She watched his silhouette cut through the clouds and disappear. Ana was in shock. She tried to wrap her mind around what had just happened but there was too much.
A cool wind brushed over her body, raising goose bumps. At the very least, she needed to get off the tree trunk and find herself some clothes. Ana crawled forward and found Markus’s animal remains ahead of her. She was forced to stand to step over him.
When back on solid ground, she turned and looked at him. The yaguar’s eyes were open but empty of life. Her skin crawled. Although it made her stomach turn doing it, she tried pushing the animal into the rushing water but it was futile. The creature was too large and heavy to move.
Ana gave up and stared up at the skies again. Where had Chance gone? He wouldn’t leave her. She waited for a while until the chill of the storm cut through her exposed skin and then decided to head back to Balam’s house.
She ran as quickly as she could. The grotto below his home was cold as she darted along the suspended walk above the cenote. Water flowed down from openings in the ceiling and showered down on her. She leapt two stairs at a time up the staircase until she emerged into the main level of the limestone tower.
It felt different somehow. Empty. Balam wouldn’t be coming back. Not ever. She tumbled onto the couch and started crying. Salty tears stained the cushions as she clutched them to her face. Her emotions twisted and churned inside and erupted into sobs and moans.
After she pulled herself together again, she stumbled upstairs to her room and got dressed. With her brush in hand, she wandered into the hallway and peeked into Chance’s room. She was stunned. Although some clothing still remained strewn across his floor, his backpack was gone, along with most of his things. Ana ran inside and began searching for his wallet and phone. She couldn’t find them anywhere. On the side table lay his jade jaguar pendant and bear heartline necklace. She picked them up in her hand and stared at them.
He couldn’t have left her. It was impossible.
Ana slipped his necklaces around her neck. She would keep them safe and give them to him when he came back. Her stomach rumbled and she took a deep breath. Whatever was going on, she needed to take care of herself.
Numbly, she wandered downstairs and found some leftovers. Everything was tasteless. The normally cheerful jungle inhabitants were silent, tucked inside their homes after the rains. Ana felt even more alone.
When she was done, she cleaned up after herself and walked out to the deck. The view was muted and hazy. As she stared into the mist, she decided what she needed to do. Balam deserved a proper burial and the only person she could trust was Sanchia. She would know how to honor him.
Ana pushed away from the balcony, sped through the house, down the stairs and out into the aqueous jungle. Her muscles were ready for what she asked of them and kept her moving at a jog along the trail to the town. Finally, when she reached the split in the path, she found a pile of fabric. Her clothes.
She hadn’t spent much time thinking about her strange and unexpected new ability. It made no sense to her. It was hard enough for her to wrap her mind around the fact that Balam thought she could be a healer, and now what was she? A shapeshifter, too? How did that happen?
Ana bent down, grabbed her things and set off to Sanchia’s house. She must have been waiting for her, because as soon as she stepped off the path and into the street, the elderly woman opened her door and waved. Ana allowed herself to be led inside the small, warm home that smelled of cinnamon and chocolate.
“I am happy to see you. You worried me, child,” Sanchia said and squeezed Ana’s hand.
She wasn’t sure how to reply. How do you give news like this?
“Is there something wrong?”
Ana nodded and pinched her lips to stop them from quivering.
Sanchia seemed to understand she couldn’t speak and pressed on. “Is it Balam or your mate?”
Again, Ana nodded in response and was unable to hold back the tears. Balam’s granddaughter, albeit shorter than her, pulled her into a warm embrace. When she couldn’t cry any more, she stood up straight and looked at Sanchia and noticed that she, too, had reddened eyes
“Balam’s dead. I need your help—I don’t know what to do.”
This time, it was Sanchia’s turn to nod wordlessly. She left Ana in her cramped living room and disappeared into the kitchen. With a large sack over her shoulder, she returned and opened the door.
