The Fire Keeper

by J. C. Cervantes

  “Zane, NO!” Ah-Puch shouted.

  But it was too late—the feather was in my hand. The cow skull split open, and a torrent of wind formed a tunnel that sucked me inside. Shadows wrapped themselves around me so tightly I felt like my lungs were being crushed under the weight of dirt-packed earth. No air. No light. But instead of being buried, I was being driven up, up, up.

  Itzamna’s voice broke through. It’s going to hurt, but don’t tell them anything. Do you hear me? Trust no one.

  Hurt? What’s going to hurt? You said you were going to help me!

  This IS me helping you.

  I blacked out.

  * * *

  When I came to, I couldn’t open my eyes. I was blindfolded. I couldn’t move, either—my hands and feet were bound to some kind of tree or wooden pole.

  A cold wind whipped around me. Leaves rustled. Birds chirped.

  “And the prince awakens,” a woman’s voice said.

  I squirmed uselessly. “Who are you? Where am I?”

  “Oh, we’ll get to that,” she cooed. “But first, young prince, the snake.”

  It’s pretty hard to write about what happened next. Because I’d rather put it out of my mind forever. I used to think fear was a feeling—a blood-pounding, heart-racing, fight-or-flight response. But you know what? It’s a thing. A living, breathing thing with teeth and claws and hate so dark it can tear you to pieces if you let it.

  Maybe that’s why Itzamna had said it was going to hurt. He wasn’t talking about getting hit over the head or thrown off a cliff. He meant the fear. And he was right.

  I cursed myself for being so stupid, for walking right into the trap Ah-Puch had just told me to avoid.

  The woman ripped off my blindfold. I blinked in the sudden light, and once my eyes adjusted, I saw I was in a grassy field surrounded by forest and weathered canyon walls. The air was chilly and smelled like a blend of pine and horses. But something about the place wasn’t real, like it had been stitched together with scraps of fabric made to look like the world. Ixtab would have called it a poor imitation.

  “Ah, the son of fire. Welcome.”

  The lady was of medium height, with hair twisted into two long white braids. She had pale gray eyes, and a sagging face that reminded me of a wet tea bag. Her hands were large and beefy, with hairy knuckles—the same hands I’d seen in the scrying pool taking the godborns. She was the abductor?

  “Where are Brooks and Hondo?” I asked, trying to keep the strain out of my voice. It was a stupid question. I could tell by looking at her that she wasn’t in charge. She blinked too much and paced too quickly, leaving a trail of wet clay behind. Great! Another mud person, here to serve. I tried to draw on fire, to burn through these stupid ropes, but I couldn’t find a heat source.

  “We’ll get to that,” she said. “But first, introductions. You can call me Gee, like the letter. Oh, and before you try to burn anyone down, your powers have been locked by the masters.” She smiled and waved a hand through the air. “Now let’s have you meet the godborns.”

  A group of ten kids stepped out of the forest in unison. They each wore a black sweat suit and marched stiffly like a soldier. I wanted to throw a fist pump and shout, Guys, I’m totally here to save you! I mean, once I’m not tied to this pole.

  Why were they glaring at me like that?

  I spotted the girl with short, honey-colored hair, brown skin, and hooded, suspicious eyes. She was the first godborn I’d seen in the Eternity pool when I was in Xib’alb’a. The same girl who had walked down a littered school hallway with her head down but her gaze turned up. Her head wasn’t bowed now.

  Gee gestured to the girl, who immediately began to walk toward me. Still glaring.

  “Zane, this is Serena. She, like the others, has a gift for you.”

  “Gift?” Why did I have a feeling that wasn’t the right word?

  “Boys and girls.” Gee swept her arms wide, and flakes of dried mud fell from her pits. “Please come forward when called to bestow your offering. Remember what I taught you. Self-control above all else. Zane must understand if he is to join us.”

  Okay, this lady was cracked. Literally. Every time she made an expression, her face looked like it might crumble. Join them? Weren’t the godborns prisoners waiting to be rescued? Except they didn’t look like prisoners. They looked like…recruits.

