Angélica groaned. “You two are incorrigible.”
Clack clack.
“You mean irresistible.” Quint unscrewed the cap.
“I mean warped. You’ve both been stuck in the heat and humidity too long, and there is no chance of straightening you out again.”
Clack clack.
Juan elbowed him. “Straight is boring, right, Junior Mint?”
Quint raised his canteen in a mock toast. “Here’s to being crooked as hell.”
He was in the midst of taking a drink when he heard the crunch of footfalls hurrying along the gritty stone floor, coming closer.
“Someone is coming,” Angélica said, pausing mid-tap.
“Someone orsomething?” Juan whispered.
Setting down his water, Quint stood as much as the ceiling allowed, standing between their visitor and Angélica. He shined his light into the darkness, his pulse pounding in his ears.
The footfalls grew louder, and then Daisy came into view, shielding her eyes. “It’s just me,” she said, slightly breathless. “Uh, Daisy.”
“What are you doing back here?” Juan sounded happily surprised. “You were supposed to wait out there with the others until we made sure it was safe.”
“KuTu told me to come check on you.”
“KuTu?” Angélica returned to tapping the cane on the floor. “He returned, huh?”
Clack clack.
“Yes. He said you three should not be in here. The time is not right.”
“What does that mean?” Quint looked at Angélica, but she just frowned, shaking her head at him. Fine, he’d let it drop, but he was bookmarking that frowny look of hers and going to swing back later for further explanation when they were alone. Meanwhile, he returned to his place against the wall and picked up his canteen again, taking several more swallows of warm water.
“I don’t know,” Daisy said, but something in her tone didn’t quite ring true. “Neither did Bronko or Raul. But after KuTu said it, Esteban started breathing hard and feeling faint. Raul is trying to calm him down, but you guys need to come back.” Daisy stepped closer, tipping her head slightly to peer around Juan. “Looks like you guys hit a dead end.”
“Yes, unfortunately.” Juan leaned against the wall next to Quint once more. “Angélica seems to think the floor is hollow. She’s determined to find a hole leading toXibalba.”
“There is still cinnabar paint smeared on that wall,” Daisy said, stepping around Quint and Juan.
Angélica nodded. “Did you see it on the way here, too?”
“Yes. It’s easy to see why this site might have been thought sacred.” She switched places with Angélica, placing her hands flat on the stone wall.
“Not you, too,” Juan said, frowning at her.
“Not me, too, what?” Daisy asked, putting her ear close to the stone in the wall.
“Gatitajust did the same thing, listening for that whistling sound Esteban said he heard.”
“Oh, I’m not listening for whistles,” Daisy said. “That sound is coming from the hole where the bats come out.”
Angélica stopped tapping and turned her way. “It is?”
“What are you listening for, then?” Quint asked, capping his water.
“Scratching sounds.” She moved to another stone, pressing her ear against it. “KuTu told me that if we weren’t careful, we’d wakeCamazotztoo early, and the bat god would claw his way to the surface at the wrong time.”