It took a while for Ana to lead her into the jungle and to Balam. Sanchia was far more resilient than she appeared, refusing any assistance with her sack. As they approached his still body, Ana was unable to look at him. This wasn’t Balam. His soul was gone. It was only the shell of the man she had grown to love.
“Tell me, how did he die?”
“He was fighting to protect Chance from another shifter when he was killed.”
Sanchia frowned and said in a whisper, “That is honorable. Did his powers go back to the earth or were they absorbed?”
Ana’s lip quivered as she answered. “They were stolen.”
“Ay, no. His spirit will not be at rest.”
The elderly woman removed some folded white cotton from her bag and laid it on the ground. She diligently moved the body of her grandfather to the center of it and began to clean his wounds. Then she placed something in his mouth.
“What is that?” Ana asked.
“A small jade bead in the shape of the yaguar and some maize. It will be a long journey.” She leaned down and rolled him carefully into the cotton wrappings. Then she stood up and asked Ana solemnly, “Where is your mate?”
“I don’t know. He killed the other shifter and just…left.”
Sanchia’s eyes widened and she muttered something Ana didn’t understand. She continued to speak in fluent Mayan as far as Ana could tell and put her hands together in prayer. Fear permeated Ana’s heart and her muscles tightened. Balam had described the act of absorbing another shifter through death like a sickness. What did that mean for Chance? It was all she could do to keep herself from hysterics.
Balam’s granddaughter caught her attention and said, “Carry this end. We will take him home.”
Sanchia grabbed hold of the wrapped end containing Balam’s feet, and Ana lifted the other end. He was heavy but she had enough strength. His home wasn’t very far so it didn’t take them long, even with intermittent stops to set him down so they could rest.
When they arrived at the cenote, Ana wondered where they were taking him but didn’t stop to ask questions. They traveled along the wooden walkway to the limestone stairs. Just as Ana began to question how they were going to carry him upstairs, Sanchia stopped and set his feet down and motioned for her to do the same. Then she turned, faced the rock wall and opened a three by two foot door.
All the times she had passed by it, she had never acknowledged the worn wooden portal. When it stood open, she peered in and saw a narrow black hole. It appeared to have no end. To her side, Sanchia had removed something new from her satchel and set it on the ledge beside the opening. Ana winced when she realized the woman had lit what she had set down. A small plume of white smoke curled through the air. The aroma was sweet and spicy. She knew she had smelled it before and thought back to the wedding party when they had met Sanchia.
“Please,” the woman said as she leaned down and picked up her end of Balam’s wrapped body.
Ana helped lift him and Sanchia set his feet into the darkened portal. She motioned for Ana to push the rest of him in, which was challenging because the fabric kept snagging on the stone. When only his cotton-encased head could be seen from the opening, his granddaughter placed a red terra cotta bowl over it and shut the door.
Sanchia’s eyes closed and her hands lifted in prayer once again. “I pray you find rest in Heaven, Balam, my ancestor.”
The sound of streaming water echoed off the cave walls. Numb and confused, Ana stared at the gateway of his resting spot and waited, hoping Balam would speak up, and give her the direction she n
eeded.
She suddenly remembered Markus. “What about the other shifter? What should we do with his body? He died in yaguar form.”
“Is the body far?”
“No.”
Sanchia lifted her pack over her shoulder and said, “Take me to him.”
Balam’s granddaughter held Ana’s hand along the walk to the ravine and it was the only thing that kept her from turning back. She didn’t want to see Markus’s body again and his dull, lifeless eyes.
When they arrived, Sanchia rifled through her bag and withdrew a knife. Ana stepped back and stuttered. “What’s that for?”
“The yaguar must be preserved. Balam is not here to pass it down to our descendants. It is my duty now.”
Ana quickly turned away once she saw Sanchia hunch over the large cat with her blade, getting to work severing its paw off. As Ana stood there shaking, she thought of the talon Niyol had given Chance, an item that had been passed down through many generations so the thunderbird would never be lost. It had been the key for him to unlock the thunderbird mapping. Although she understood why one might keep a relic like this she wished she were somewhere else. Anywhere else.
