“You and my father found the mirror to the gods. You made a deal with Tezcán.”
With a laugh, the ringmaster raised his hands. “We have a winner, folks.”
But there were no folks around to listen. They were alone, hidden in smoke and ash and secrets.
“Tezcán only works in equal bargains. To get what we wanted, certain sacrifices had to be made. Certain lives had to be forfeited. It was easy enough for me, but your father has always been a bit of a sap.”
Ignacio shook his head. “How could you two possibly know each other?”
The ringmaster huffed a laugh. “I thought you were catching on, kid.”
“Enough, Ángel. I’m taking my son out of here. You and I will discuss things later.”
“Later?!”the ringmaster yelled. “Look what your son has done to my carnival. This is all your fault, Héctor. I told you to tell him, but you didn’t listen. In fact, you tried to keep him away. Away! When he is the key to my future.”
“What is he talking about?” Ignacio spat.
“Your daddy and I made a deal with Tezcán forty years ago.”
Ignacio’s heart dropped. “Forty…” Understanding took hold. It gripped Ignacio by the throat. “ ‘The Tale of the Valerio Brothers.’ ” He eyed his father. “The elder brother asked to be powerful beyond measure.” He turned to the ringmaster. “The younger brother asked to be young and charming for the rest ofhis…”
“For the rest of his days,” the ringmaster finished. “For an eternity if all goes to plan.” He winked. “I suppose I should reintroduce myself.” He cleared his throat and took a bow. “Ángel Valerio, your one and only uncle.”
“Impossible,” Ignacio snapped.
“What is impossible is how your father kept all this from you for so long. But there were signs. Olivera is an anagram for Valerio. Did you know that? That wasn’t an easy clue, though, I suppose. I tried to warn him you’d turn bitter without understanding the truth. But he was afraid you’d hate him after you learned what he did.”
“Ángel,” his father growled, but Ángel ignored him.
“Your father wished to be powerful. The only way to gain such power was to offer someone who was powerful themself.It started with the original ringmaster, therealSeñor Veracruz, who employed us. He was our first bargain. The real Veracruz was everything we needed. He had the vibrancy, the vivacity, and the versatility to succeed at all things. He was also a great leader. Tezcán was pleased. The real Veracruz fed Tezcán, and Tezcán gave us youth and power in exchange. After a while, though, Tezcán demanded more. So, more was what we gave. Only someone like the commander of a great army would do to keep your daddy on his high horse. Someone like your mother.”
“Why not offer up King Amadeo?” Ignacio asked. “He is the ruler of the entire country. Why did it have to be my mother?!”
Ángel chuckled. “The king wasn’t an equal exchange. He’s nothing but a mouthpiece for whomever he owes favors to, and Tezcán knew it. King Amadeo wasn’t enough to satisfy our god. But your mommy, now she had vigor.”
Father roared. He rushed forward, aiming his dagger at Ángel’s heart. But Ángel simply leapt out of the way.
“He seduced her!” Ángel yelled as he dodged Father’s attack. “He thought he’d bring her into his confidence so that she would gaze upon the mirror. And then, the sap fell in love! He tried to feed Tezcán with other powerful people like the general before Keara—kudos to Esmeralda, by the way, for snapping Keara’s neck. She really was a dull dame. Anyway, the generals weren’t enough to get the respect he was so desperate for. Your father knew what he had to do.”
Father swiped his blade in the air, and Ángel lunged backward with a laugh. “You’re getting sloppy, old man!”
Ignacio’s knees weakened. Bile clawed up his throat. “You’re saying my father…He…”
“He fed your beautiful mother’s soul to Tezcán. And then, like magic, he was gifted the role of comandante.”
“Bastard!” Ignacio yelled. He barreled forward and pummeled his shoulder into his father’s back. The man wheezed but didn’t try to fight as Ignacio slammed him into the ground. He grabbed his father by the shoulder and forced him to turn around so he could face him.
Ignacio shook him by the collar. “Why? Why did you take her from me?”
For the first time ever in his life, Ignacio saw tears blurring his father’s blue eyes.
“I was weak,” he whispered. “I was a fool. I did what I wastold.”
Ignacio’s grip tightened until his knuckles were bone white. “Who would tell you to do such a vile, horrid, unforgivable thing?”
The ringmaster knelt next to the men. He offered a brilliant smile. “That would be me.”
He brought his open palm to his lips and blew onto it with a quick burst of breath. Glittering dust engulfed Ignacio and tickled his nose. In the back of his mind, everything clicked into place. The glistening fragments in the ink, in the glue that sealed Dovie’s lips shut, it was ground-up bits of Blackbird obsidian.
