Though exhausted after the journey from Bacalar, William was revitalized by the warm greeting he and Priest Quisac received upon their arrival in Dzibanche. Seashell trumpets bellowed and a crowd of cheering citizens followed them the final distance to the King’s palace. Upon entering the courtyard, William felt the bloodstone heating up on his chest, and he sensed happiness emanating from the great ceiba tree, like it was glad to see him.
His attention locked onto Teshna, and his heart skipped a beat. She stood beneath the tree looking like a beautiful exotic fruit hanging from its limb. The Princess seemed frozen for a moment when their eyes met. She was breathing hard, as though she had just run there from a distance away.
“Balam!” she said with a burst of joy, racing up to him.
“I’ve missed you,” William said with a loving smile as they embraced, unable to hide his feelings for her. He held her in his arms, enjoying the warmth of her body against him, feeling the soft curves of her hips beneath her huipil blouse.
“I was so worried,” she said, holding him tight.
Scattered giggles came from girls in the courtyard, tickled by their show of emotion. Priest Quisac cleared his throat to get their attention.
Teshna blushed when she noticed everyone looking their way, suddenly becoming aware of her lapse of conduct. She tightened her demeanor and took a step back. “I am… pleased… that you have returned safely,” she said.
“Indeed,” the Serpent Priest said with a smirk.
“Thanks to Itzamna,” Yax said as he rounded the corner of the northern hallway. He met them near the ceiba tree. “We have been anxious for your return. Tell me, Priest Quisac, do you have the sacred items?”
“Yes, we have recovered the sacred items of Bacalar,” the Serpent Priest said with a hint of sadness in his voice.
“What troubles you?” Teshna asked.
The Serpent Priest moved to a nearby stone bench and sat with a heavy groan. He looked up with troubled eyes, and said, “Bacalar is no more.”
“What?” Yax asked.
“Hey, Will,” Betty said, waving as she entered the courtyard. William waved back.
Yax moved closer to Priest Quisac, looking concerned. “What do you mean that Bacalar is no more?”
Priest Quisac explained the events in Bacalar, and how the surviving priests went to Chichen Itza. “But our goal to retrieve the sacred items and to warn the Itzaes of the threat in this region has been achieved.”
Teshna placed her hand on William’s shoulder, looking anxious to ask him something. “Did you achieve your goal as well, Balam?” she asked, staring at him with intense eyes. “Did you find what you were looking for at the Sacred Cavern of Jade?”
Seashell trumpets blasted from off in the distance, drawing everyone’s attention to the palace entrance. Teshna, on the other hand, didn’t pay attention to the sound. Her eyes remained locked onto William, waiting for him to respond.
“Yes, I did find some answers… but they only lead to more questions,” William said.
“What are you talking about?” Betty asked after seeing the serious look on his face.
“The way back to our time, Betty,” he said. “If we go through the Serpent Passage on the day of the winter solstice, it might send us back.”
Sounds of people shouting outside drew even more attention, and Yax signaled the palace guards to investigate.
“You mean go through that tunnel again?” Betty asked. “But it’s under water! And we don’t have your dive gear anymore.”
“Yeah, I know.” William threw his hands up. “Look, there’s no use worrying about it right now.”
Teshna tugged on William’s arm, pulling his attention back to her. She gestured for him to translate what he had just told Betty. “It’s possible we could return on the winter solstice,” William said in Yucatec-Maya. “But the solstice is months away, and there’s plenty to focus on right here.” William studied the curves of Teshna’s body as he spoke. When their eyes met again he became serious. “I mean… to focus on the coming battle, of course.”
“Yes, of course,” she said with a wink.
William’s attention shifted to the palace entrance as Captain Salmac burst into the courtyard, ordering people out of the way. Guards hurried in behind Salmac, carrying an injured man on a litter, leaving a trail of bloody footprints on the plaster floor as they went. William recognized the man they carried. He was one of the ambassadors from Kohunlich.
“Ambassador Chen-Uk!” Yax said, rushing to his side as they set the litter down.
“They found him near Kinichna,” Salmac said.
