“I’m a fast learner.” He tapped his temple. “Eidetic memory.”
“Photographic?” Twister said. “Ah, that explains a lot.”
“Yeah, try to deal with him when he’s acing every class, and you have to buckle down and actually study. All he wants to do is play basketball. He has the resources of the Energizer Bunny and none of the cuteness,” North said.
“Aw, come on, Than. I’m cute,” Fly said with a smirk.
“My ass,” North said with a grin.
Fly looked at Lechuza, his face sobering. “Have a seat, Killa. I have some questions.”
She walked over and settled in the seat Easy vacated. Flash stayed near the doorway, leaning against the frame. He looked calm, but Fly sensed his agitation, and something else brewing, but being held tight by his formidable control.
“Our number one priority is to understand you.”
“Me?”
“Yeah, that font opened to you. It knows you.”
“Yes, I felt that, but when I tried to open the way into the Veil, it responded to me but ignored my request.”
Fly nodded. “Yeah, you’re the bloodline, but something has to be missing. What do you know about your ancestor, the one from the vision?”
“Not much.”
“Close your eyes.”
“Excuse me?”
“Close your eyes and think about that vision. What did you feel from her?”
Lechuza swallowed and looked over her shoulder to Flash. He pushed off the doorframe and came up behind her, sliding his hand against her neck. She blinked several times, the terror she obviously experienced framed in those dark eyes, but like the badass she was, she closed her eyes.
“She was protecting the font. That much was clear, but…she’s the Keeper, a mystic, warrior…and priestess. She’s the only keyholder. Our bloodline…” Lechuza gasped and Flash’s hand steadied her. “Vilcabamba. We killed their emissary, so much distrust and too much violence between us. We burned the city and fled. They rode us down, slaughtering indiscriminately, defenseless men, women, and children.” She reached up and covered Flash’s hand. “She loved Cisco…I can’t get a first or last name. He was Spanish, a conquistador.” She bent her head, tears sliding down her cheeks. “The look on his face. I’ll never forget it. No blame or anger, just…aching sorrow.” She covered her face, weeping.
Flash’s expression contorted in rage as he pulled her up and cradled her against him. In a tone he’d never heard from his easy-going brother, Flash rasped out, “Is this necessary?”
Fly nodded. “I’m afraid it is. This isn’t going to get any easier. Truth hurts, but we have to get at it. That’s all I can think. I’ve been having nightmares about it being a white rabbit and slipping out of my grasp. It’s the key.”
“To what end?”
“Her name. If we know her name, Lechuza can have something solid to identify her, something with which to know her,reconnection. This is all about connection. It’s obvious that this vision is important or she wouldn’t have seen it.” Fly gentled his voice. “What caused the flashback?”
Lechuza angrily wiped away the tears. She looked at Flash. “The scar on his side, the one that touches his chakana tattoo.”
“Can I see it?” Fly asked.
Flash released her enough to pull up his T-shirt. He looked at Lechuza. Her mouth tightened, and she untucked and pulled up hers. They were identical except for Flash’s trident…something dropped into place. Fly rubbed the trident beneath his heart. She shifted and her tattoo came into contact with his. They bothclosed their eyes and gasped, and a wave of energy pulsed out of them, catching them all in its wake. Everyone made some kind of sound, but instead of something releasing, it only built. The power buzzed in his fingertips, along his skin, the hair lifting at the back of his neck.
“O…kayyy,” he said, his voice strained. “That’s something. We’ll talk later, Flash.” He returned his attention to Lechuza.
“I’ve been hampered by the language. I need your help.” He reached across the table and picked up a book. “This is a copy of an ancient volume, the original, your dad told me, is in a museum in Lima.” He pointed to a column. “Can you read this?”
She took the book in her hands, and her eyes went over the text. “It’s about the fall of the empire and the conquistadors. The author is terrified.”
“Why?”
“The priestess was killed, and with her death, something was sealed, something vital, but it doesn’t name it.”
