The Serpent Priest regarded William with a grin, contemplating the vision that he also shared. “It is said that the feathered serpents came in a boat of fire from the heavens, settling on our lands long before Man.”
William rubbed the back of his neck, feeling the start of a headache. “Priest Quisac, this isn’t a cavern, is it?” he asked, pointing at the green stones with a look of revelation. “This is a crashed spaceship!”
Priest Quisac let loose a rare smile. “Yes, it is.”
“You knew this all along?”
“Many in the Solar Cult have had similar visions here. The power emanating from this chamber allows one to see the images trapped inside the jade. Combined with the properties of the bloodstone, your vision took over and it became difficult to control. I suggest you remove the bloodstone and keep it in your pack until we leave.”
William pulled off his necklace and shoved it deep inside his bag. “Why didn’t you tell me the truth about this place before? And why do you tell everyone that it’s just a cavern of jade?”
Priest Quisac shrugged. “It would be difficult for most to comprehend. We do not have other words to describe this green stone. It resembles our most precious stone-jade. You had to see for yourself, for this is
William studied the ceiling for a moment, realizing that the odd formations were actually stations of the ship, now covered by hardened sediment. The black vines hanging about were likely wires of some sort. He thought back to their hike to the underground cenote-how the metallic tubes were connected to rough passages-and he deduced that sections of the ship had broken off in different areas, and tunnels had been made to connect the remnants of the ship back together. “So the Serpent Passage is actually part of this spaceship. But why would it have a… time travel tunnel?”
“As I did not know it existed before, I cannot answer your question.”
William sat beside the fire, enjoying its warmth. The flames provided a welcome relief from the chilly underground caverns, especially after stomping through the wet tunnels earlier. He realized that he may never know for sure why the Serpent Passage was built-or retrofitted from the spaceship-or why it was in sync with the solstices. It had been there for thousands of years, so knowing the purpose didn’t really matter. It was there… and that was that.
While heating up a piece of leftover boar meat over the fire, a pleasant sleepy sensation drifted over him. He remembered camping trips with his mom and dad, which triggered a twinge of despair as he became aware, again, of the sadness he must have caused his mom for disappearing. But he wondered if his assessment was really true. “If I manage to get back to my own time,” William asked, “do you suppose that any time would have elapsed while I was gone? Or would I arrive at the same moment that I left?”
Priest Quisac considered his question, while laying out his sleeping mat. “Time is relative to the position of the sun and the stars.”
“Meaning what exactly?”
“If you were to leave here on the winter solstice, you would likely arrive on the winter solstice in your time, as well.”
William felt disappointed by that concept. “That means every day that passes for me here, is a day that passes for my family too.”
“Time is not passing for them
William found some degree of comfort realizing that his family wasn’t worrying in that very moment, since they weren’t even alive yet. It was also reassuring to know that there was a possible way for him to get back home… if he wanted to. Yet thinking of Teshna definitely put another kink into that debate.
He let out a big yawn and decided to put thoughts of returning home out of his mind for the moment. The winter solstice was still months away, and he had to concentrate on completing his obligation to Dzibanche. If they didn’t stop King Aztuk, he wouldn’t live long enough to have any options whatsoever. All he knew for certain was that he had the next few months to live before the coming battle… and so he might as well enjoy himself. As he began to slip off to sleep, he pictured Teshna and imagined, in vivid detail, how he wanted to spend his time over the months ahead.
Chapter Twelve
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
“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