A crowd gathered as Yax placed his hand on the dying man’s shoulder, drawing the Ambassador’s fading eyes his way. “What happened to you?” Yax asked.
“Captured on the trail…” Ambassador Chen-Uk said, coughing up blood, “Others taken to Calakmul…” He lost his breath and died with a frozen gaze into the sky.
After a moment of silence, Teshna asked, “What does this mean?”
“It means,” Priest Quisac said, “that they will know we have harvested our crops, and that we are preparing for battle.”
Yax looked worried. “Do you believe they may change the day of their planned attack, Priest Quisac?”
“No. King Aztuk plans around the stars. He also knows that we will continue to weaken over time as our supplies are exhausted. It is to his advantage to wait.”
Chief Etznab plowed through the crowd, his stocky frame knocking people out of his way. “King Stone Frog, this could be used to our advantage. Kohunlich may side with us after seeing what Calakmul did to its ambassador. I say we carry the body back to Kohunlich with a contingent of our nobles and demand help against Calakmul.”
“We may have little choice but to go,” Priest Quisac said, agreeing with Etznab. “Otherwise, they will think that we harmed their people.”
Teshna kneeled beside the dead man and shut his eyes. “Surely Calakmul has done this to turn Kohunlich against us.”
Yax contemplated the matter, while the nobles crammed into the courtyard, along with a fair number of servants and guards. They talked amongst each other about the fallen ambassador, escalating the background noise to the level of a loud restaurant on Friday night.
“Silence!” Yax demanded, quieting the crowd. He shook his head, looking exasperated. The people backed away, opening a larger space around the King. “Yes, we must return the ambassador to Kohunlich and explain this to King Snarl Tooth.”
Teshna stepped away from the ambassador with a troubled look. “Even if we bring the body back to Kohunlich, how would we convince them that we did not do this?” she said, pointing at the dead man.
Yax regarded his sister with confidence. “We must send a convoy with high status, so that King Snarl Tooth will be satisfied that our motives are true. Teshna, you know King Snarl Tooth. Next to me, you hold the highest status. You will lead the team.”
Teshna froze for a moment, surprised by the unexpected order. Yet she nodded, seeming to agree with the logic of his choice. Yax turned to scan the faces around him, selecting others like he was choosing a team for a pickup game. “Lamat, for you have been our chief trade merchant with Kohunlich, and Subiac, for your prior battle history with their king. One of our ceremonial priests shall also accompany the servants who carry the body.”
“They will need protection for the journey,” Chief Etznab said.
“Of course, within reason,” Yax said.
“I will go,” Captain Salmac said, volunteering with a smug look at William.
“As will I,” William said, returning a poised stare of his own back at Salmac. He would have gone anyhow, regardless of Salmac’s attempt at showing him up. Most of all, William didn’t want to be separated from Teshna for more days than he already had been.
A long moment of silence followed beneath the great ceiba tree, with all those gathered reflecting on the difficult challenges ahead. Servants carried the body out while others wiped up the blood. They couldn’t get all the stain up, leaving a mark of the incident on the plaster floor.
After a lengthy discussion, Yax and Priest Quisac agreed that it would be beneficial for William to go on the trip, hoping that his presence might also help to persuade King Snarl Tooth.
At sunrise, they began their mission to return the dead ambassador, heading south toward Kohunlich. William would have felt more comfortable with additional guards on the trip, but Teshna explained that a larger group could be misinterpreted. Given the delicate nature of their assignment, they had to be careful to not appear as a hostile force. He had hoped that Priest Quisac would join them; he had become accustomed to his guidance. But the Serpent Priest remained in Dzibanche to assist Yax and the others with the battle plans. Betty also stayed behind; she had to help the weapon-making teams, and she also wanted to learn to use the bow. “I’m not going anywhere until I can protect myself,” she said, before they left.
In the end, it was a rather small team. Salmac and a couple guards were at the front, followed by Teshna and himself. Subiac and Lamat walked a few paces behind them. Further back, Priest Ik-Tanil escorted the four servants who carried the ambassador’s body on a litter covered with a red embroidered tapestry. Two more guards trailed at the very back.
