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Rosie danced on her three paws. Her eyes glowed vibrant gold with flecks of green. And then she bowed, lowering her head to the sparkling sand as if to say I worship you, O mighty turtles.
“Are they some kind of royalty?” Alana asked.
I tugged on my dog’s collar, but she didn’t budge.
“This could be a trick,” Adrik said, shaking his head.
Alana rolled her eyes. It was the first time I’d seen her brother get under her skin. “For real, Adrik? You think these turtles are just some decoys to get us into the water so they can drown us and watch our bones drift to the ocean floor?” She looked at Ren. “That’s not a thing, right?”
Adrik scowled at his sister. “You read too many books.”
“You watch too many acting videos.”
“Well, when I get famous, I won’t be thanking you!”
The turtles continued toward us, their domed shells shimmering in the morning sunlight. As they drew closer, I noticed that the scutes on their shells were a repeating pattern of obsidian and jade. Their heads and necks were dotted with black and white spots.
“That one in the middle has something in its mouth,” Ren said.
Alana elbowed me. “Go get it, Zane.”
“They’re tortugas,” Hondo sneered, “not demons.” He closed the sevenish-foot gap and we all followed. Well, Ren, Brooks, and I did. Adrik and Alana hung back a few feet.
The center turtle blinked slowly and dropped a large clamshell onto the sand. I scooped it up and cracked it open with Fuego. Inside, instead of gooey flesh, there was a folded letter.
“Who’s it from?” Ren said, ducking under my arm to get a better look. “What’s it say?”
I read the words aloud: “‘For Zane. Air spirits are on strike.’”
Brooks whispered, “Spirits go on strike?”
I continued reading, “‘The aaks’”—I pronounced it awk as in awkward—“‘will take you safely to SHIHOM. Only they can get you past the magical borders, so don’t fall off or try any funny detours. Oh, and do not attempt to mount until the turtle chooses you. They can be quite moody, but don’t worry, I fed them before they left. Got it?’” I looked up at the group’s curious expressions. The last words came out in a whoosh. “It’s signed A.P.”
“A.P.?” Ren squealed. “Hooray!”
It had to be Ah-Puch. Ren and the god of death, darkness, and destruction had become BFFs during our last quest.
Ren stroked the messenger turtle’s long, wrinkly neck. The creature closed its eyes in pleasure and stretched its head higher. “He doesn’t seem like he would bite off anyone’s head.”
“The turtle, or the god of death?” Hondo asked with a smirk.
“God of death?” Alana raised her eyebrows.
“The same dude you trapped in fire?” Adrik said to me.
So they’d already read my book? Every time someone mentioned it, my skin got all prickly and annoyance reared up like a zombie. Maybe because it reminded me of the gods’ greed and exploitation.
Hondo said to Adrik and Alana, “Different guy. Lots of gods and lords and demons of death. Can hardly keep up with all of them.”
“Except the initials are the same as Ah-Puch’s.” Alana wasn’t buying it.
“It’s a long story,” I said. “He’s not evil anymore.”
“He’s so sweet,” Ren chirped. “He risked his life to save us. Actually, he died and then Zane saved him.”
I wondered if maybe I should let Adrik and Alana read my second story, which explains all that. They deserved to know everything, including why the Fire Keeper was so important, who the baddies were, and why the gods had finally decided to welcome their half-human kids. Knowing Itzamna, though, the book was already sitting on everyone’s pillow at SHIHOM.
Alana and Adrik looked at each other, no doubt communicating telepathically.