  Serena opened her hands and a cloud of red mist appeared, taking the shape of a snake. A big, fat, murderous-looking snake with beady black eyes and a forked tongue pointed in my direction. If I weren’t tied to a pole, I would have jumped ten feet.

  “Thief,” Serena whispered as she set the snake on the ground. The serpent slid through the dried grass, right in my direction.

  “Hey!” I squirmed. “Is that thing poisonous?”

  Gee snorted like it was too much effort to laugh.

  The snake slithered toward my shorter leg. Sweat dripped from my neck, trickling down my back. My chest tightened. This is not how I’m going to die, I told myself, trying to draw the heat of the sun so I could burn this place down, but I was in serious panic mode because…well, the snake! Which was now about to wrap itself around my ankle. But the second the serpent touched my leg, it hissed and recoiled.

  Gee frowned, staring down at the red monster like this wasn’t part of the plan. “The show must go on,” she whispered as the snake melted into the ground in a sizzling cloud of steam. Quickly, she motioned for the next godborn to come forward. Serena fell back in line with the others.

  Where were Ah-Puch and Ren and Rosie? Had I left them behind? My eyes darted around the field, searching for them or any sign of Brooks and Hondo.

  “How about you untie me?” I suggested, hoping Gee’s mud brain might work to my advantage. “We can talk about all this. Uh, maybe come to an agreement.”

  Gee ignored me. I wondered how long it would be before I had to face her creator, whoever that was.

  Itzamna whispered in my mind, Remember, Zane, darkness is Deception’s mistress.

  I’m tied up in enemy camp with dozens of hateful eyes wanting to scorch off my face, and you’re telling me about Deception’s mistress? Seriously? How about some of that help you promised?

  Look closely.

  What?! I mean real help, like cutting these ropes, or getting me out of here, or…? Hello? Itzamna?

  Make the story worth it.

  I’m not your stupid entertainment!

  A short round dude with high-water pants walked toward me. Gee introduced him as Louie.

  Louie frowned at me. “Traitor,” he said flatly.

  I wanted so badly to shout, I’m not a traitor! I came all this way to help you! Dude, I’m risking my life here. And I’m writing, like, a whole book for you guys. Does that sound like a traitor to you? But there was no reason to show all my cards to the ringmaster of this ridiculous circus. Whoever it was clearly had a thing for theatrics.

  Louie turned up his palms. I held my breath. Please don’t sic something on me that sucks blood or has big teeth and claws, I thought.

  Thunder boomed, echoing through the canyon walls so loud the earth trembled. A long shiver ran up my spine. Lightning cut across the darkening sky and a torrential rain began to fall. The trees bent under the force of it, and I thought the rain would wash me away if it hammered too long.

  I struggled against the rope, but it only cut deeper into my skin.

  The next godborn stepped onto the field and began to walk toward me. This time, Gee made no introduction. The person’s hood was pulled up as the rain pelted them. Even when the rain stopped suddenly, their face was a blurry haze.

  “This one’s special,” Gee said, making space.

  The godborn stood right in front of me. Dark curls spilled out of the hood. The face looked up, and eyes flashed amber. My heart stopped beating.

  “Brooks?”

  “Liar,” she whispered.

  I thrashed against the stupid rope. “Brooks, it’s me. I didn’t lie!” />
  With her lips pressed together, she smiled. But then her face mutated, like her features were being erased right before my eyes. “What the…?”

  A scar appeared on her chin, then a nose, and small green eyes that were bright against his light brown skin. That’s right—his. This dude’s face was appearing like a sketch on paper. I knew him. He was the guy with bleached hair who had cruised down a city street while the wind pounded him. He hadn’t screamed when he was abducted—he’d fought back like a madman.

  “This is Marco,” Gee said proudly.

  Marco gave me a stony stare.

  “I’m not the enemy,” I said, but he didn’t even blink.

  “Aren’t their gifts incredible?” Gee squealed. “Imagine how powerful we’ll be once we put them to good use.”

  Good use? For what? The war Zotz and whoever else wanted to have with the Maya gods? I considered what I’d seen so far. The snake girl, the rain guy, and the creepy morphing/

  disappearing face dude. How could the godborns be using these powers if they hadn’t been claimed? What was I missing?