“Ana.”
She cautiously looked over her shoulder and saw Sanchia tucking something into her bag that was wrapped in cotton.
“Go get that branch.” Sanchia pointed near a cluster of trees.
Ana scurried over to retrieve the thick bough and dragged it back. They slid one end under the massive body of the yaguar and used the lever to roll him into the murky water. When Markus’s body submerged and dipped from view Ana gave a sigh of relief.
“What about the body? Will anyone find it?” she asked.
Sanchia shook her head. “No. No one will find it, not out here.”
“Come child, it is time for you to collect your belongings. We must go.”
Ana’s legs carried her back to the house somehow. All she could think about was how much she didn’t want to go. She wasn’t ready. If Chance came back, he’d come here looking for her. Anyway, where would she go? Back home to Idaho—without Chance? What would she say to his parents? Sanchia gently coaxed Ana upstairs and her leaden feet moved despite her hesitance.
When she was a child and upset, she would sit on the floor and completely shut down. Her mom told her stories about how she would stop communicating with everyone. No one would be able to get through to her. She wouldn’t smile, speak, nod or move for anyone.
Life always seemed to be just out of her control. She hadn’t chosen to be born with heart defects or to have an absent dad. She hadn’t chosen to have heart surgeries, but she’d had them anyway. She’d had no choice. Now, just as things had turned around for her, when she’d finally gotten the second chance she’d always dreamt of, everything had fallen apart. All she wanted to do now was sit down and be left alone.
Sanchia moved around the house, placing important items into her satchel and enclosing larger pieces in a blanket. She shooed Ana up to her bedroom, where she plopped down on the bed and tucked her pillow under her head. She was exhausted. Her day had started early that morning when Balam’s plans of a tracking test for Chance had gone terribly wrong. She was mentally and physically bankrupt.
Sleep came to her, softly, like a baby blanket laid on a dreaming cherub.
Chapter 38
Turquoise water shimmered in the sunlight, the color of the Aegean Sea. Almost unnatural, yet beautiful. Snow-tipped mountains reflected off its placid surface and a sharp breeze brushed her hair across her face.
A familiar song filled the air. Ana couldn’t tell if it was a woman singing or if it was birdsong but she wanted to hold her breath so she could hear everything uninterrupted. She felt safe and welcomed.
Ana, if you are ready, I am here for you.
Ana woke with a start.
The woman’s voice had been so clear in her mind. She expected to see someone standing in her room but she was alone. Ana rubbed her eyes and stretched. Her feet drifted to the floor and she groaned as she stood. She was unsure of how much time had passed but figured Sanchia would be waiting on her.
Without enthusiasm, she folded and tucked away all of her belongings into her travel pack. Then she swaddled Balam’s gift to her, the golden snake hairpiece, and hid it away at the center of the bag. Her toiletries and personal effects were soon packed and all traces of her visit disappeared. She carefully made the bed because she wanted everything in its place, a form of thanks to Balam for what he’d done for her and Chance.
She left her room and stood in Chance’s doorway. Her hand went to her neck and touched the pendants he’d left behind. He felt close to her, somehow. She had a piece of him with her. Even though she knew what the result would be, she tried calling him. The phone went straight to voicemail.
“Chance, it’s me. Where did you go? Please call me—”
“Ana?” Sanchia’s voice echoed up from the lower level.
Ana palmed her phone, turned and walked slowly down the stairs, like a death march. When she entered the living space she saw a few items missing and then noticed Sanchia. In her arms, she held a blanket that was filled and tied in a knot.
“It is time to leave. Are you ready?”
Ana took a deep breath but it didn’t make her any more relaxed or prepared for whatever came next. “Yes.”
