Serpent and Storm (38 page)

Amaranth smiled in triumph.

“No, it's not that easy,” said Sky Knife. “I know you're the one. And I'd bet you were the one who promised Dancing Bear she could speak for the Masked One, and who promised Dark Lightning the mat if he would do as you say.”

Talking Storm grunted. “That's quite an accusation. Prove it or let's continue the ceremony.”

Sky Knife didn't hesitate. He pulled out the Hand of God. “The blade knows the truth,” he said. “Take it and tell me you weren't the one who called the serpent.”

Amaranth glanced around as if trapped. “What if I say no?” she said. “You can't make me participate in any of your Mayan rituals.”

“He can't,” said Grasping Fire. “But I will. I believe everything he says.”

“You can't!” Amaranth's voice rose in a despairing wail.

“I never wanted to see it,” said Grasping Fire. “I tried to put the whole episode out of my mind. When your husband came to me and accused me of stealing you from him, he came to find me at my brother's house. He couldn't have known I was there unless you told him. You
told
him, didn't you? You told him we were lovers and you sent him to me. You wanted me to kill him. You bitch!”

Amaranth backed up. “No, I … well, yes, I told him, but I thought…”

“Take the knife, traitor,” said Grasping Fire.

“I couldn't have done it—remember, I was with you when Leather Apron stole the child.”

Sky Knife blushed, remembering overhearing them.

“How did you know who stole him?” asked Grasping Fire. “You condemn yourself with your own words!”

Amaranth looked back to Lily-on-the-Water, but the older woman shook her head and put her face in her hands.

Sky Knife stepped up to Amaranth. “Take the knife and prove to me I'm wrong,” he said. He held out the blade to her.

Amaranth screamed and pushed him away. She ran toward the door, but Talking Storm barred the way. Amaranth pulled out a prismatic obsidian blade and ran to Black Coyote.

Jaguar's Daughter tried to get in the way, but Amaranth elbowed her aside.

Sky Knife regained his feet and followed Amaranth. Black Coyote darted out of the woman's reach and ran behind Sky Knife.

Amaranth turned, back to the corner, and faced Sky Knife. “You ruined
everything,
” she said.

“It would all have been yours,” said Sky Knife. “If Dark Lightning were successful, he undoubtedly would have given you whatever you wished. Grasping Fire's position as Chief Minister of Construction, perhaps. And if he wasn't successful, you could arrange to be Wife. Either way, you'd be the wealthiest, most powerful woman in the city.”

“Of course I would have been,” said Amaranth. “I tried long ago to get Grasping Fire to take his brother's life and make himself king, but he had some old-fashioned notion of brotherly loyalty. He left me for a time. It took a lot of planning to get him back.”

“And so you pushed Grasping Fire and your husband to have a quarrel,” said Sky Knife. “Either way, again, you would win. Your husband could live to vindicate your honor, or die and his death could be used against Grasping Fire forever. You were the one who told Cacao, then.”

Grasping Fire moaned and dropped to his knees, sobbing.

“Dark Lightning was easier to manage,” said Amaranth. “He didn't know what he wanted. It was simple to suggest things to him. He was very biddable.”

“But Dancing Bear moved too quickly,” said Sky Knife. “She didn't leave enough time for Dark Lightning to have the revolt prepared before Uayeb.”

Amaranth shrugged. “Too bad for Dark Lightning. It just meant I would be Wife. A few years of boredom while the boy grew and then I'd have everything when he chose another to marry.”

“You killed my father,” said Black Coyote in his too-old voice. “You didn't do it yourself, but you ordered it done.”

Amaranth tossed her head. “Of course I did,” she said. “There's no point in denying that now.”

“Then you must die,” said Black Coyote.

“Oh, no,” said Amaranth. “Whoever comes for me dies.” She hefted the thin blade she held.

Sky Knife stepped forward. “Then kill me,” he said.

Amaranth licked her lips and glanced around, but there was nowhere to go. She rushed at Sky Knife.

Sky Knife stepped aside, avoiding her thrust, and stabbed at her. But she was quick.