William noticed Captain Salmac glancing back; his blue macaw-feathered crocodile jaw headdress cast a shadow over his face, making it hard to see who he was looking at. Salmac turned away the moment William caught his stare. He wondered what Salmac’s problem was… why did the Captain always seem angry with him?
Around noon, the team veered off the main road and took another path that led to Kinichna-the town that had sent players for the recent ball game. William later learned that Betty had found the real Kinichna ball players in a ditch-murdered on the day of the game. The imposters had taken their uniforms. Had she not snuck off for a swim that day, she would not have found the bodies, or stopped William from drinking the poison at the game.
While scanning the empty huts and buildings along the way to the ceremonial center, he wondered why the town was so deserted. Teshna explained how the entire population had migrated to Dzibanche for protection.
They stopped to rest at the base of a tall orange-painted pyramid. William sat beside Teshna, and they munched on some dried fruit, becoming lost in each other’s eyes for a time. William noticed Salmac staring at them again. He hated how awkward he felt around Teshna when the Captain was near. Yet William knew he would need the warrior’s support in the days ahead. He decided he would talk to Salmac, to figure out what was bothering him.
Priest Ik-Tanil approached, leaving the company of the servants; they remained with the dead ambassador beneath the shade of a zapote tree. With his black and white painted body, the priest looked more like a zebra wearing a funny hat, William thought.
“The gift that I mentioned for King Snarl Tooth,” Teshna said to the priest, pointing to the side of the pyramid. “It is in the chamber. Please retrieve it.”
Ik-Tanil nodded and went to look for it.
Teshna spotted Subiac climbing the long stairway up the pyramid, using his spear as a walking stick. She called out to him, but he didn’t hear her. She huffed and turned to William, looking annoyed. “I’ll be right back.”
“Sure, okay,” William said, watching Teshna run after Subiac. When he turned back, he saw Salmac leaning against a tree and sipping from his water jug. William figured it was a good time to speak with the Captain.
“Elder Subiac,” Teshna hollered, getting his attention on the platform along the second level. “Do I have to command you to rest?”
“Greetings, Princess,” he said. “I believe a storm is approaching.” He pointed his spear at the grey clouds rolling in.
“Yes, it would appear so. Elder Subiac, you should be resting below. Our time here will not be long. It is important that you make it to Kohunlich. King Snarl Tooth will be pleased to see you.”
“Yes, I will see my old friend from the kingdom of the Sun god once more,” Subiac said with a serious gaze into the sky. He sighed and regarded Teshna with a melancholy face. “Allow an old man one last view from this magnificent pyramid.” He continued up the steps to the last platform at the top.
Teshna followed after him, worried that he might fall. “We can come here again… on the way back,” she said, as they reached the top platform.
Subiac sat on a short stone bench at the top of the temple. He gazed across the horizon, breathing with a raspy breath. “I regret that I will not be making the trip back,” he said matter-of-factly.
“What do you mean? Of course you will. We will return in a few days.”
“My time in this world is nearly complete.”
“If you are not well to travel, then you should have remained behind,” she said, scolding him.
Subiac shook his head and smiled. “My health is not the issue,” he said. He leaned closer, his war-torn face further exaggerating his intensity. “Last night I had a vivid dream… the masks of Kohunlich awoke and became the Sun god, Kinich Ahau. He warned me to stay away-threatened that if I were to look into his stony eyes once more, it would be my end.”
Teshna threw her hands up. “Yet you still came?”
Subiac laughed. “I have faced many challenges in my life. This will merely be my last.”
Teshna sighed. Without the Serpent Priest available to analyze his dream, she didn’t know what to think. “Your dream could mean many things, Subiac. I wouldn’t worry.”
Subiac stood abruptly, staring to the south. “Vultures!” he said, and shot a knowing look back to Teshna. “They have found a large feast… many bodies… not far from here.”
William took a deep breath, slung his pack over his shoulder, and made his way over to Salmac. “Is there something you want to say to me, Captain Salmac?”
Salmac glared back at him. The other guards took notice of the brooding looks between them, and they moved in closer for a better view. Salmac capped his jug and tossed it to the ground. “I have nothing to say to you.”
