Marco’s eyes flitted from face to face. “Come on, man. What are you guys not saying?”
Ren sidestepped a smashed pile of grapes and said, “All the Maya gods were taken by some Mexica sleep god, and Zotz and Ixkik’ have an entry stone that gives them access to this place so they can get in and murder us.”
Ah-Puch’s unfinished words filled my head: Ren is the only one. The only one what?
“Well, that’s one way to put it,” Brooks muttered.
“Actually, I think it’s the devouring earth goddess,” I said. “Not a sleep god.”
“Did you say ‘devouring’?” Louie whined. “As in eating?” His eyes bugged out. “Is someone going to eat the gods?”
I spilled the beans to Marco and Louie about my Red Queen dream and the clues she gave me. After all, we were now in this together—I felt like keeping the truth from them would only make things worse.
Louie looked woozy as he sat on a nearby chair and unwrapped another chocolate bar.
Marco ran his thumb over the scar on his chin. “And this Itzamna dude is the only one not asleep? Pr
etty convenient, if you ask me.” The way his brain went straight to corruption made me think he really was the god of war’s kid.
Louie gave a short nod. “Yeah, Zane. How do we know the moon god isn’t behind all this?”
“Nah,” I said. “The guy was for sure freaked. Plus, his strength comes from the World Tree, which is powered by the gods. Anyway, we don’t have much time before the underworld falls to Zotz and Ixkik’…and once that happens—”
“Adiós, gods,” Marco said flatly.
“But they’re already out of commission,” Louie said. “Why kill them, too?”
“Maybe they aren’t in a great hiding place?” I guessed. “Maybe…” Think like a villain, I told myself. “Maybe hiding them isn’t enough,” I said, and as the words fell from my mouth, they felt truer than anything that had been said so far. “They can’t risk the gods being found. They want to end them forever.”
“We have to tell everyone the bat god is coming,” Louie said.
“No!” Marco clenched his jaw. “That would only cause a panic.”
“We can’t keep this a secret,” Brooks argued. “It’s only a matter of time before the godborns start asking questions.”
“We can make up an excuse,” Adrik suggested.
Alana tugged on her hair, pacing slowly.
“We aren’t going to lie to them,” I said. I knew the damage lies can do, the mistrust they create, and that was no way to treat the other godborns. They deserved to know that their lives were in danger.
“I’ll tell them,” Louie volunteered, raising his hand. “I’d rather do that than go on any rescue quests or do anything dangerous.”
“Who said anything about a rescue?” Marco said. “I don’t even know Nakon.”
Ren looked stricken. “So you don’t care if Zotz and Ixkik’ hurt your dad?”
“Nakon never cared about me,” he said, crossing his arms. But his mouth trembled, betraying the fact that he did care.
“Fair enough,” Adrik said. Alana socked him in the chest and he rubbed the spot. “Ow!”
I know Marco sounded super harsh, but I kind of understood. I used to be all sorts of angry at my dad for not being around when I was growing up. Connecting the godborns to their parents would take time—time we didn’t have.
I quickly told them about the labyrinth, K’iin, and Ah-Puch communicating with me, withholding the part about Ren. I needed to talk to her alone about that.
Ren’s eyes filled with tears. “A.P. can’t just give up!”
“Gross!” Louie gasped. “A giant centipede tried to eat you?”