Another god light flickered in the tree trunk like it was being smothered.
“STOP!” I screamed. Smoke trailed from my mouth and nose. My heart wanted to fight, but my mind told a different story. I had learned a few things about godly negotiations and how to use your one ace in the hole to get as much as possible.
“If I surrender,” I said, “you’ll let the gods go?”
“I’ll let the pathetic creatures live.”
“Which means they’ll be in prison,” I said.
“A roomy prison,” Bird offered as he rolled up his sleeves like he didn’t expect this to end without a brawl.
I was curious what Blood Moon’s final play was going to be. If I could anticipate it, I might be able to find a way out. “Why do you want me so bad?”
Jordan and Bird shared a glance. I thought they might bust up laughing, but they managed to keep it together. So Mom’s plan was that nasty, eh?
“Enough talk,” Ixkik’ said. “Do you surrender in exchange for the gods’ lives?”
It was an impossible choice. How could I agree to the gods being locked up forever? Shouldn’t they get a say? And what about my friends? They were outmatched and outnumbered. Unless, I thought, unless I can get Ixkik’ alone and end her. That would take the queen off the board. It would throw the demons into a tailspin and enrage the twins so much they wouldn’t be able to see clearly enough to win a battle against a bunch of kick-butt godborns.
“How about we smoke out your friends,” Ixkik’ said, “and ask them what they think you should do?”
With the flick of Jordan’s wrist, a few demons took off into the jungle. Before I could blink, a fire erupted beyond the trees. Billows of black smoke rose into the sky.
Itzamna released a pathetic cry.
“No!” I screamed, trying with all my strength to pull the fire into me, but it was growing too big too fast. Monkey shrieks carried through the jungle. “STOP!” I shouted.
“Choose!”
“I’ll do it!”
The flames died as a thin stream of mist floated across the meadow along with Blood Moon’s voice: “A deal with a god is binding,” she said as the mist took the shape of a bony hand reaching toward me.
“On one condition,” I said angrily. “You have to spare the gods—”
“We’ve established that,” Ixkik’ said in an annoyed tone.
“And you have to let my friends go. They have to leave here unharmed.”
“Done!” Ixkik’ said. “You will serve me for as long as I decide in exchange for your friends’ freedom and the pathetic gods’ lives.”
Wait. Why had she agreed so quickly?
The phantom hand lingered in front of me, waiting. My gaze swept across the field, landing on the dragon. Itzamna’s eyes were vacant, absent of any answers.
“I want collateral,” I said, swinging my attention back to the mist that was Ixkik’. “Proof you will keep your word.”
Bird sneered. “Like what?”
“I want to see Quinn.”
Jordan and Bird shared a surprised glance.
“And I want you to let her escort my friends home.” I knew that the godborns, Hondo, and Brooks would never leave here without a fight, and I thought that maybe, just maybe, Quinn could talk some sense into them. And if she couldn’t, she had an army of demons that could force them to go.
Jordan rubbed his forehead, clenching his jaw so tight I thought he’d grind his teeth to powder.
“You can have ten seconds with her,” Ixkik’ said.