“We need to get along, Salmac, so we can work together.”
“You know what I think?” Salmac said, staring at William with contempt. “You’ve got everyone fooled… especially the Princess. You look different, and you sound different… but you’re no better than any of us!”
“I never said I was,” William said, getting angry. The bloodstone started glowing on his chest.
Salmac pointed at the stone. “If it wasn’t for that bloodstone around your neck you would be as helpless as that dead ambassador over there.”
William couldn’t believe what a jerk Salmac was. “Hey, I don’t need this bloodstone to prove myself.”
He heard Teshna hollering something from the pyramid and they both shot their attention her way.
“Vultures!” Teshna called out, descending the steps with the urgency of a park ranger reporting a forest fire. “Not far from here… just off the trail to the south. Salmac, scout ahead, and we’ll meet you there.”
Captain Salmac nodded to Teshna and then leaned over to William with a smug grin. “I don’t need a bloodstone either,” he said. “I prove myself every day without one. Can you?” He rushed down the trail, taking one of his men with him.
“What was that all about?” Teshna asked, noticing William’s annoyed face.
William threw his headdress to the ground, pulled off the bloodstone necklace, and stuffed it into his pack. “I’m going too,” he said, and handed his pack to Teshna. He took off in a sprint after Salmac.
Teshna called out to him as he ran down the trail, “Balam, what’s wrong?”
A light rain began to fall as William hustled down the path for several minutes, trailing behind Salmac and the guard like he was trying to catch up at a track event. He saw them slow to a stop, with frozen stares to the side of the road. By the time he reached them, the drizzle had become a heavy rain, drenching them as they gawked at the ugly scene below. A dozen slaughtered corpses had been picked apart by vultures. The other guard waved his spear at the birds, trying to scare them off.
“What happened here,” William asked, taken aback.
Salmac shrugged. “What do you care?”
“What do you want from me, Salmac?” William asked.
“I want you out of my way!” the Captain said and shoved William hard in the chest, knocking him back.
William slipped from the plaster road and tumbled down the embankment, rolling to a stop near the half-eaten bodies; vultures swarmed over his head. William gathered himself, struggled up to his feet, and wiped the mud off his shoulders. He exchanged a look of disbelief with the other guard.
Salmac marched down the embankment after him. “Not so tough without the bloodstone, are you?”
On Salmac’s next step, William heard a snap and noticed something move in his periphery. He shot his attention to his left and saw a spike-filled log swinging on a rope toward Salmac. “Watch out!” William yelled.
Salmac only had time to glance in the direction of the trap before William lunged forward and tackled him to the ground. The log swung over them both; the spikes whisked past, just inches over them. They stayed low for the log’s backswing and then crawled fast to get out of its way.
William shook his head with the relief one feels after the near miss of a car crash. Salmac got up and studied the deadly snare swinging back and forth. He approached William, gazing down at him with the usual scowl across his tattoo-covered face. But then he smiled and held out his hand. “I misjudged you,” he said, lifting William up.
While clasping their hands in a firm grip, William saw Teshna arrive along the trail, out of breath. She stared off the road with a flabbergasted expression-seeming more surprised by the bond between Salmac and himself than all the dead corpses around them.
“Go on,” Salmac said, motioning for William to go to her.
He nodded and went back up to the road, while Salmac stayed with the other guard to stop the momentum of the log. Teshna gave William a curious look as he approached. “I’ll tell you later,” he said.
By the time the rest of the group arrived, Salmac had deduced that the dead people were part of the group that had accompanied the ambassadors from Kohunlich. He found a white feather and showed it to the others.
“It’s from Honac-Fey’s white owl,” elder Subiac said with certainty. “He was here.”
“The other ambassadors are not among the dead,” Lamat said. “They have been captured.”
As the group prepared to leave, Priest Ik-Tanil announced that he would remain behind to tend to the bodies, and to provide proper prayers. He planned to join them later at their evening camp. Before they continued, Salmac ordered one of the guards, Axel, to stay and help the priest.
They continued on for several hours in a heavy downpour. When the sun finally broke through the clouds, mist arose from the plaster floor, giving the area a surreal atmosphere.
