Page 69 of The Lost Guardian

Santiago chewed his lip as he considered. “We know that Cumbemayo means ‘narrow river,’” he finally ventured. “So we’re definitely in the right place. But now we have to find the river in all this stone.”

“The river is that way,” José said, motioning past a crest of jagged rocks. His voice was even, but he couldn’t hide the excitement on his face. Santiago’s adrenaline spiked in response, and he felt giddy with anticipation.

Here we go.

They walked together again, instinctively observing a companionable silence. It felt almost sacrilegious to speak there, in a place so natural and ancient. The wind rewarded them for their quiet by singing soft melodies through the grasses, several birds adding their voices to the harmony.

Inti was shining proudly in the sky by then, and its warmth was pleasant and soothing.

“Water,” Ali blurted out, abruptly disturbing the tranquility. “I hear water.”

Santiago paused, straining to listen. She was right.

“Ah, but that’s not the river,” José said, increasing his pace. Santi and Ali followed suit, and when they arrived at the source of the sound, they saw he was correct. It wasn’t a river at all.

“The aqueduct,” Santiago gasped. “I had forgotten about the aqueduct!”

“What aqueduct?” Ali asked him, looking confused.

“It’s actually a famous archeological site, a pre-Inca engineering marvel carved into the very stone of the mountain. It diverted water from the river to the Cajamarca valley,” José answered, crouching down to point at the engineering.

Exquisite, Santiago thought.

“So it’s not the river?” Ali asked, looking confused.

José shook his head. “No, this was built, manufactured by men even before the time of Atahualpa. It was used for—”

He stopped, slapping a hand against his forehead.

“Life’s water will lead the way,” he recited excitedly, looking pointedly at Santiago.

“What?” he asked, taken aback by the intensity in his gaze. “I don’t understand.”

José rose. “It wasn’t talking about the river at all, but the aqueduct.”

“I’m afraid I don’t get it.” Santiago’s cheeks burned. It had been a while since he’d been called on without an answer in class, and he was all too aware of Ali’s presence at his side.

“This area is the location of a pre-Inca aqueduct, one that used to direct water from the Cumbemayo River all the way down to the Cajamarca valley,” José explained, following the sound. Santiago rushed to join, almost tripping on some uneven stones beneath his feet in the process.

Ali grasped his elbow firmly before he landed on his face.

“Thanks,” he panted, his body still not acclimatized to the elevation.

“So, the aqueduct,” Ali prompted them.

“Yes.” José nodded. “The redirection of water provided the valley and surrounding lands with irrigation.”

Ali stared at him, unblinking.

“Which means,” José added, “that it was life’s water. Water that brought life!”

“Holy shit,” Santiago exclaimed. The professor was right.

Of course he’s right! Santi felt starstruck all over again.

“So we need to follow the aqueduct?” Ali asked, sounding skeptical.

“I think we need to find where the river meets the man-made structure,” José guessed.