The Fire Keeper

by J. C. Cervantes

  “Such a shame.” Camazotz sighed. “Ah-Puch would have been such a formidable addition to my new world.”

  Then it came to me—my last resort. Quickly, I ripped the jade off my neck and placed it in Ah-Puch’s limp hand. With a deep, shaky breath, I said, “I give you back your life as a god. Don’t make me regret this.”

  Instantly, darkness swallowed the world. The ground shuddered. And then came ringing silence, like the aftermath of an explosion right next to my ear.

  I peered through the dark. Ah-Puch’s borrowed and broken body vanished in a trail of silvery dust. And in its place, raw god power appeared in a perfect human form. He wore his signature black suit. His face was a mask of anger and death. Around his neck was a yellow serpent with glowing green eyes and black stripes that seemed to breathe.

  I stumbled back. Camazotz crouched and balanced on the balls of his feet, wearing a wicked smile. He had Ren by the throat. She must have been in one of her trances, because her eyes were glazed over.

  “You had me fooled, old friend,” said the bat. “I truly admire your deception. But what was it for? These worthless thugs?”

  Ah-Puch’s jaw tensed as he glanced around casually, like he was sizing up the place. “Let the girl go and I may not make this supremely painful.”

  “Where would be the fun in that?” Camazotz squeezed Ren’s neck tighter.

  I shot fire bullets from my hands, aiming precisely for the guy’s eyes. His bat wings didn’t deflect them fast enough this time. He screamed, shook his head, and looked back at us with empty, scorched sockets. “I don’t need eyes when I can smell you,” he hissed.

  Ah-Puch placed his hand on my arm. I can only buy you minutes. Go now! he said.

  A shimmering light caught my attention—Ah-Puch had reopened the gateway near the crane. With a mere flick of his wrist, he sent the entire army of bats tumbling into the night sky.

  “I’m not leaving without Ren!” I said.

  Camazotz let out a twisted laugh. His eye sockets smoked, and the smell of burning flesh rose in the air, turning my stomach. “You’ll never save Hurakan in time! And in the end, your blood will be mine.”

  The godborns, Hondo (with Brooks still in hand), and Rosie waited at the portal.

  “Get out of here!” I yelled to them.

  “Enough talk,” Ah-Puch said flatly. At the same moment, his snake split into hundreds and they shot forward, taking Camazotz by surprise. They ripped Ren from his grasp and wrapped themselves around her protectively. As one large serpentine form made of many smaller ones, they slithered her over to the gateway before vanishing into yellow smoke.

  The bat god released a terrifying screech. His wings grew wider and his fangs longer as he charged at me.

  “Go!” Ah-Puch yelled. He shot a gust of wind beneath my feet that whisked me toward the gateway and out of Camazotz’s claws.

  Hondo stood at the gateway’s edge, waiting for me as the last of the godborns stepped inside. Rosie howled as if to say Hurry it up!

  I balanced easily on the wind, like I was riding a surfboard in raging waters. Hondo went through, then Rosie, then me. I glanced over my shoulder just as the wrecking yard exploded into shrieks and fury and flames.

  * * *

  We landed on a dirt road in the middle of a dense jungle. Drums boomed in the distance. The godborns stared at me blankly. Breathless, I spun to face Hondo. Brooks the hawk was still cradled in his arms. I stroked the top of her head and my gut clenched. Would she ever return to human form? Was Camazotz right? Would I be too late to save my dad?

  The execution was scheduled for midnight, but I had no idea what time it was. “Does anyone have a watch or a cell or—?”

  Ren said, “It’s eleven twenty-seven p.m.”

  “How do you know? You’re not even wearing a watch.”

  Ren glanced around at the shadowed faces and shrugged. “I have a crazy precise sense of time.”

  At that moment, I had an inkling of who her mom was. But this wasn’t the moment to go into it. If she was right, I only had thirty-three minutes to stop the execution and get back to the underworld before I died permanently.

  I tugged the gateway map out of my back pocket, hoping it might tell me something about how close we were, or if there was another gateway that might get us to the pyramid faster.

  “That was a bold move,” Hondo said, “raising your enemy from the d—” He stopped himself, looking at Rosie.