Salmac stopped, his hand raised in a halting gesture. Out of the mist ahead, a group of thirteen warriors appeared; their bodies were painted with orange and black spots, like jaguars. They stopped in their tracks upon spotting them.
“Kohunlich warriors,” Subiac whispered.
“Lamat and I will approach,” Teshna said.
“I must accompany you,” Salmac said. “It is not safe.”
William leaned forward with concern. “I agree, Teshna.”
“We must demonstrate our peaceful intentions. Come, Lamat,” Teshna said, walking toward the Kohunlich warriors. She raised her arms over her head and held her index fingers and thumbs together, forming a triangle. William assumed it was a symbol of good will, for the warriors relaxed in their stance as she approached.
When they had covered half the distance to the warriors, she stopped and spoke with a strong voice. “I am Princess Teshna of Dzibanche, daughter of the Great Jade Owl, sister to King Stone Frog.” She lowered her hands and bowed. Lamat did the same.
Two Kohunlich warriors stepped forward from the group, their spears still in hand as they came near. The taller of the two men spoke with a deep voice that carried down the trail. “I am Muluk, leader of this dispatch-sent by King Snarl Tooth. We seek our ambassadors.”
William couldn’t hear what they were saying from that point on, but figured she was explaining the situation to them. She pointed to the servants holding the litter, and signaled them to come forward. Muluk ordered his men to approach as well.
As the servants set the litter down before Muluk, a semi-circle of Kohunlich warriors formed behind him. He bent over and pulled the red tapestry down. “It is indeed Ambassador Chen-Uk,” he said, and then gave William a double-take when he and the others moved in closer. All the Kohunlich warriors gawked at him. “I see the stories of the white warrior are true.”
Teshna motioned to William. “This is Balam… sent by the gods. He makes the journey to help in our task of requesting assistance from your kingdom.”
William took a step forward, the bloodstone glowing on his chest. “Greetings,” William said with a nod to Muluk. He scanned the faces of the Kohunlich warriors; they each took a step back when he looked their way, like they thought he was casting a spell on them.
After a short conversation, Muluk agreed to take Teshna and the others to Kohunlich. But due to the circumstances, he said they would have to surrender their weapons and travel as captives, until King Snarl Tooth could determine their fate.
Teshna believed it would benefit their cause to have a formal escort to Kohunlich. Being the highest ranking noble on the trip, her decision was final. “We will do as you say, captain Muluk.”
Just before departing, William overheard Muluk order three of his warriors back down the trail to confirm the details of the ambush near Kinichna. He wondered what would happen when they encountered Ik-Tanil and Axel by the dead bodies. Yet Teshna and the others kept quiet about it, and so he did the same, focusing his attention on the trail ahead.
When darkness settled, they made camp in a clearing. Soon, the delicious aroma of roasted venison wafted through the area as the Kohunlich warriors prepared a meal. William could tell that Lamat enjoyed their new company-or at least the food they had with them. The chubby noble devoured his chunk of meat and licked his fingers clean before settling back to sleep with a content look on his face.
Teshna reassured William that they weren’t in a typical captive situation. She explained how warriors captured in battle are stripped, bound, and taken for sacrifice. In contrast, they were being treated like political prisoners, as a formality to avoid potential conflicts on the journey to their homeland.
Later that night, William relaxed beside the fire enjoying how Teshna rested against him, using his side as a pillow, her eyelashes tickling his chest. He noticed her staring at Subiac with a troubled look. “What’s the matter?” he asked her.
She sat up and told him what Subiac had said atop the temple in Kinichna. “In a dream, the Sun god warned Subiac to stay away-said that if he were to look into his eyes, it would be his end.”
William shrugged. “Well, it was just a dream,” he said, trying to comfort her. But he recalled his own bizarre nightmare with his dad’s head on a platter, and he knew that the demon, Yum Cimil, had found a way to communicate with him through his sleep. However, he kept that memory to himself, not wanting to worry her.
The three warriors that had been sent back to investigate the crime scene in Kinichna returned. They approached Muluk; he was eating his meal by the campfire.
“It is just as they say,” one of the warriors said to Muluk. “They are all dead along the path.”
