The grassy fields that separated Salmac and his men from the advancing Kohunlich warriors burst into flames; a plume of smoke rose high above the tree line-like a mini-mushroom cloud. William fell to his knees, drained from the intense climax of power that he had somehow channeled through the bloodstone.
Salmac and the other two guards raced toward him, away from the raging wall of fire. From his position, William saw the Kohunlich warriors retreating back the way they had come, with the exception of a few men who had been caught in the middle of the blaze; they ran around like human torches, screaming until they fell over in the flames.
“Oh my God!” William muttered, beginning to grasp the severity of what he had just done. Although he felt terrible for those he had just harmed in such a painful way, he knew that the fire had ended their assault, and it prevented more potential casualties.
Teshna helped William to his feet as Salmac and the other guards arrived. They supported him as they hurried up the trail, out of the clearing, and into the cover of the jungle. As they rested there for a moment, contemplating what they had just witnessed, William noticed that the brush fire had already begun to smolder out, due to the damp conditions from recent rains. The road could now be traveled by the Kohunlich warriors, but none approached. William assumed that he had given them enough of a fright to scare them off for good.
“I have never seen the bloodstone used like that, Balam,” Teshna said, breaking the silence at last.
William shrugged, returning a confused look to Teshna. He also didn’t know how he did it, or if he could even do it again if he tried.
Without further delay the group began the long journey back to Dzibanche.
Chapter Fourteen
By the time they reached Kinichna, just after dawn, William felt like a zombie staggering down the road. They had hiked the entire night to get as far away from Kohunlich as possible. Being back in familiar surroundings, they felt safe to stop and rest for a while. The guards and servants took turns keeping watch so everyone could get some sleep.
After a long slumber, William awoke to Teshna running her fingers through his hair. He glanced up and smiled. “How long did I sleep?” He couldn’t tell if it was mid-morning or late afternoon.
“Long enough,” Teshna said. “We need to go if we’re to get home before sunset.
They arrived in Dzibanche at dusk, accompanied by the usual hoopla; seashell trumpets signaled their approach and cheering townspeople followed them in. William was happy to see Yax, Priest Quisac, and Betty waiting for them at the palace entrance.
Yax frowned as they neared. “Where are the others?” he asked.
Teshna recounted the entire disastrous trip to Kohunlich, and how King Snarl Tooth had put William through the Ritual of Ascension.
William continued from there, elaborating on his experience with the Sun god: how he had to watch his father die, how he was given a choice to alter events, and how Subiac saved him. “Subiac, Priest Ik-Tanil, and others gave their lives just to help me escape,” he said in conclusion.
Yax looked away and let out a heavy sigh. “Then it was a mistake to go… a wasted effort!”
“Yet Kohunlich does not blame us for the death of their ambassadors,” Teshna said, grasping for any measure of success to justify the losses they sustained. “King Snarl Tooth declared that they would remain neutral.”
“After Balam’s display with the bloodstone,” Lamat said, “it is unlikely that King Snarl Tooth would change his mind.”
Priest Quisac shot a stern look at William, his brow furrowing. “What event occurred with the bloodstone?”
“Oh, I forgot to mention that part,” William said, exchanging a guilty look with Teshna. “During our escape, I got angry. The bloodstone made my anger grow… it started a fire.”
Salmac stepped forward, his face stretched with enthusiasm. “Not just a fire. The whole field went up in flames… all at once!” he said, waving his hands like a conductor orchestrating the crescendo of a symphony. “It’s a good thing that it happened, or else none of us would be here now. I never saw Kohunlich warriors run so fast.” He laughed.
Priest Quisac grumbled to himself. “The bloodstone is changing,” he said. A worried look came over him. “Since the soil plague, it has become open to destructive forces.” He pointed at William with a scolding finger. “We have much to discuss.”
William nodded, agreeing. He welcomed the opportunity to better understand the bizarre stone that did so many strange things. He wanted to learn how to control it before he hurt someone he cared for.
Betty gave William a confused look, and he remembered that she couldn’t understand anything they had been talking about. He gestured that he would fill her in later.
“It is unfortunate that Kohunlich will not side with us against Calakmul,” Teshna said, “but we did all we can do.”
“Yes! Let us not worry of the coming battle on this night,” Yax said, rushing up the steps overlooking the plaza. “On this night, we celebrate the safe return of our people!”
A loud cheer erupted from the crowd of citizens that had gathered outside the palace. Yax shouted to his people, “There shall be no rations tonight, for our city will have festivities as we have never had!” He cheered with his arms raised high, followed by the bellows of a dozen seashell trumpets resonating in alternating blasts, maintaining a unified low-pitched hum for several minutes.
In less than an hour, the entire ceremonial center of Dzibanche, from one end to the other, became a massive Mayan block party, like nothing that William had ever seen before. Dozens of fire pits burned throughout the plaza cooking all varieties of Mayan cuisine; the aroma of delicious spices infused the air.
While dining from one serving area to another, William lost track of the others and found himself alone amidst the noise and confusion of the packed crowd. In such a collection, everyone looked the same and he couldn’t spot his friends even when he tried. He searched and called out for them while wandering about, hoping he’d run into them somewhere. After a while, he gave up looking and decided to take a mental snapshot of the moment, knowing that another party like that may never come.
He sensed the admiration and praise of all those around him, and for a time it lifted his spirits. But some people went overboard, shoving food and gifts his way. Waves of peasants came too close, groping him. Some fell to their knees, as if hoping to be blessed by his touch. It was uncomfortable and annoying, and William felt freaked out by all the attention.
Someone in the crowd grabbed his wrist. He pulled to break free, but the grip held firm. He turned with relief to see Teshna standing there at his side. With her turquoise-painted eyes, she motioned for him to follow.
While holding hands, they meandered through the crowd to the Temple of the Owl and went up the steps together, with the noise of the celebration fading below them. She pulled William into the chamber at the top of the pyramid. “The look on your face when they were touching your feet… I will never forget that,” Teshna said, starting to laugh.
“You mean you were watching me the entire time?”
“Yes. I like seeing you that way… needing my help,” she said in a flirtatious manner.
William scanned the empty chamber, realizing that he had the Princess all to himself, and gave her a sly smile. “I’m surprised that no one else is up here.”
Teshna’s mood turned mysterious as she moved in close. “Only
“I guess I should feel important.”
“Yes, you are,” she said, wrapping her arms around him. “You are especially important to me.”
William smiled, becoming lost in her beautiful brown eyes that twinkled from the light of the torches burning in the room. “You’re very important to me too.”
Teshna started to cry.
“What is it?” he asked.
