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As she spoke, I translated for everyone. She continued, talking so fast it was hard to keep up, but every time I tried to get her to slow down she gave me the evil eye and chattered even faster. Xib’alb’a isn’t what it used to be, she sputtered. Ixtab has taken over, set up new rules, even redecorated the place. And let me tell you, she has no taste!
When I translated, Hondo raised a brow and looked around Ms. Cab’s cluttered living room, which was filled with different-size plastic snow globes from all over the world. “Right. No taste,” he muttered.
Apparently, when good old Ah-Puch was sent away, a goddess named Ixtab, the keeper of the souls of warriors and women who died in childbirth, took his place as the ruler of the underworld.
Ms. Cab said, She had to battle a few other gods to win the throne of the dead, which made those gods good and mad. But more importantly, she went on, some of the demons were like double agents, playing both sides. Someone had somehow learned of the Prophecy of Fire and told Ixtab all about you, Zane.
“But who?” I asked after I’d translated for everyone.
Hondo rubbed his forehead. “Hang on, Zane. This is crazy talk! Who the heck are Ixtab and Ah-Puch?”
Mr. O stuffed his hands in his pockets. “¡Ay Dios! I know magic when I see it.” He glanced at Ms. Cab and said, “I still think you’re hermosa.”
To which she squawked, Oh, lords of fright. This man is a senseless fool.
I didn’t translate that part.
Ms. Cab lowered her voice, as if anyone could understand her, and said, Why is that nawal here? I told you not to trust her.
“She saved my life,” I said.
Ms. Cab tried to harrumph but clucked instead.
By this point there was no use trying to keep everything else secret, so I told Mr. O and Hondo about the prophecy, making Hondo promise he wouldn’t tell Mom. I even told them the part about Los Angeles, leaving out the deal I’d made with Ah-Puch, because Hondo would punch my lights out.
“Maybe I do need some tequila,” Hondo said, looking a little pale.
My mind went into overdrive. “So Ixtab was the one who sent that little assassin alux. She wanted to prevent me from fulfilling the prophecy so she wouldn’t have to fight Ah-Puch for the throne!”
Brooks chewed on her bottom lip, pacing the room. What was her deal? How come she was so quiet? It was seriously starting to make me nervous.
Ms. Cab’s wing trembled and she blinked up at me. Tell me every detail of when you let Ah-Puch out. Even how the monster looked. Probably more hideous than before! He always was the ugliest god… or at least in the top ten.
I didn’t want to talk about it in front of everyone else, especially Brooks, so I let down my guard and allowed Ms. Cab in, hoping it would work like it did with Brooks. Can you hear me?
Ms. Cab cocked her head and hopped into the air. Yes!
I brought her into my lap and told her everything, leaving out the soldier-of-death part. I had to let him out. Otherwise Brooks would’ve died.
I felt something the moment he was released. Ms. Cab shook her skinny chicken head. The earth stood still for a split second. Of course, none of the gods would notice, being such dense, self-obsessed beings. But we seers—we knew. Problem is, there was nothing we could do about it, because we couldn’t pinpoint his location. It was like he went off the grid. I lost all contact with the other seers, which tells me they’re all in nonhuman form, too.
“What’s she saying?” Hondo asked restlessly.
“The gods are dense and the other seers are probably chickens, too,” I said.
Brooks folded her arms and nodded. “They are kind of dense. Except for Kukuulkaan, of course.”
Gee, that made me feel really good about being a halfer. Unless, of course, I was Holy K’s son. What had Brooks said—he was the god of coolness? Yep, could definitely see the resemblance there. “How would you know?” I asked. “Do you hang out with the gods?”
There were still so many secrets swirling around Brooks, I couldn’t help but wonder what she wasn’t telling me.
“No,” Brooks said. “Um… I mean, I read all about them. And”—she rolled her eyes—“everyone knows they changed when they came to America.”
“Changed how?” Hondo asked.
Brooks fidgeted with the hem of her jacket. “Like they forgot the old ways—they lost their edge, you know?”
“Huh,” I grunted. “They seem pretty edgy to me, or at least old Puke does.” Looking back to Ms. Cab I asked, “Why would he take me to LA?”