  Look closely.

  “Would you like to see more?” Gee asked proudly.

  “That’s enough,” came a familiar voice, a voice I thought I’d never hear again.

  Footsteps sounded behind me. Gee lowered her gaze and cowered like a scared dog before she slunk into the forest with the godborns.

  “Hello, Zane.”

  My heart crawled up my throat.

  Jordan (aka the evil hero twin Xb’alamkej) stepped around the pole and stood in front of me. Yep, he looked just as tall, just as ferocious, just as cruel as the first time I’d met him at his magic mafia fiesta back in Los Angeles, except he’d swapped his dark suit for a gray long-sleeved T-shirt and a pair of dark jeans.

  “You?” I choked out. “You’re the one who took the godborns? You’re supposed to be—”

  “Poisoned and paralyzed by La Muerta? Suffocated and crushed between Usukun’s greasy wings?” Jordan ground out the words like he’d been practicing this for a while. “Left to rot in a cage made of blood and bones?” He wrapped his large hand around my throat. His ring stabbed my skin. His black eyes were cold and flat as river stones. “I could snap your neck right now.”

  So Jordan was the traitor Antonio had warned me about. A godborn who was a traitor to other godborns, casting a bad light on all of us.

  A column of colorless dust rose from the ground. Out of it stepped Bird, Jordan’s twin, otherwise known as Jun’ajpu’. His face was solid granite, like the first time I had met him.

  “He doesn’t deserve to die, brother.”

  My hope flared. But it was immediately extinguished when Jordan continued:

  “Not quite yet.”

  “You look a lot worse than the last time I saw you,” Bird said, eyeing me. His voice was smooth and cold like ice. Could he sense the death magic?

  “Where are Brooks and Hondo?” I asked through clenched teeth.

  Bird crossed his arms over his chest and ran his thumb over a half smile. “You’re not in any position to ask questions, godborn.”

  Yeah, I guess he was still holding on to that little fact, and maybe also resentment that I’d led Ah-Puch to their hiding spot and revealed their existence to the Maya gods. The twins were the very first godborns, and it was because of their trickery that the Sacred Oath had been decreed and the rest of us weren’t supposed to exist.

  “You really think you can beat the Maya gods?” I asked, thinking how quickly enemies can become allies under the right circumstances.

  “Okay, Obispo. Settle down now.” Jordan chuckled.

  Bird unbuttoned his dark suit jacket. Did this guy ever go casual? I wondered. “It’s been fun keeping you as a pet, Zane. Just like a little mouse, placed in a maze we built, you fell into every single trap we set for you,” he said. “From the mud person to the images of this place the beetles planted in your brain—”

  “The beetles…? But how did you find me on Holbox?”

  “I admit, it was pretty hit-or-miss.” Jordan smirked. “But then came a beautiful blip on the radar—the message with Jazz’s magic swirling all around it. Led us right to you.” He clasped his hands. “Gotta hand it to Ixtab. Her shadow magic is strong—it really messed with our connection. And once you left the safety of your little hideaway, we had to modify the maze a bit. When our guards at the volcano caught Brooks and Hondo, that was icing on the cake.” He gave me a glacial stare. “In the end, we were able to get you to come right to us.”

  I felt like the biggest idiot on the planet. No matter what, I would have ended up at the Beast. If I didn’t come for the godborns, they knew I would come for Brooks and Hondo.

  As much as I wanted to bury my head and pretend I wasn’t there, I had to learn everything they were willing to tell me so I could find the exit from their little maze. “You kidnapped the godborns just to get me here? Wow, I’m super flattered you guys like me that much.”

  “Actually, we hate you,” Bird said.

  “Huh, doesn’t seem that way.”

  Bird opened his mouth to speak, when Jordan patted his shoulder and said to me, “You don’t think we’re going to give away all our secrets, do you?”

  Okay, so that wasn’t going to work. Time for plan B—run away. I twisted my hands back and forth hoping to loosen the rope, but it was a solid knot.

  “Don’t bother,” Jordan said. “You can’t get loose.”

  “You won’t win.” I jerked forward with a hunger to wipe the smug expressions off their faces.

