We soon came upon a tiny village. A hut was set up along the walking trail with a fire pit outside. Delicious smells came from the little flame. My stomach growled loudly.
“Coya, allow me to buy you some lunch,” said Anthony.
“Gladly!” Mama Pacha replied for me. “Hey, handsome, why do you call her Coya?”
“Because if I have my way, she'll be my queen for the rest of my life.” My heart skipped a beat and I stared at him, this beautiful, romantic man I was growing to absolutely adore.
“How long have you known each other?” asked Mama Pacha.
“I’ve known her since before her husband was taken from her. I’ve watched over her for nearly nine years.” He stared at me lovingly. “I watched her break down when Michael was killed, and I almost went to her then. I only stopped out of fear that she might reject me, given how recent her grief was. Then Elias wormed his way into her life, and I couldn’t come up with a good excuse to worm my own way in. So, I watched from afar.”
“Huh. Well, in my native tongue, Coya means toenail.” She smiled wanly.
Ignoring her, he turned and told the man at the hut he wanted two burritos and handed over several bills. I was too hungry to really care what they were. After handing me the wraps, he paid our toll to be able to get onto the north side of the island.
I bit into my lunch and moaned at the flavor explosion in my mouth. We continued on the path, and I ate my burrito, savoring it. I gazed at several beaches as we walked past. It was far too chilly to swim, but I still yearned to jump into the blue water. We passed several cacti with interesting flowers, but vegetation was sparse otherwise.
All in all, it took us closer to three hours to begin approaching a set of ruins running up a hill—the Chincana Labyrinth.
We followed Mama Pacha up the stairs. She skipped past several entrances and took us to the top. We entered and were given no time to marvel over the stonework or the maze that she knew by heart. She took us straight to a room that held a well. “This is it. The well is the portal. We told our followers that the well contained water that gave life. It was a nod to our spring at home. In reality, the well camouflaged the portal. We made sure it was always guarded, but no one was allowed to enter the room without one of us present. It kept people from seeing us going in or out.” She walked up to the crumbling stones of the well and stroked them with a shaking hand.
“So, what do we do?” I asked.
“All you have to do is touch it with your blood. The boys found the proper legend there, but they couldn’t have known it would have to beyourblood to open it.”
I pulled Elias's arm so he’d turn around so I could dig a small knife out of his pack. I knew if I left it up to them to cut my hand, I’d never spill a drop of blood. I turned to the three men, and we shared a meaningful look, each more reluctant than the other to begin the process. I walked up to Anthony and clasped him in a hug.
“Be careful, my Coya. Remember your training, it'll help you. You don't know the strength of the people you'll be facing, so stay on your toes.”
I turned to Elias next. He pulled me into a tight embrace. “You’re trained. If any human could handle this, it’s you. I had a hard time deciding whether or not to send you in armed. After talking it over with Anthony and Michael, we decided you should be.” He dropped his backpack and pulled out holsters, guns, and several knives. I loaded up and made sure my weapons were carefully concealed. I wouldn’t take them out unless absolutely necessary.
Lastly, I turned to Michael. He stood and stared at me, rather lost. I smiled at him, but the smile didn't reach my eyes. “We won’t be apart for long, Michael.”
“Even a few minutes is too long, Baby. I can’t go with you. I can’t protect you. I can’t…I can’t stand this. Please don’t go. Don’t risk this! Our children should be able to have you in their lives for another forty to sixty years. At least give them and us that.” He dropped to his knees and put his arms around my waist. “Don’t leave me, Riley. Please don’t go through that portal.”
I stood, ramrod straight, with the love of my life begging me to stay with him. I would give him the world, but I couldn't give him the one thing he was asking of me. Tears poured down my cheeks as well as the cheeks of Elias and Anthony. Even Mama Pacha’s eyes were filled with tears.
“Get up, Michael,” I whispered. He stood, his head hanging and his arms still tight around me. “I’ve got to go. I’m so sorry.” My voice broke and I took several deep breaths before continuing. “Michael, this is my only chance to live long enough to see our children grow up. I would be dead before they were even legal adults in the Unseen world.” He squeezed me to the point of pain, too upset to realize his strength.
Anthony stepped behind Michael and put his hand on Michael’s shoulder. I assumed he was calming him.
I put my hands in his hair and massaged. “Michael, I think you’re having a PTSD attack. Please, darling, step back for a second, and let Anthony help you.”
Michael shook, but he loosened his hold on me. He turned his head and matched Anthony’s gaze without letting me go. “Breathe when Anthony breathes, Michael,” Elias said. “Match your breaths to his, it'll help the calm take hold.”
“His mind is a web of panic. I don’t understand how he’s kept an attack like this at bay.” Anthony’s voice was hushed. Michael relaxed a little, his arms going to his sides. He turned back to me, and his eyes seemed saner.
“Michael, do you understand that I have to go?”
“I do. I hope I’ll be able to let go when the time comes.”
“I know, love. Now kiss me and stand back. I’ll be back to you soon. You won’t even have time to miss me.”
He stood and kissed my lips with reverence, a slow, emotionally charged gesture of love. Tears continued to flow as I kissed him back. I closed my eyes and the air changed as he stepped away from me.
I opened my eyes and turned to Mama Pacha. “It’s time.” I took the knife and made a small cut on my right ring finger, hissing when I cut deeper than I’d meant to. I heard a gasp from someone standing behind me. Michael.
Bloody finger in the air, I asked which stone to touch. The tension in the room was overwhelming as Mama Pacha took my hand and touched my finger to a stone on top of the well.