“Strangely though,” another warrior said, “the bodies are aligned with their heads to the north.”
“That hardly sounds like the scene of an ambush,” Muluk said loud enough for everyone to hear. His eyebrows rose when he stared at Teshna. While waiting for her response, he picked at a piece of meat stuck between his teeth.
“Yes, we did that, Captain,” Teshna said. “We could not carry them all with us, and did not wish to leave them in such a disrespectful position.”
Muluk glared at her for a time, as if trying to sense any deception. Teshna kept a steady look his way until Muluk turned. Seeming satisfied with her answer, he went back to chewing off the last bits of meat from a bone.
William wondered why Teshna didn’t say anything about Priest Ik-Tanil and the guard, or why the Kohunlich warriors didn’t find them. But he brushed it off. He was tired from the long day and cuddled up beside Teshna to get some rest.
After hiking all morning through the thick jungle, William found it refreshing when they passed through a wide open field of tall grass. It was nice to get a break from the somewhat claustrophobic sensation of being beneath a canopy of dense vegetation all the time. A pleasant breeze drifted by, causing waves to roll through the grass. The trail continued through the clearing for about an hour before they returned to the shade of the jungle again. The journey became strenuous as the contour of the land inclined. When they reached the plateau, the kingdom of Kohunlich was visible in the valley below. After a quick break to regain their strength, they continued on.
When they arrived in town, the late afternoon sun cast long shadows from the citizens who ran through the streets to see them. The Kohunlich warriors controlled the crowd like security guards escorting a rock band to the concert. The growing mob cheered, shook terracotta rattles, and banged drums as they followed the group along. Although William had only seen Kohunlich as ruins before, he recognized many of pyramids that they passed along the way. Tall cohoon palm trees swayed in the breeze, providing a peaceful contrast to the frenzied atmosphere of the townsfolk hustling around them. High atop the hills overlooking the ceremonial centers, William saw the nobles of Kohunlich descending from their residential areas and rushing to their place up front, following them through the vibrant city.
“The Temple of the Sun,” Subiac said, pointing at the bright red pyramid with orange steps.
William saw the masks that Kohunlich was famous for; six large stucco masks-three on either side of the stairway-painted blue and yellow.
When they reached the base of the temple, Teshna leaned to William and said, “The masks represent different incarnations of the Sun god, Kinich Ahau.”
Following Muluk’s instruction, they kneeled along the right side of the pyramid. William was beside Subiac, Lamat, and Teshna at the front. Salmac and the three royal guards were behind them, with the four servants at the very back of the group. They waited there for a long while, along with the entire city of thousands, forming a sea of bodies in the courtyard. The intense quiet was only interrupted by the ghoulish cries of howler monkeys from the jungle beyond.
When the sun reached a specific point in its descent, it cast an eerie reflection from the Sun god masks, making the eyes appear to glow. Seashell trumpets bellowed, and William saw King Snarl Tooth standing atop the pyramid. He wore a jaguar mask that covered the upper part of his face. His headdress had a strange combination of quetzal feathers and snakes dried into striking postures. He wore a jaguar-skin cape, bordered with jade beads. A dazzling array of gems glittered from the necklace resting on his plump belly.
King Snarl Tooth held his hands high as he loomed over the crowd. He made his way down the steps, accompanied by the deafening beat of banging drums, and moved to a throne beneath the Sun god mask on the first level, to the right of the stairway facing them. The drumming ceased the instant the King sat, replaced by a thousand shaking rattles that sounded like the static from a radio turned up full blast. King Snarl Tooth raised his hands again, silencing the rattles. William saw the King studying him through the eyeholes of his jaguar mask. The King let loose a big smile, exposing his sharp teeth that were bent and curved in strange angles. Beneath the jaguar mask like that, his real teeth appeared to be an extension of the jaguar’s actual jaw-like a fat creepy jaguar monster smiling at them.
“Call for the refreshments that I have requested,” King Snarl Tooth said to a servant in a scratchy voice. He removed the jaguar mask, revealing his wrinkled and tattooed face that resembled an old wild cat. His focus turned to Subiac. “My old friend, it is good to see you.”