Sky Knife turned around. Amaranth leaped onto the table where Deer had lain and dropped her blade. She jumped for the hole in the ceiling and caught her fingers over the edge. She began to pull herself up.

“No you don't,” said Lily-on-the-Water. She stepped forward and grabbed Amaranth around the knees and pulled her down.

Amaranth fell to the floor with a grunt. Lily-on-the-Water rolled free of her and stood up.

Sky Knife went to Amaranth. She lay on the floor, panting. Slowly, she sat up. She held one arm awkwardly. It seemed to be broken.

“Then kill me,” she said. “My soul will wander the underworlds forever, and when I see you, I shall eat your soul and you will die forever.”

“No,” said Grasping Fire. “It is you who will die forever.” He picked up the blade Amaranth had dropped and thrust it into her neck.

Amaranth's eyes got wide, but she couldn't scream. Blood poured out of her neck and mouth. Her mouth opened in a soundless scream.

Sky Knife stepped forward and cut Amaranth's neck with his own blade. Amaranth slumped to the floor.

Sky Knife replaced the Hand of God in its bag and looked at the others. Grasping Fire and Jaguar's Daughter held each other. Talking Storm stood in the doorway, frowning. Lily-on-the-Water still had her face covered.

Black Coyote walked to the center of the room slowly and with great dignity. He bowed to Sky Knife. “Thank you, my friend,” he said. “But we have one small problem now.”

“What's that?” asked Sky Knife.

“I can't be king unless I am a man, and I cannot be a man and be unmarried,” said Black Coyote. “Justice has been done and my father's soul avenged and at peace. But it looks like I'm going to need another Wife. Whom would you suggest?”

40

Sky Knife shook his head in relief. “If that's the worst of our problems, Lord, we should all count ourselves blessed.”

“It is a problem nonetheless,” said Talking Storm. “We have no one else who can serve.”

“I think I can suggest someone,” said Sky Knife. He went to the doorway. Talking Storm stood aside.

“Rabbit?” called Sky Knife.

The prostitute stood beside Whiskers-of-Rat. “Yes?” she asked.

“Would you agree to be Wife to the new king?” asked Sky Knife quickly. “I mean, we, uh…”

“Amaranth?” asked one of the dignitaries.

“Dead,” said Talking Storm from behind Sky Knife. “It seems she was the one responsible for Tattooed Serpent's death and for the revolt. Choosing her as Wife was a mistake.”

Sky Knife took Rabbit's hand. “The time is short—after midnight Uayeb will be upon us. We can't delay. Will you be Wife to the king until he grows up?”

Rabbit looked confused a moment. She glanced up at her cousin. Whiskers-of-Rat pushed her forward.

A slow smile slid across Rabbit's face. “Yes,” she said. “I will.” She laughed. “My mother is never going to believe this.”

“Come on, then,” said Sky Knife. He led Rabbit into the temple.

Whiskers-of-Rat cleared his throat. Sky Knife looked back at him.

“You wouldn't leave out the Wife's cousin, would you?” he asked, eyes wide and innocent.

Sky Knife smiled. “Of course not. Come on in. It seems you'll be more closely related to the king than I am from now on.”

Sky Knife led Rabbit and Whiskers-of-Rat into the temple and brought Rabbit to Black Coyote.

“Here is a woman to be your Wife,” said Sky Knife. “She is not well-born, perhaps, but she has been a true friend to me and to your cause these past few days. In fact, without her help, I would never have been able to rescue you from under the pyramid.”

Rabbit looked at Sky Knife. “What did I do?”

“I'll explain later,” said Sky Knife.

“Sky Knife wouldn't lie,” said Whiskers-of-Rat, “though I sure don't remember what it is you did, either.”

Grasping Fire brought the Wife's robe to Rabbit. “Wear this in honor, then,” he said. “Any friend of Sky Knife's is wellborn enough to be Wife.”

“I agree,” said Talking Storm. “I know the young lady well myself. She is as brave and selfless as any warrior of the king.”

“Then what are we waiting for?” asked Jaguar's Daughter. “Lily-on-the-Water—wed my son to this … to, ah, what's her name?”

