” Mayana guessed, finally deciding it was safe to speak without being sick. His unbridled enthusiasm betrayed that he was new to the city.
“No, my lady. I am originally from Millacatl.”
“Oh, are you descended from the gods too, or …?”
“No, no.” He laughed, lounging back against the side of the boat. “I am only a commoner. I have seen our noble family use their blood to grow crops with my own eyes, though. Absolutely incredible. Even though my blood has no traces of the divine within it, I will always have an appreciation for the gardens and the beauty the Millacatl royal family can create.” He certainly was an excitable little man.
“Have you met their princesses?” She let her curiosity get the better of her.
“The lord of Millacatl has many daughters. Seven, if I remember correctly. I have been serving the Lord of the Sun for several years now, so my memories of them are not perfect. My best guess is that they would send Princess Teniza. She is by far the most beautiful of the seven, and I once saw her raise an entire field of maize with just a few drops of blood. The green sprouts shot right through the earth at her beckoning.” He slapped a hand on his thigh for emphasis.
“That’s … that’s nice.” Mayana fidgeted, wringing the fabric of her skirt in her hands.
Were the other princesses allowed to use their divine blood on a more regular basis? She only got to experiment when she accidentally tripped and sliced her knee open, or, of course, when it was her turn to bloodlet for the gods. She hoped she was not at a disadvantage.
The cold blade of the obsidian dagger sat against the flesh of her ankle, still hidden by the feathers of the cuff. Maybe she should practice? Or would she upset the gods by spilling her blood for such a selfish reason? Maybe she shouldn’t practice. How important would their divine abilities be in the decision-making process? She had no way to know.
“Can you tell me about the prince at all?” They had reached the outer edges of the city. Across the river lay the wild jungle. Somewhere along the bank was a path that would lead to Tollan.
“What do you want to know?” Xol said.
“What is he like?”
“I think Prince Ahkin will make an even better emperor than his father, which will be a difficult task to accomplish. Emperor Acatl was …” His voice caught in his throat. Mayana could see tears glistening in the man’s eyes. The burly servants sitting beside her shifted their shoulders and looked determinedly away. Obviously, such a blatant display of emotion embarrassed them. She frowned at their insensitivity.
“It’s alright. I’m sure you miss him very much. From what Father always said, he was a kind ruler.” Mayana tried to keep her voice calm, reassuring.
“Forgive me.” He dabbed the corners of his eyes with his white-and-gold cloak. “The emperor always treated those of us who served him with extraordinary kindness and generosity. You would expect with making sure the sun rises every single day, he would be arrogant, but that was never the case. He will be missed by many more than me.”
Mayana let him hiccup himself into silence, not wanting to pester him for more details. He hadn’t told her anything about Prince Ahkin. She prayed silently that the prince took after his father. If by some miracle he did choose her, she didn’t want her future husband to be cruel.
And what of the matchmaker? How much of a role would she play in the process?
Usually if a groom was interested in a potential bride, his family would hire a professional matchmaker to oversee the courtship and determine compatibility. If the wise, elderly matchmaker approved, she would approach the bride’s father with a proposal of marriage. But Mayana had no idea how the process would work with six possible brides.
The boat finally reached the muddy bank and they disembarked. The servants lifted Mayana between them again, and she gazed up at the expansive canopy of trees. From the windows of the palace, they had not seemed so tall, so intimidating. The shadows between the vines and shrubbery quivered with life. The sounds of birds and the calls of monkeys echoed all around them. Wild beasts and spirits lived in the jungle. Apprehension settled over her, creeping across her skin and giving her goosebumps. Thank Ometeotl she did not have to go in alone.
Xol directed the group to the right path, and Atl’s towering temple pyramid disappeared behind the greenery. Mayana swallowed hard and pressed both hands to her chest. It did nothing to stop the ache. She said a silent goodbye to her home.
Chapter
9
Hours passed by in boring, blurred-green monotony. The canopy above grew suffocating. Mayana almost wished for some wild beast to attack or a spirit to appear just for something different. Gratitude overwhelmed her when Xol announced they would be stopping for a short break.
Mayana rose from her chair after the servants set her down, and she swore her muscles had forgotten how to function properly. She felt even worse for the men who had carried her. Their bare chests heaved and dripped with perspiration. A twinge of guilt settled in the pit of her stomach for thinking her own discomfort in any way compared to theirs.
“Is it safe to look around?” she asked Xol.
“As long as you stay close to the path, my lady. Traders and merchants use the roads often and so animals usually avoid it, but you can never count on an animal’s behavior.” He shuddered at the thought.
Mayana stepped behind the vine-covered trunk of an ancient tree and reached down for her blade. She hovered the tip of her finger over the knife’s point for several seconds before she finally squared her shoulders and made a small cut.
As soon as the crimson drop appeared, a cool awareness across her skin told her water was nearby. Mayana closed her eyes and moved her hand slowly in front of her, feeling for which direction she should go.
A small stream trickled across the jungle floor a few yards from where she stood. Looking back over her shoulder at the group of men lounging on the ground, she had a sudden idea. She could practice her skills in a way that also benefited her travel mates. Surely the gods would not oppose her using her blood to be of service to others.
Mayana summoned water from the stream and formed it between her hands into a transparent sphere, just as she had at the edge of the river during the festival. Rising slowly t
o her feet, she concentrated on keeping it suspended. The task proved easier than she anticipated, and she sighed with relief. Maybe she wouldn’t be at a disadvantage after all.
Mayana made her way over to Xol and her father’s servants, trying not to giggle at the wide eyes and open mouths.
She pinched her thumb and forefinger together and pulled a small fist-sized orb away from the larger one. It floated above her hand like a small hummingbird and she offered it to Xol.
“For … for me?”
“Yes, for you. You looked like you could use some water.” Mayana couldn’t help it, a small giggle escaped anyway. This was too much fun.
She had forgotten that seeing the power of the gods so blatantly displayed would be a rarity to commoners. Nemi usually reserved her healing for the royal family, and they didn’t often mingle out in the city. Her father used his power to keep the waters in Atl flowing and would occasionally visit other city-states to address water-related crises, but other than that, her family did not flaunt their power. The royal family of Tollan displayed their ability every morning to wake up the sun, but seeing the power to control water would be new to Xol.
Xol cupped his hands and Mayana directed the small sphere so that it splashed into them. His eyes stretched wide like an owl’s and he brought his hands to his lips. She created spheres for the other servants and dropped them one by one into their hands. She purposely gave a little extra to the men who had been carrying her. They lapped it up like a pair of dogs, water dripping from their smiling faces. Her heart swelled with pride, partly because she had used her power so effectively and partly because of their gratitude.
“I can get a little more,” Mayana said, already rising to her feet. She skipped behind the large tree, her focus entirely on relocating the little stream.
When she found it, Mayana froze. Her pulse quickened, and her stomach dropped into the dirt at her feet. She was not the only one who had found the stream.
Every hair on her skin stood on end as she gazed into the golden eyes of a jet-black jaguar. The cat was larger than any she had seen the animal-controlling naguals flaunt through the city during festivals. Mayana could see the faint characteristic spots of its kind blended into the midnight-black fur. It drank lazily from the stream on the opposite bank, its pink tongue creating small ripples on the water’s surface. Her sudden appearance must have surprised it, but the shock seemed to be wearing off. It crouched low with its eyes fixed upon her and shifted its shoulders up and down as it prepared to pounce.