  Pure shock buzzed through me. Had the god of death just saved our lives?

  The map blinked all haywire-like, making it impossible to read.

  Brooks blinked. Her glowing eyes, golden like a cat’s, studied me like she recognized who I was. For a hopeful second, I thought she might shift and yell at me, or slug my arm. Instead, she wriggled out of Hondo’s grasp, snatched the map out of my hands, and took off into the night sky.

  My lungs caved in as I watched her go, not knowing if I would ever see her again.

  “Zane, are you okay?” Ren asked.

  It took a moment for me to catch my breath. I shook my head, then changed it to a nod so she wouldn’t worry. “Ah-Puch said he could only buy me a few minutes,” I said. “We need to get moving.”

  The godborns’ panicked voices spilled across the dark:

  “Where are we?”

  “That bat god was twisted.”

  “Did you see his fangs?”

  “That other dude was Ah-Puch?”

  “Can we go home now?”

  “I’m getting the hell out of here.” I was pretty sure that was Marco.

  There was a chorus of huddled whispers and hushed words among the godborns as Hondo started to explain everything to them. I had just climbed onto Rosie’s back, when Ren tugged my arm.

  “Ah-Puch—you gave him the jade,” she cried. “He saved us.”

  There wasn’t time to talk. I had to stop the execution, or Hurakan would die and the sobrenaturals’ magic would be gone forever. “I have to go. Now.”

  She wiped her tears and pulled herself together. Red splotches spread across her cheeks. “I’m coming.”

  Smoke curled from Rosie’s snout as she lowered herself for Ren to climb on. I knew it wouldn’t do any good to argue.

  “We’re coming, too,” Marco said, leading the pack. What was it with this kid and a death wish?

  “It’s too dangerous,” I argued.

  “Danger?” Serena said. “Did you see what we’ve been through? Caged, tormented by that…that bat god, and those awful—”

  “Twins,” Louie finished her thought.

  “We deserve to know who we belong to,” the redheaded girl said to me as the others nodded in the shadows.

  Marco crossed his arms. “Even if they want to kill us.”

  They’d waited at the gateway when they could have escaped, and they’d risked their lives to see this through. It wasn’t up to me to tell them what they could and couldn’t do. Gritting my teeth, I said, “Fine. Just hang back. Once I give the signal, you can face the gods yourselves.” Then I made eye contact with Marco. “Can you do that without trying to get killed?”

  “Probably.”

  “And by the way…” I said, looking across their faces. “Thanks.”

  Hondo patted my leg and glanced up. He looked like he was about to say something mushy like I love you.

  “Shoot to kill,” he said.

  Okay, maybe not.

  Rosie took off toward the sound of the drums as the others followed in our tracks. And all I kept thinking was I hope Ren’s right about the time and I’m not too late.

  The dark trees passed by in a blur as Rosie sped stealthily over the earth. My palms were sweating as I tried to keep hold of her thick neck, but more than anything, I felt like my heart had tumbled right out of my chest half a mile back. Brooks hadn’t come with us.

  A woman’s hard-boiled voice boomed through a loudspeaker, echoing through the trees. Rosie slowed her pace cautiously as we drew closer.


  “Such a deliciousss roasssting,” she sang. “Who knew the almighty, sanctimonious, intense, storm-provoking Hurakan was actually a fun dude to have around?”

  The crowd erupted in laughter. A few people heckled, calling out, “He’s a bore. Let the god die!”

  Though I was annoyed by the comments, relief flooded my body. Hurakan hadn’t been executed yet!

  Rosie’s ears twitched as she flew toward a row of big, colorful tents that blocked our view of the commotion beyond. Only the top of the pyramid was visible. Rosie cut through a narrow gap and we landed on a grassy plaza filled with giants, demons, aluxes, regular-looking humans, and other creatures I had never seen before. Dozens of flickering blue-white globes shimmered in midair. Some people were decked out in tuxes and gowns while others wore cutoff jean shorts and baseball caps. The scents of smoked meats and popcorn filled the air, and for half a second, I felt like I was at the state fair back in New Mexico. Inside the tents, vendors sold Hurakan bobbleheads, refrigerator magnets, coffee mugs, and T-shirts with sayings like nacho regular god.

