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“AH-PUCH!” I shouted so loud the walls vibrated. “You’re a coward!”
“Where is your father now?” His voice was steady as a thin trail of black mist rose from the slit in my wrist and encircled me.
“Zane?” Brooks’s wild eyes took me in. I could tell she couldn’t hear the god of death.
Anger was climbing up my throat now, fast and furious. It burned like lava.
“Guys!” Jazz called from the front of the boat, where he’d already loaded Hondo. “Get in!”
I hurried over, tugging Brooks along, and made sure she got into the life raft. She looked back, reaching for my hand, but I’d already stepped away.
Her eyes glowed like fire. “Zane!”
“Let them go, Ah-Puch! It’s me you want!” I gripped the railing. The corroded walls continued to press in.
“Zane!” Brooks shouted again. She was trying to scramble back aboard the boat, but Jazz had a hold of her. She kicked and squirmed. “Let me go!”
The dark laugh bounced off the walls. Ah-Puch was enjoying this.
The albino fish-monsters began to glow beneath the dark water, casting a putrid yellow light through the tunnel.
I glanced down at the eyes on my wrist. They were staring up at me. Gods can be in more than one place at a time, Mat had said. I finally understood. Ah-Puch could see me, knew my every move, but not because of some tracking device. These eyes…his eyes had become a part of me. I gagged.
“We’re not going without Zane!” Brooks had managed to get free of Jazz and was climbing back onto the boat, which the walls were still crushing. Why was she so stubborn?
More screeching and grinding of metal on metal. Water splashed over the sides and foam pooled on the deck. The monsters below opened their massive jaws, ready to devour whatever flesh came their way.
Everything seemed to be happening in slow motion. Out of the corner of my eye I could see Brooks coming toward me with awkward strides as the boat tipped dangerously.
I dropped to my knees. I knew what I had to do. Brooks was gripping the railing, getting closer and closer. “Stay back!” I hollered at her. But I knew it was useless. She never listened.
“You’re strong, godborn,” Ah-Puch hissed. “But not strong enough.”
Then an idea struck me. I reached into my pocket and pulled out the jade. Whoever gives it away can give it any power. With an outstretched arm, I tried passing it to Brooks. To give her some kind of control over water so they all could get away.
“Take it!” I shouted.
Her eyes fixed on it and I could tell she understood. She lunged, her free hand extended.
As our fingers met, the boat lurched forward, forcing me to lose my grip on the stone. It skittered down the deck.
Pivoting like a tornado, Brooks went for the jade, but she didn’t have enough light to find it.
It was gone.
The shadowy sea crept up, higher and higher. Like sharks that could smell blood, the monsters gathered with open mouths.
I called to Brooks over my shoulder, “Pull me out when I tell you to, okay?”
“Pull…? What… what’re you talking about?”
“Just be fast!” I hollered. Then to Ah-Puch I said, “You want me? Then come and get me.”
And I plunged my wrist into the hungry waters.
32
It was worse than I’d imagined. Like acid burning through my skin. The screams that tore through the tunnel weren’t mine. At first. They belonged to the god of death. But it wasn’t long before my screams joined his as the monsters ate away at his eyes and my flesh.
