talk must go a long way to keeping peace here. Wherever here might be.”
“But where are we?”
Jake shook his head. “Maybe another world? Another dimension? If we can figure that out, we might be able to figure out how we got here.”
Kady sighed loudly, as if it were all too much work. “Forget how we got here. How do we get home?”
Jake again noted a rising edge of hysteria. Before it could spread to him, he spoke out loud, keeping his head busy against the fear in his own heart. “The two mysteries are tangled together. How we got here, how we get home. We won’t be able to solve one without solving the other.”
Kady reached over and squeezed his fingers. “You studied all that archaeology and ancient history stuff. If anyone can figure this place out, it’s you.”
Jake shook his head, but at the same time, he pictured the stone dragon floating above the neighboring forest. The pyramid had to hold some answers. He had to find a way to get inside. But he remembered Marika’s warning.
It is forbidden to trespass there. Only the three Magisters of Alchemy are allowed to enter and gaze upon the crystal heart of Kukulkan.
Jake stared up at the glowing fist-sized gem atop the iron torch and began to piece together a sketchy plan.
“What we need to do first…” he mumbled.
Kady leaned closer, listening.
Jake firmed his voice. “What we need to do first is gather information .”
“Information?”
“Find out as much as we can. But in order to do that, we’ll have to cooperate and lie low while we investigate this place”
Kady crinkled her brow. “So we have to do what we’re accused of doing. We have to spy on these people.”
Jake nodded and understood the danger. “As long as we stick together, we’ll be fine. We should be able to—”
A loud knock made them both jump. With a creak, the pantry door swung open, and Gaius entered. His voice was hard and unforgiving.
“Come with me,” he ordered. “The Council of Elders has decided your fate.”
All eyes turned to them as they approached. No one spoke. The silence made the air feel heavier as Tiberius stepped forward to meet them. He wore a stern, unwelcoming expression.
Uh-oh.
The Roman’s first words offered no relief. “You’ve come upon Calypsos in troubling times. Dark creatures haunt our borders. Rumors abound of even greater monstrosities deeper in the jungle, of forces building like a storm against us. So your arrival is not without suspicion.”
Jake’s stomach tightened.
“But from its founding, Calypsos has been a place of peace and welcome. And even in the face of darkness, we will not forsake all our principles. Additionally, through your strange alchemies, you saved not just one of our children—” Tiberius raised an arm toward Marika. “But you also saved my son.”
Pindor’s shoulders, already slumped, bowed even further.
Tiberius continued, “Magister Balam’s daughter has also testified as to the terror on your faces upon seeing the grakyl, one of the Skull King’s minions. She believed that fear was real.”
Jake remembered the creature pinned between the towers, writhing in midair, trying to break through. His fear had been real all right. Jake glanced over to Marika, silently thanking her for supporting their story. Sheglanced shyly down to her toes.
Tiberius continued, drawing back Jake’s attention, “While the decision was not unanimous among the Council, the majority voted to allow you to remain in Calypsos for now.”
Jake let out the breath he’d been holding. It wasn’t the warmest of welcomes to this strange land, but he’d take it.
Tiberius pointed to Marika’s father. “Magister Balam has been gracious enough to open his home to you, young Jacob. He has expressed interest in learning more about your sy-enz.”
Jake found his voice. “Th-Thank you. We’ll be no trouble. We promise.”
Tiberius held up his hand. “You mistake my words. Your sister will not be going with
“But where are we?”
Jake shook his head. “Maybe another world? Another dimension? If we can figure that out, we might be able to figure out how we got here.”
Kady sighed loudly, as if it were all too much work. “Forget how we got here. How do we get home?”
Jake again noted a rising edge of hysteria. Before it could spread to him, he spoke out loud, keeping his head busy against the fear in his own heart. “The two mysteries are tangled together. How we got here, how we get home. We won’t be able to solve one without solving the other.”
Kady reached over and squeezed his fingers. “You studied all that archaeology and ancient history stuff. If anyone can figure this place out, it’s you.”
Jake shook his head, but at the same time, he pictured the stone dragon floating above the neighboring forest. The pyramid had to hold some answers. He had to find a way to get inside. But he remembered Marika’s warning.
It is forbidden to trespass there. Only the three Magisters of Alchemy are allowed to enter and gaze upon the crystal heart of Kukulkan.
Jake stared up at the glowing fist-sized gem atop the iron torch and began to piece together a sketchy plan.
“What we need to do first…” he mumbled.
Kady leaned closer, listening.
Jake firmed his voice. “What we need to do first is gather information .”
“Information?”
“Find out as much as we can. But in order to do that, we’ll have to cooperate and lie low while we investigate this place”
Kady crinkled her brow. “So we have to do what we’re accused of doing. We have to spy on these people.”
Jake nodded and understood the danger. “As long as we stick together, we’ll be fine. We should be able to—”
A loud knock made them both jump. With a creak, the pantry door swung open, and Gaius entered. His voice was hard and unforgiving.
“Come with me,” he ordered. “The Council of Elders has decided your fate.”
All eyes turned to them as they approached. No one spoke. The silence made the air feel heavier as Tiberius stepped forward to meet them. He wore a stern, unwelcoming expression.
Uh-oh.
The Roman’s first words offered no relief. “You’ve come upon Calypsos in troubling times. Dark creatures haunt our borders. Rumors abound of even greater monstrosities deeper in the jungle, of forces building like a storm against us. So your arrival is not without suspicion.”
Jake’s stomach tightened.
“But from its founding, Calypsos has been a place of peace and welcome. And even in the face of darkness, we will not forsake all our principles. Additionally, through your strange alchemies, you saved not just one of our children—” Tiberius raised an arm toward Marika. “But you also saved my son.”
Pindor’s shoulders, already slumped, bowed even further.
Tiberius continued, “Magister Balam’s daughter has also testified as to the terror on your faces upon seeing the grakyl, one of the Skull King’s minions. She believed that fear was real.”
Jake remembered the creature pinned between the towers, writhing in midair, trying to break through. His fear had been real all right. Jake glanced over to Marika, silently thanking her for supporting their story. Sheglanced shyly down to her toes.
Tiberius continued, drawing back Jake’s attention, “While the decision was not unanimous among the Council, the majority voted to allow you to remain in Calypsos for now.”
Jake let out the breath he’d been holding. It wasn’t the warmest of welcomes to this strange land, but he’d take it.
Tiberius pointed to Marika’s father. “Magister Balam has been gracious enough to open his home to you, young Jacob. He has expressed interest in learning more about your sy-enz.”
Jake found his voice. “Th-Thank you. We’ll be no trouble. We promise.”
Tiberius held up his hand. “You mistake my words. Your sister will not be going with
Similar Books