  Ren tugged on the back of my shirt and whispered, “What now?”

  We were about a hundred yards from the pyramid steps. The structure looked like a Lego-stacked mountain with rounded edges and a dangerously steep hundred-foot incline. At the very top was a temple on a platform, and that’s where the action was taking place. But there was no way to see it from where we were, which was why big screens had been set up at the far end of the field. I guess the gods wanted everyone to witness the grisly details of Hurakan’s death up close and personal. I felt sick.

  The screens blinked awake. Seven figures emerged from the stone doorway at the top of the pyramid, each wearing a dark robe or a cape. A sudden silence fell over the place like the flu as everyone waited anxiously.

  One by one I identified the loser gods for Ren telepathically: The first guy is Kukuulkaan, god of the sea, feathered serpent (and traitor). You know Ixtab (deceiver). The ballerina-looking one is Ixkakaw, goddess of chocolate (and manipulator). The guy in the leather robe? That’s Nakon, god of war (and fighter). The next dude is Alom, god of the sky (judge) and…I don’t know those last two….Wait!

  What?!

  That last guy…the one whose hair sparkles?

  The stocky one with the big nose?

  The tall, skinny one in the purple silk robe! That’s Itzamna, the writing magician/dragon-god dude I told you about.

  I bet that’s not his official title.

  What was he doing here? Since when was he on the council?

  The woman’s voice carried over the PA system: “Please remember to turn off all cell phones. Photography is strictly prohibited during the event. Any illegal filming or rebroadcasting will result in slow dismemberment.”

  Everyone held their breath, as if waiting for the greatest rock star of all time to be introduced. I wondered if the gods were always so dramatic. Probably.

  The woman’s voice echoed across the field again. “I give you the one, the only…” She paused—for effect, no doubt. “The formidable king, the master of all, the god of rain—Chaac!”

  The crowd went crazy, cheering, whistling, and stomping their feet. The earth vibrated.

  The pudgy guy stepped onto the platform. He wore a pale blue robe that glistened like moonlit rain. “We glorious gods grace you with our presence for a solemn affair.” His voice carried like he was speaking through a microphone. “To say good-bye to a god of great feats, of both creation and destruction. We say farewell to a god who will be remembered as a legend.”

  Applause and chants of “Chaac! Chaac! Chaac!” were heard.

  He held up his beefy hands to quiet the crowd. “Do not dare applaud again until I give you permission. Do you understand?” Thunder cracked across the sky like a whip, a warning from the rain god.

  There was immediate silence.

  “And why must we kill one of our own?” he said. “He broke the Sacred Oath. He fathered a threat to our way of life, a threat we had to kill. You all remember Zane Obispo.”

  My heart stalled at the mention of my name. Man, I was so glad for the death magic hiding me from the gods.

  “He, too, served as an example,” Chaac said. “Like father, like son.” He turned his gaze to the sky with a pleading expression.

  Is he trying out for a telenovela? Ren said.

  Do you see my dad or the twins?

  She shook her head as Chaac went on.

  “And, with the awesome responsibilities we all carry, we cannot have gods in our ranks who break the bonds of trust and brotherhood.”

  Ixtab cleared her throat.

  “And sisterhood,” Chaac corrected himself with a barely there eye roll.

  “So let this be a warning to everyone here. When you defy the gods—even if you are a deity yourself—you will pay the price. If you do not honor us, pray to us, make sacrifices to us, we will punish you.”

  Wow! This guy had a seriously huge ego, and he was starting to get on my nerves. My gaze bounced around the place as I semi-listened to him thunder on about how great he and the other gods were. That’s when I spotted a familiar eye (yes, just one) staring at me from a few feet away.

  Jazz!

  My giant friend. His eye grew three sizes too big and he started to come over, but I shook my head and pressed a finger to my lips. He stared at Ren, then looked around. I knew he was searching for Brooks, and my heart split a hundred different ways. I didn’t know where she was.

  Ren pointed. Look.

  On the screen, I watched as two figures appeared in a column of mist on the pyramid’s platform. They wore gold jaguar masks with red-feather headdresses.

