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“Her name is Angélica,” Suki said. “She’s Calakmul’s girlfriend.”
“Not anymore, clearly,” he answered. “She’s lost a lot of blood.”
Suki lowered her head and placed her hand on Angélica’s shoulder. Her life was just a dim little spark. Suki could sense two heartbeats, timid little throbs that clung to life. Focusing, she drew on the power of the ring and bracelet.
“Kunaj,” Suki uttered, invoking the magic. She’d healed Jordan and Monica a few hours ago. With her mom and Jane Louise’s help. These wounds were even worse. Immediately, the power began to swell. It spread from Suki’s hand across Angélica’s body, mending broken bones, fixing punctures. It didn’t pull the blood back into her body, but it created fresh blood cells. Gashes and rips were repaired. It all happened within moments, just as it had for Jordan and Monica.
Angélica gasped and lifted her head. She wore jewelry from Jacob’s collection, bright necklaces, earrings, and bracelets, along with a traditional Maya outfit similar to the ones she’d worn during the death games.
“Suki?” Her voice quavered.
“Where’s my dad?” Suki asked.
“How did you . . . ? What are you doing here?” She looked past Suki at the soldiers and shrank from them in fear. “How did you get past the barrier?”
“The same way I got out with my mom and Jane Louise. Did Jacob . . . do that to you?”
Angélica shuddered and nodded. “I tried to help your father escape.”
Gratitude swelled inside Suki’s heart. “Thank you. Where is he?”
Angélica shook her head. “It didn’t work. Jacob saw what I did. He brought me down here to kill me. He’ll kill me again if he finds me.”
“Help me get my dad, and I’ll help you get out of here,” Suki promised. She looked around at the cenote, at the strange-colored water. It was pretty poggers. “What is this place?”
“It’s a sacred cenote,” Angélica said. “A place where they stored the treasures of jade. How did you know I was here?”
“Ix Chel led me here.” Suki bit her lip, wondering if she should tell Angélica she was pregnant. Considering the father of the child had just tried to murder her, it probably wasn’t a good idea to spring the news on her just yet. “Can you stand up?”
Angélica rubbed her arms and rose without wincing. “I’m healed.”
Suki nodded and smiled. “So you’ll help us?”
Angélica nodded firmly. “I can. I will. But if we don’t destroy the smoking mirrors, they’ll be able to escape.”
“You mean the mirrors made of obsidian? Like the ones in the White House?”
“Yes, and there are others. The Order of the Jaguar Priests uses them to maintain their influence throughout the world.”
“My priority is getting my dad and the other kidnapped leaders out of here alive,” Suki said.
“I know. But there’s a tunnel connecting this palace to the pyramid where they’re going to sacrifice the leaders. They’ve already been taken there by now. We can use the same tunnel and get there faster. The chamber with the smoking mirrors is on the way.”
Suki turned to Jordan.
“Secret tunnel?” he asked.
“Through the mountain?” she replied. It was a reference to the Avatar TV show. She had a feeling he knew it too.
“I like this place,” Jordan said, nodding. “Let’s block the mirrors, then. That makes a ton of sense.”
“I think we need to take the secret tunnel,” Suki agreed. “Especially if it’s a shortcut.”
“The servants are forbidden to use it,” Angélica said. “Let’s hurry before it’s too late.”
Suki glanced at the cool-looking cenote once more and saw the large chunks of jade in the shallow water. There was a stone ramp leading to a circular platform in the middle of the cenote. His own sacred indoor swimming pool. Suki shook her head, and they hurried back to the steps. Two of the army soldiers went ahead, weapons raised, to clear the path. Suki’s heart was pounding from the effort by the time they made it back up to Jacob’s room.
Angélica had a haunted look on her face as she surveyed the room. “That way,” she said, pointing to one of the passages leading out.