“Good.” She pointed ahead at where KuTu now waited for them next to Structure I. “That man standing there who we know as KuTu is the ancient king, Po Ki Tali, cursed with immortality at the cost of his oldest son’s life.”
Quint stopped, shaking his head in disbelief. “What?”
“You joke,” Pedro said, also stopping.
Bronko had paused too, his focus on KuTu.
“No joke. That is the story that KuTu told me while Quint went to get you guys. And the dagger KuTu found at the site last week is the one that killed his son and might have been used to carve out his heart. He is certain of that because he buried that dagger himself long, long ago before he left the place.”
“That’s how he knew where to find it,” Pedro whispered.
“This is bat-shit nuts,” Quint said.
“KuTu also saw the bone you claimed to have seen in Dr. Fernel’s tent,” she said to Quint. “He believes it was the same whistle of death that the traveler had carried on their journey and used the night KuTu’s son was sacrificed.”
Quint shook his head, overwhelmed. This couldn’t be real. Was he dreaming? He pinched himself.
“You’re not dreaming,” Angélica told him. “It all sounds crazy, but KuTu knows things about this place, and, honestly, I don’t know what to believe. I just know that we have to go get Dr. Fernel before he hurts himself one way or another.”
“So,” Quint said, “the immortality that cost him his son is actually just a continuous cycle of reincarnations?”
“That’s what he claims. He also believes that the traveler was stuck in the cycle of reincarnation before KuTu. That the traveler disappeared from the bat-house because he passed the curse onto KuTu and was finally able to move to the next level ofXibalba, escaping the cycle of life and death once and for all.”
Pedro groaned.
“When I asked him why he thought that, KuTu said that the traveler’s tales told on their journey to the site were filled with stories of very ancient times. Of events that occurred long before KuTu’s people and the surrounding tribes inhabited the area. The traveler knew things that KuTu believed he couldn’t if he were not from previous ages of the sun.”
“You know, I could really use a couple ofcervezasto make this story go down easier,” Pedro said.
“A six-pack for me,” Bronko told him.
“It gets better,” Angélica said. “KuTu is tired of living and wants to escape the reincarnation cycle. He believes that Dr. Fernel has the whistle of death because he learned about its power and wants to live forever. So, KuTu would like to complete the ritual required to pass on immortality.”
“This isn’t better, Angélica,” Quint said.
Pedro pointed at Quint. “I’m with him.”
“Just as the traveler did in the story, KuTu is willing to offer himself toCamazotz, which is who he suspects is partly responsible for his son’s death. However, the ritual cannot be completed without a human sacrifice.” She turned to Quint. “I told you what KuTu said.”
The demon must come, too.
We will need his sacrificeto save us all.
Quint gasped. Suddenly, the air seemed too thick to breathe. He bent over, trying to catch his breath. When Angélica touched his back, he held up his hand, shaking his head at her. “Give me … a second.”
“What did KuTu say?” Pedro asked.
“That Quint had to come with us, because his sacrifice was needed to save us all.”
“No!” Pedro sounded a little winded, too. “This is not happening. Quint’s life is not an option.”
“What if we don’t offer a sacrifice?” Bronko asked.
“Well, according to what KuTu has learned over the centuries while searching for answers in sacred texts and from many shaman,Camazotzwill leaveXibalbaand come to the surface with his bat army and rain terror on earth, same as he did at the end of the age of the First Sun, when he killed all of the people in the land.”
“In other words,” Quint said, back upright, but still feeling a bit lightheaded, “what you’re saying is that if we don’t catch Fernel before he starts the ritual, it’s game over for everybody unless I give up my heart?”
“Pretty much, yep.” She wrung her hands, frowning toward the wall. “But KuTu seems to think there is a chance that you can stop this, Quint, and he can still end his cycle of reincarnation.”