  It’s the twins, Ren said.

  How do you know? I asked.

  For the ceremony to mean anything, they have to do the deed themselves, to make sure it’s a sacrifice and not an execution.

  Hurakan rose up from the platform like there was a secret mechanical trap door. He was chained upright on a wooden wall, and he wore only a loincloth. His entire body, including his face, was painted blue. I hate to say this, but my dad looked kinda like a Smurf. Even so, he held his head high and his eyes glistened with the defiance of a thousand suns.

  What’s the plan? Ren said. There’s at least a couple hundred feet from here to the pyramid, and all those stairs? How will we ever reach Hurakan without the gods chopping off our heads?

  You think you can manage some shadows? I said.

  I’ll try. Ren put her arms around my waist. No, I take that back. I can. I can do this. It’s why I’m here. This is the destiny my abuelo told me about, I know it. Just let your power flow into me and think about shadows instead of fire. Got it?

  Great. Now I was totally going to think about fire.

  Ren borrowed a shadow from a dark corner of the Turkey on a Stick booth. A second later, the sombra wrapped itself around us like a thick blanket.

  I’ll hold it as long as I can. Even telepathically, her voice held a tremor that made me nervous.

  “Let us begin,” Chaac said, stepping back without so much as a glance at my dad. I bet this guy was the school bully when he was a kid. I already hated him.

  Rosie walked slowly at first so no one would notice a big misshapen shadow gliding through the blood-hungry crowd. She maneuvered like a lion on the hunt, measured and alert, careful not to bump into people. If only she could teleport with us on her back, I thought, but I guessed there were limitations even to what hellhounds could do. I tried to steady my breathing, but the shadow was thick and heavy, and it felt like trying to inhale and exhale under a wool blanket.

  As we moved past Jazz, he stepped aside like he felt our presence. With a single stride, he took the lead and marched ahead, making a wider path for us.

  “Hey!” someone called. “Giants in the back. You’ll block the view.”

  “How about I shove a brick up your nose?” Jazz said, punching his fist into his palm. No one argued. And then I saw what his strategy was. H
is more-than-seven-foot frame looked like it was casting the shadow.

  On the screens, Chaac asked Hurakan, “Do you have any last words?”

  Hurakan stared straight ahead, his face unmoving.

  Faster, Rosie!

  A low hum rose from the crowd and my heart hammered so hard my bones shook.

  “No words?” Chaac said.

  Kukuulkaan’s eyes shifted like he was looking for someone in the crowd, but who? And Ixtab? She stared at her nails with a slight frown, as if she didn’t like the color anymore. I wanted to scream, but from this distance, it was too risky. I had to be close enough to make the gods listen to me. Any wrong move now would for sure equal instant death and likely force the twins’ hand too early.

  We were only a few feet from the bottom of the pyramid stairs when smoke began to trail from Rosie’s nose and rise past the shadow into the air.

  “Kill Hurakan!” someone shouted.

  Chaac snorted. “Are you ready to see a dead god?”

  Rosie stiffened. “No, Rosie,” I said. “Don’t listen. It’s just a word.” But it was too late. She’d heard the command. She shot fire from her mouth and eyes, instantly incinerating the center screen.

  Ren’s shadow collapsed.

  The crowd screamed.

  “STEAK!” I shouted.

  Of course, Rosie didn’t obey. I extended both hands toward the fire my hellhound was still streaming and drew it to me. The force of the heat’s impact flung me and Ren off Rosie’s back. My whole body smoked like a chargrilled chicken breast, but it didn’t burn, and Ren’s clothing protected her.

  Jazz quickly lifted Ren and put her on his shoulders, out of the crowd’s reach. Then he turned to me. “Man, kid. Do you always have to get into so much trouble?” He shook his head. “Why are you just standing there? Hustle!”

  Seeing that the immediate danger was over, people began shouting at me.

  “Spy!”

  “Traitor!”

  I jumped onto Rosie’s back, and she bolted up the stone stairs. I turned to see Jazz with his hands high in the air, shouting, “Folks! It’s all part of the show. Don’t you watch reality TV?”