“Out loud,” she demanded.
The words blurred in and out of focus. “‘Ixtab didn’t want to save you,’” I read. “‘She wanted to hide you, to keep you from realizing your true potential and power.’” I looked up at Ms. Cab.
“Go on,” she chirped. “You’re doing fine. A definite C-plus for effort.”
“This doesn’t make sense,” I said.
“Just finish.”
I didn’t want to read more, but the words came out of my mouth anyway. “‘She crafted this whole illusion. Zane, you must know she’s the queen of trickery. It’s all been a trap. Ha. Ha.’”
“A round of applause, ladies and gentlemen!” Ms. Cab whooped and loosened the belt of her yellow dress. That’s when I noticed streaks of mud across the tie. “Two big blows,” she said. “Ixtab betrayed you, and we have something you want. And the most delicious part? You have no way of getting it, no way off this island. Where is the justice in this world?”
Anger raced through my veins, and just as suddenly, I felt a sharp pain in my back, like I’d been stabbed with an ice dagger. I gasped and with a single thought, I changed Fuego into spear status.
“No need for violence,” Ms. Cab said.
I wanted to launch Fuego at this version of Ms. Cab, but my legs buckled. Actually, just my human leg buckled. I stood on my shorter, storm runner leg, wondering if it was strong enough to hop me out of there.
Ms. Cab laughed.
“Who are you?” I demanded. “Where’s the real Ms. Cab?” She had to be some supernatural in disguise.
Cold sweat dripped down my face, and my insides felt like a giant fist was wringing them out. Uncontrollable shivers gripped me as my mind stumbled over all my memories of Ixtab and everything she’d ever told me. How she had once pretended to be my enemy and had sent an alux and demon runners after me to trick the gods into thinking she was on their side. How she’d made the gods believe I was dead, and how she’d given me the truth paper to write my story on.
A rush of cold snaked through me. I looked down at my hands. Ropy black veins bulged beneath my skin. I could feel the freezing sludge pushing through my veins, forcing my heart to work overtime. I panted, still clutching my gut in agony as I collapsed to the ground.
“Almost there,” Ms. Cab said softly. “Just let it come, Zane.”
This demon version of Ms. Cab reached into her dress pocket and pulled out a small red bird. Was it stuffed? All I could do was lie there frozen, staring up at her with eyes I could barely move. Using a small knife from the table, she split the bird’s chest open, and a flurry of tiny winged beetles escaped.
Their shells sparkled green like they had emeralds growing on their backs.
The bedazzled beetles swarmed me, climbing all over my body, their teeny feet stepping across every inch of my skin, up my cheeks and across my scalp. I used to think snakes were the most repulsive creatures in the world. I was so wrong.
I wanted to scream. The freezing cold was pulling me under, to a place I didn’t think I’d ever escape. For half a second, I imagined jumping to the Empty. The jade tooth was always tied around my neck, but what good would that do? My spirit would be safe while my body would still be here fossilizing at Monster Cab’s feet.
“Map him well, little friends,” she practically sang to the beetles.
Map…?
Monster Cab drew closer, stooping to watch her insects stomp all over me, flutter their glittering wings near my eyes, and poke their spindly legs inside my ears.
Ms. Cab said, “Almost done.”
I only needed her to come a few inches closer. Come on. That’s it.
The second she was within striking distance, I swept my storm runner leg across the intruder’s ankles, bringing her to the ground with a loud thud. The beetles on my leg startled and buzzed into the air. Good first move, but what now? I couldn’t exactly fight her off while I was lying there like a corpse. Stiffly, she got back to her feet and popped her spine with a loud craccckkk.
“Tsk, tsk, tsk,” she uttered, waving her finger. “I’m not the enemy, Zane.”
Right. Because friends feed friends to bugs!
The beetles swarmed all around her before settling back on my storm runner leg. Then, out of nowhere, a hazy image floated in front of me, but it was like I was in a train and the scenery was humming by too fast for me to catch all the details: rolling gray-green hills with outcroppings of deep red rocks. A stream rushing through a deep canyon. Flecks of floating cotton. Then the images slowed long enough for me to see a plot of dirt. Written on it were the words Help us. Before it’s too late. Cold sweat dripped into my eyes and the pictures vanished.
My muscles hardened, my blood slowed. I was turning into a human Popsicle. I needed heat, but the sun was tucked behind the thi
cket of trees. I managed to close my eyes, and with single-minded concentration, I channeled my energies from my godborn leg, drawing on its power. Then I felt it. A heat source was nearby.