“Such is the nature of being a seer,” Chaska tells Kusi. “Part of the blessing is also a curse. We do more interpreting than anything else. And it’s a burden, that pressure of wanting to get it exactly right.”
“I think the greed refers to the person doing this,” I say softly. “I think it’s their motive. But I don’t understand how harming the jungle gets them what they want.”
Chaska faces her cousin. “What do you think?”
“Haven’t you seen this?” Kusi’s tone is incredulous.
“Not one word,” she admits.
My heart sinks. Perhaps I read the stars wrong, or maybe Luna wasn’t really speaking to me. For years I’ve been mistaken; the stars have hidden their true meaning. Kusi continues assessing me, and I can imagine what he’s thinking. Here’s this stranger coming into his home with a history of failure and a punishment so severe, it meant her death. And now this same stranger brings a dire, threatening message.
“Well?” Chaska demands.
“We go to Sonco,” Kusi says flatly. Then he latches onto my wrist, and I let out a surprised cry. “And you’re going to tell him everything, seer.”
It happens fast—one minute, Kusi grips my arm, and then he’s flat on his stomach. Manuel presses his knee into the middle of his back. “Don’t touch her.”
I place a soft hand on Manuel’s shoulder. “Let him up. I’ll go to Sonco.”
Kusi jumps to his feet, snarling. Chaska steps between them and glares at her cousin. “There’s a threat to our city. Now’s not the time to defend your ego.” She hooks her arm around his and drags him away. Manuel and I follow, and it’s only when we cross the temple entrance that I see the dagger in his hand.
CAPÍTULO
Veintiocho
We don’t have to venture far to find Sonco. He’s on the level below us, visiting with a few of the elder Illari. They’re sitting around an unlit fire pit, telling stories, and I get the impression that Sonco does this regularly. When he sees us approaching, he excuses himself and comes over to greet us.
“I don’t know what’s happening, but the looks on your faces tell me I’m not going to like it.”
Kusi prods me forward. “Tell him, seer.”
The warning from the heavens comes out in bits and starts, and I end up rambling. Sonco listens without interruption, unlike Kusi, who prowls and paces like an agitated jaguar. When it’s made clear that I’m the one who saw the message and not Chaska, Sonco frowns.
“Why wouldn’t you have both seen the same thing?” he mutters.
“Luna has her reasons,” Chaska says. “But if I were to guess, I suppose it’s because Catalina has a lesson to learn.”
I startle at this. “What do you mean?”
Chaska shakes her head. “We all have a path. I’ve found mine, but you don’t know yours. Luna might want you to handle this situation, for the simple reason that she hopes you’ll discover yourself.”
“That’s an awful risk to take with people’s lives,” Kusi snarls.
“Luna clearly trusts her,” Manuel says in a warning tone.
Part of me wishes she wouldn’t trust methatmuch. If what Chaska said is true, then what am I supposed to learn? A small inner voice presses close, telling me that it might be about my choice—follow my heart or pursue my birthright. If I don’t marry Sonco for his army, then any opportunity for the throne vanishes. What’s left after that? Defeat and setting aside all of my training, the long years of studying for a role I’ll never fulfill. Walking away from my title, the throne, feels like I’m giving up. But a small part of me yearns for that freedom—as terrifying as it is.
“Brother, we must act,” Kusi says. “Cancel the festivities and have everyone search for the flower.”
Sonco looks around as people sweep past, carrying woven baskets filled with food up toward the temple. Everyone moves at a fast clip and with a sense of purpose, lugging around decorations and musical instruments. Several have stacks of clay plates, others have jugs. Preparations are well underway, and to suddenly cancel might bring the morale down.
“If we cancel, we’ll only make everyone nervous,” he says. “I don’t want to cause undue panic. The four of you can conduct a private search while everyone else prepares for the evening.”
Neither Kusi nor Chaska refutes his declaration, even though they look like they want to. When I was living in the Illustrian fortress, we went through the worst food shortage. It was easier for me to hand out food without rationing it, for fear of people panicking about the lack of supplies. I wouldn’t have the nerve to cancel the fiesta hours before it’s supposed to start.
While the rest of the villagers prepare for the fiesta, the four of us conduct quick sweeps of the empty residences. Chaska and I pair off and search one level, while Manuel and Kusi search another. It was a bold choice pairing them together, but Chaska insisted it’d be good for them. Though most of the dwellings have only one to two rooms, it takes us most of the afternoon to search two levels of Paititi. There’s still another district full of domiciles to work through.
After another hour, Kusi calls down from a level above ours. “Anything?”