Subiac bowed. “It is my honor to be in your presence, King Snarl Tooth.”
“Noble Lamat, they say your kingdom has a lack of food these days, and now I can see where it has all gone,” the King said, followed by a hiss of a laugh.
“The gods have been generous to me,” Lamat said with a nod.
“Princess Teshna,” the King said, greeting her with a warm smile. “It has been many tuns. You were but a young girl in your father’s shadow then. He would be proud to see the strong and beautiful woman here before me now.”
“Thank you, King Snarl Tooth. Yes, much time has passed,” she said, and retrieved a small bag from her pack. “I brought you a gift.”
William had forgotten about the gift that Teshna had asked Priest Ik-Tanil to get while they were in Kinichna, and he was curious to know what it was. A servant brought Teshna’s bag up the steps and handed it to the King. He reached inside and pulled out a reddish blob, popped it into his mouth, and began chewing on it.
“It’s gum?” William asked Lamat.
Although he had whispered, William’s movement drew the attention of the King his way. “So this is the Balam… the one spoken of in the stars,” King Snarl Tooth said, and then regarded Teshna with a scolding look. “Why have you brought this one here?” He stood.
The crowd shook their rattles until the King raised his hand to stop them again.
Taken aback by the King’s sudden shift in demeanor, Teshna appeared flustered in her response. “He was sent by the gods to help our people. We thought if you could see him for yourself, you would know it to be true, and that our need for your kingdom’s support is sincere.”
King Snarl Tooth sat back in his throne. He grabbed another chunk of gum, adding it to the already big wad in his mouth. “Please drink,” he said, motioning in an exaggerated sweep of his hand to the cups on the servant’s tray.
The servant handed William a cup, and then held the tray out to the others. After they started drinking, a priest wearing a cloak and full jaguar mask over his head ascended the pyramid steps, chanting and waving an incense burner. He stopped to pray at each Sun god mask as he went.
The King watched William with an unnerving smile, while he sipped from his drink. It tasted terrible, William thought, like saltwater. The King blinked twice and shifted his attention back to Teshna. “The immediate matter here is the fate of our ambassadors,” he said. “Stand now, Princess Teshna, and speak of this.”
Teshna stood and explained everything: William and Betty arriving, the soil plague, the early harvest, and how the ambassadors met their unfortunate end on their journey back to Kohunlich. “We believe that the King of Calakmul did not want our message to reach you.”
“What message had you intended for the ambassadors to deliver?” the King asked.
“King Aztuk desires to create a new empire in Bacalar, to use the power of the Sacred Cavern of Jade to dominate the region. We ask for your help-to join us against Calakmul before their kingdom becomes too powerful.”
King Snarl Tooth leaned back, appearing to consider her story. He shifted his attention to William again, watching his movements as though he was a rare animal at a zoo. William began to feel dizzy.
“There is no evidence that our ambassadors were killed by Calakmul warriors,” the King said. “I also do not believe that Dzibanche is to blame. Our kingdom will remain neutral. We will not aid you against Calakmul, or turn against you either.”
The King stood, his arms raised. “It is my judgment,” he said, with his voice carrying into the hills, “that the citizens of Dzibanche are not responsible for the deaths of our people. They are free to return to their kingdom.”
The hiss of a thousand rattles sounded for a time and then faded out.
“Thank you, King Snarl Tooth,” Teshna said with a gracious bow, shielding her disappointment that he would not agree to help them against Calakmul.
The King looked angry all of the sudden. “However, our ambassadors were killed on your land. Therefore, an exchange must be made. Balam is not a citizen of Dzibanche. He will remain here with us… until his fate is determined.”
The crowd cheered, making a ruckus with their drums and rattles.
Salmac and his men jumped to their feet, but a number of Kohunlich warriors swept in with long spears corralling the Dzibanche warriors.