She stared at every section of the room. Memories met her at every turn. The fire where Balam had taught her to make Mayan hot chocolate, the couch on which she and Chance had stayed up late listening to stories and where Chance had been tattooed with his nagual. Ana traced her fingers on the grain of the hand-hewn table where they had eaten their meals. It pained her to leave this place. Mostly because she was leaving without her soul mate.
On their way out, Sanchia led the way. Ana remained fixed on her footfalls and kept her head down. It was approaching early evening now according to her watch but the storm clouds had begun to disperse. Freshly washed leaves and foliage stood out like bright green emeralds against their russet trunks and branches.
Movement caught her eye. A monkey stared down at her from the crook of a tree. It chattered and sprang higher into the canopy, disappearing from sight. Her focus returned to the trail and Sanchia’s footsteps.
A soft whimper to her left made her pause mid-stride. She looked and discovered a pair of brown eyes gazing at her from under a palm frond. A familiar scruffy face lifted its snout and the stray turned away, its tail wagging as it went. The dog trotted a short distance and stopped. It gave a yip and peered at her.
Everything clicked for Ana. She knew what she needed to do, even though it scared her.
“Sanchia? I don’t think I’m going back with you,” Ana said and slipped out her cell phone. “Do you have a phone? What is your number in case I need to contact you?”
Sanchia stopped and frowned, clearly confused. “Why not, Ana?”
“I think I have somewhere else to go. I will come back if I need to but I want your number so I can check in with you.” And to check to see if Chance comes back.
The elderly woman rattled off numbers, which she entered into her phone. When she was done, Ana gave her a big hug and said, “Thank you for everything, Sanchia.”
“Good luck, Ana. Be safe,” Sanchia said and watched Ana wander off the trail.
She wasn’t sure of anything right now but for whatever reason, she decided to trust her instincts. Ana waved at her friend as she stepped through the labyrinth of trees to where the dog waited for her.
Ana muttered. “I am trusting you. Please don’t hurt me.”
The shaggy stray licked her hand and pranced off, with Ana following close behind. They walked for about ten minutes before the canine slipped behind an enormous Ceiba tree with a trunk that was at least four arm lengths around.
What stepped around the other side was not a dog but a woman. She was securing a long piece of blue fabric around her body and tying it at her neck, the way Ana had seen Hawaiians do it. She
was stunning, beautiful.
“Thank you for your trust, Ana. I am Lifen.”
Long, straight black hair tumbled down past her shoulders, outlining her pale oval face. Ana thought she appeared to be middle-aged, but she had an ageless quality. Her skin seemed flawless, like fresh cream.
Ana couldn’t move. She was unsure of what to do so instead she asked the first thing that came to mind. “Have you been following me?”
Lifen’s lips turned up into a gentle smile and she said, “I have checked in on you from time to time, yes. Through your travels.”
“Why?”
“I first felt your presence many months ago. There are not many like us, Ana. It is important to have a guide, especially when you are young—to know and understand better what you are. And to have protection.”
What was she talking about? This was just too much for one day. It made her want to stomp right back to Balam’s house and hide under the covers of her bed.
“I’m sorry but how do you know what I am? How would you know? I don’t even know.”
Lifen settled onto a large stone, adjusted her wrap and said, “The ancient line of power that flows through the gifted manifests itself in different ways in men and women. Men can shape their energy, molding their bodies like clay, and women can affect energy in others’ bodies to heal. Some shifters have been able to harness their energy to attempt healing although it does not come natural, and some healers have been known to shapeshift but there are often complications. I can feel what you are because I, too, have both powers.”
Did she just say I’m a healer AND a shifter? After all those times she’d considered Chance lucky to be able to fly through the sky and shift into any kind of animal at a whim, she’d never dreamed it would happen to her. When he’d healed her, it was more than she could have asked for. Had he done more for her than just healing her body?
“About four months ago my boyfriend Chance saved my life with his powers. My heart stopped and he healed me, dying in the process. Lucky for him, his grandfather gave his life to save him.”
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