  “Doesn’t look like anyone’s going to stop us,” Bird said.

  I glanced at the tree line, scanning furiously for the other godborns.

  “Imagine our surprise that night in LA when Ah-Puch revealed that you are a godborn,” Jordan said, twisting a fat silver skull ring around his finger.

  “We sat in our prison for months.” Bird’s expression was flat and cold. “Day after day we lived off our revenge, planning our next move against the gods who’d turned their backs on us. You should be thanking us. We could have ratted you out, hermano. Told the gods you were alive and then watched the murder show.”

  “I’m not your brother.”

  “Aren’t you?” Jordan said. “A brother in a common cause, that is. The final piece…”

  Bird shot him a glare, silencing him. The final piece of what? I wondered.

  “I’ll never help you!”

  Bird paced slowly in front of me, thumbing his scruffy chin. He was enjoying this and, knowing these guys, they were going to draw this out as long as possible. I needed to find Brooks and Hondo. Hondo! A sour taste climbed up my throat when I thought of how they’d nearly killed my uncle last time. Man, if he knew these guys were still around, he’d put up the fight of his life. But they’d tear him to bits without blinking an eye.

  I searched the forest for any sign of Ah-Puch or Rosie or Ren. That’s when I noticed that the trees looked odd, their trunks and branches misshapen. The sky was distorted, too, like puzzle pieces put together all wrong.

  Look closely.

  This place wasn’t real! It was just like the twins’ illusory world back in Los Angeles, and if I was right, this probably wasn’t even the Gila Forest.

  Crap!

  If this wasn’t the real Gila, how would Ah-Puch and Ren ever find me? The twins really were masterminds (sick and twisted, but still masterful). What was their endgame?

  Anger pulsed slowly beneath my skin as my mind went to work, trying to break down their plan. They had tricked me off the island, luring me on a hunt for the godborns. But why? Why did I matter so much? It couldn’t be just for revenge. Hondo would tell me that revenge is built on anger, and anger is irrational, and irrational always loses.

  Last time I went up against these guys, I’d played their egos. Maybe it would work again. “You caught me,” I said through gritted teeth. “You caught Brooks and Hondo and the godborns. Good for you. How did you man
age to

  do it?”

  “When we found out about you,” Bird said, “we knew there had to be others, because the gods are deceitful, and no way did only one god defy the oath. So, we set out to escape, and we finally did with the help of…” He hesitated.

  “Who?” I blurted. Who would ever help these jerks? Camazotz?

  “That’s not the important part.” He stepped closer. “What mattered was finding the godborns and putting our plan in motion. But guess what?”

  “You’re crazy?”

  Unfazed, Bird went on. “We didn’t have a clue where to start, and then—”

  “Don’t give it all away.” Jordan stretched his neck like a wound-up athlete. “I’d rather watch him squirm.”

  “I know all about your plan.” I sat up taller, hoping I could play them stake for stake and ruin their element of surprise. “The sobrenaturals, the godborns, the execution.” Then, just to see how they reacted, I threw in, “The Mexica ghosts.” I stopped short of mentioning the war.

  The twins looked at each other, and I could tell I’d hit a nerve. Then, to my total surprise, they busted up laughing. Had I gotten something wrong? My cheeks flushed, and fury boiled beneath my skin.

  “You’re halfway smart,” Bird said after he’d caught his breath. “I’ll give you that.”

  “You mean he has half a brain,” Jordan muttered.

  The twins needed something from me or they wouldn’t have gone through all this trouble to get me there, and they hadn’t gutted me yet. Whatever that something was, I had to use it as leverage to free everyone. And I had to do it in the next twenty-four hours, before my dad was gone forever. Swallowing a boatload of pride, I said, “What do you want from me? You think I’m going to join you? Fight with you? Go against the Maya gods for you?”

  Bird wagged a finger in my face. “Not for us. No, of course not. But you’ll do anything for your girlfriend and uncle.”

  The forest rippled like water.

  The ground shifted and groaned. White and black ashes fluttered like snowflakes from the sky, draining the whole world of color. The forest shrank to a place made of iron and darkness and fear.