Teshna looked dumbfounded by the turn of events. “Please, King Snarl Tooth, I beg you…”
William lost focus on what was being said, and he started to hallucinate. The mask behind the King blinked and rolled its eyes, gazing down at him. In fact, all six masks seemed to come alive. They broke free; their long arms reached out of the stones, wriggling their way up from the pyramid that held them. A cascade of rocks tumbled down the steps. The six giant beings moved to the stairway and merged together, morphing one into the other. A furry creature took shape before his eyes. Its tall muscular body twisted and turned, and then it stretched out its long claws with sharp nails.
“This is messed up,” William said.
The hairy beast sprang from the second level of the pyramid, landing just before him. William looked to the others for help, but they weren’t there anymore-he could only see the pyramid and the horrible growling monster.
The strange creature was at least twice William’s size. It crawled closer, moving like a cat, and then stood on its hind legs, glaring at him with squarish eyes that appeared cross-eyed. Its wide nose and protruding jaw with sharp incisors made its face seem like a cross between a jaguar and a man.
“Balam,” the creature said, “I have been expecting you.”
“Who are you?”
“I am the Sun god, Kinich Ahau,” he said, as his name echoed throughout the valley. “Come. There are important decisions to be made before the day’s end.” The Sun god grabbed William’s arm and dragged him up the steps.
Teshna held William as his body convulsed. Subiac snatched the cup he had been drinking from, sniffed at it and grimaced. He gave Teshna a knowing look.
“What have you done?” Teshna asked the King, struggling to hold back her tears.
“Dreadful events have occurred since Balam’s arrival in these lands. As he was sent by the gods, he must now be judged by the Sun god, Kinich Ahau, in our Ritual of Ascension.”
Teshna wiped the tears from her eyes, watching William slip into a comatose state. “How could you do this?” Teshna asked the King.
King Snarl Tooth spit his gum out and stared into the sky. The sun sat halfway between midday and dusk. “If Balam does not find his way back before the sun leaves his face, then he will remain with the gods-a worthy sacrifice to restore order.”
“What if he does find his way back?” Teshna asked.
“Then he will remain here with us, as our captive for future trade… or sacrifice, if the Sun god demands it.”
“How could he find his way back?” Subiac asked. “This is not his land, and the ways of the Sun god are unknown to him.”
The King let loose another hiss of a laugh. “He will not return.”
“We’ll see about that,” Subiac said, and then he guzzled the remainder of Balam’s tainted drink.
“Subiac, no!” Teshna said. She shifted Balam into Lamat’s arms and moved beside the old warrior, as he fell to his knees. “How can it help to lose you as well?”
“Come close,” he whispered. Teshna put her ear to his lips. “I will find Balam… I will help him get back.” He passed out, and his body began convulsing.
After Teshna set Subiac down, she bolted up and glared at King Snarl Tooth.
“Careful, Teshna,” Salmac said, gesturing to the heightened readiness of the Kohunlich warriors all around them.
Teshna let out a heavy sigh. “May we at least carry them up the temple so that their souls enter the heavens with dignity?” she asked, while secretly considering that the sun would remain on their faces longer there, at the highest point in Kohunlich. It would give Subiac more time to complete his quest.
The King nodded. “Allow them to ascend,” he said, and departed with several guards.
Teshna and Lamat led the way, with Salmac and his three guards carrying Balam behind them. The four servants lifted Subiac and followed the group up the steps of the pyramid. When they reached the top, they situated Balam and Subiac in alignment with the sun.
Captain Muluk met them a moment later. “The crowd disperses now,” he said, motioning across the valley. He stared at Balam and Subiac with a sense of pity. “You can be assured that your friends are lost from this world. If you wish to remain, I suggest you leave by sunset. You will not want to be here when their heads are removed at the conclusion of this ritual, when the full darkness of night is upon us.”
The priest in the jaguar mask made another trip up the steps, distracting them with his chanting. “Only the Jaguar Priest will be allowed to approach, to continue with his ceremonial tasks,” Muluk said. “Otherwise, you will be left alone here until you go.”
Teshna was so angry that she felt like pushing Muluk down the steps to demonstrate her opinion of their ceremony. But she remained under control and simply nodded in response.
After Muluk left, Lamat turned to Teshna and asked, “What must we do?”
Teshna sat beside Balam, cradling his head against her. “We wait,” she said, and focused on the sun’s descent, trying to will it to move slower.