“Rabbit,” said Sky Knife.

“Rabbit-in-the-Snow,” said Rabbit. “That's what it really is.”

Black Coyote stepped forward and reached up to lay his hands on Rabbit's shoulders. “Rabbit-in-the-Snow, be Wife to me until the day of my manhood. And in years ahead, be friend and counselor, if you will.”

Rabbit bowed. “It is my honor to serve you, Lord.”

Lily-on-the-Water laid a hand on Rabbit's head, and the other on Black Coyote's head. “This vessel is yours until the day of your manhood.”

Black Coyote cocked his head and looked up to Rabbit. “I hope you will find a puppy an acceptable wedding gift.”

Rabbit laughed and nodded. “I think that is acceptable, husband and Lord,” she said.

Black Coyote stepped back. “Now that I am wed, I must have a name,” he said. “It is past time.”

Black Coyote strode out to the mat and sat down on it. “I have been petitioned to reveal the name by which I shall rule,” he shouted to those below. “In honor of my true friend Sky Knife, who has been loyal through every test, even though this is not his city, nor I his king, I shall choose a name as bright as the one he wears. From this moment, I shall be Glowing Knife.”

Sky Knife bowed to the king, honored to be thought of so highly by the king of Teotihuacan, the Jewel of the North.

“And I present to you my Wife, Rabbit-in-the-Snow.”

Rabbit stumbled forward, elbowed into her new place just to the right of Glowing Knife by Talking Storm.

Glowing Knife got up, took Rabbit's hand, and went back into the temple. The crowd roared its approval. The men with the conch shells below lifted them to their lips and blew. The deep-sounding notes of the shells filled the air.

Sky Knife followed the king into the temple. Glowing Knife stumbled and fell against the table. Rabbit supported him on the right side. Sky Knife rushed over to support him on the other.

“What's wrong?” asked Rabbit.

Talking Storm laid a hand on Glowing Knife's shoulder. “Nothing,” he said softly. “The god that has been within the boy has left. When he wakes, he will be merely a boy again.”

Talking Storm's words relieved Sky Knife. He had been afraid that the strange too-adult too-wise demeanor would remain on the king beyond the ceremony. He was glad the boy could go back to being just a boy, at least for now.

“And who will rule for him?” asked Sky Knife. Grasping Fire came over and leaned down to pick up the king.

Talking Storm looked around the room. “I think we shall all try our best to guide him and advise him. But his mother will have the final say. And I think she will be amenable to the counsel of myself, Grasping Fire, and Lily-on-the-Water.”

“Yes,” said Jaguar's Daughter. “I will listen. But I will do what's best for my son.”

“Now is not the time to get into this,” said Rabbit. “This boy needs sleep.”

Grasping Fire laughed. “Already the Wife looks out for her husband's welfare.”

“As it should be,” said Jaguar's Daughter. She came and linked her elbow with Rabbit's. “I shall enjoy getting to know you, my dear.”

Rabbit nodded. “I'm sure we'll all find it very interesting.”

Talking Storm grunted. “Life in the king's palace is never dull, Rabbit. Never. I can guarantee that.”

Sky Knife looked over at Whiskers-of-Rat. The guide's smile stretched all the way across his face. He bowed to Sky Knife.

“See what a story I have to tell?” he asked. “No one will ever believe it, even though it's all true.”

Sky Knife laughed. “I can't wait to hear you tell it,” he said.

Whiskers-of-Rat ran his fingers through his hair, preening. Sky Knife followed Grasping Fire and the others out of the temple, still laughing.

Who'd believe it, indeed?

Sky Knife took one last look back at the table where Deer had died. Had been sacrificed.

Thank you, my friend.
It might have been the wind, but it sounded like Deer's voice.

Sky Knife glanced around, but the temple was empty. He smiled and nodded toward the table. “I'll miss you, my friend. Rule well in heaven.”

Sky Knife descended the steps of the pyramid alone. So it was only he who heard the bright sounds of laughter coming from the temple. He smiled and hurried after the others.

Also by Marella Sands from Tom Doherty Associates

Sky Knife