I kept a wary eye on the ceiling and did my best to navigate away from falling rocks. As I did so, memories of the rapids flashed through my mind.
I hadn't seen Votan in either raft. So, I couldn't be sure what had happened to him. But deep down, I knew he was alive.
An intense anger welled within me as I thought about the people he'd killed in the Maya Mountains. "We're not done," I vowed quietly. "We're not done by a long shot."
Chapter 123
Water pounded against rock. I tightened my jaw as I recognized the sound of yet another waterfall. It sounded bigger than the other ones put together.
The ground quivered again. Larger chunks of stone fell from the ceiling. Entire slabs of rock broke away from the walls and crumbled into the river. Above the din, I heard a soft scratching noise. It was accompanied by heavy breathing.
The breathing grew louder. It echoed in the massive chamber, bouncing off the walls. I turned my head, trying to get a fix on it. But the waterfall, coupled with the collapsing rocks, drowned it out.
I switched on my flashlight. Aimed it upward. The ceiling shuddered under my beam. I glanced at the walls. More slabs crumbled into the river. But there were no signs of life.
A tributary flowed into the river from my right, adding a massive amount of water. The river sped up considerably.
I raced further downstream and passed another tributary. More water poured into the main river. The canoe took off like a rocket.
About a hundred feet away, I saw the river pour into a giant underground lake. A rocky shore, soaked with water, rested a foot above the lake on the left side. Several passages led away from the shore, heading off to parts unknown.
The river continued past the lake and into darkness. I couldn't see where it went, but the sound of crashing water spoke volumes.
Paddling hard, I broke away from the river and into the lighter waters of the lake. Small sheets of rock dropped from the ceiling. They disintegrated in mid-air. Dust shot in all directions until it became difficult to see.
Rocks slammed into wood. Shifting my beam, I saw several ancient canoes lying on the shore. Broken bits of rock surrounded them. The canoes were in extremely poor shape. As I studied them I finally understood their purpose.
They were escape vehicles.
Hunahpu and Xbalanque had sealed off the crater. But they'd never intended to seal themselves off inside it. So, they'd built the canoes in order to transport themselves and their workers to the end of the waterway.
However, Hunahpu and Xbalanque had died before it was time to leave. So, their workers had taken their bodies, climbed into the canoes, and sank the ones they hadn't needed. Then they'd navigated the cave river, abandoned the canoes, and gone outside, sealing the path behind them. They'd proceeded to venture deep into the jungle before finally building the sarcophagus and burial chamber.
I paddled the canoe to shore and climbed out of the hull. The ground quaked as I set foot on it. Rocks fractured from the ceiling. They crashed into my canoe, nearly missing my head in the process.
I looked at the various tunnels, trying to decide which one led outside. I couldn't wait to taste the fresh air, to feel the breeze wafting against my skin. But first, I had to find the others.
I heard footsteps and spun around. My beam illuminated a shadowy figure limping out of a passage. "Dutch." I waved my hand. "Over here."
His head twisted toward me. Blood ran down his cheeks. His face looked heavily bruised and he appeared exhausted.
"Are you okay?" I frowned. "Where's everyone else?"
Abruptly, Graham lifted his chin. "Get out—"
Something slammed into his head. He shouted in pain and fell to his good knee.
My eyes flicked to the person behind him. My heart raced.
"Hello Cy," Votan called out. "Welcome back from the dead."
Chapter 124
I never saw it coming.
The giant mass leapt from above. It soared through the air like a missile and smashed into me. Bowled me over. Dust kicked into my eyes. Wretched pain rendered the rest of my senses nearly useless. I blinked a few times and looked up. The nagual was perched on top of me. Its bright green eyes studied my face. Its sharp claws dug deep into my stomach.
I saw Beverly start toward me. But a menacing look from Votan, coupled with a pistol swung in her direction, forced her to hold up.
The nagual lowered its head. Giant curved teeth grazed my skull. I thrashed to the side but it held me down with ease. I tried to lift my right arm but a heavy paw stopped me short. I lashed out with my left one. But the creature easily shook off the blow.
It reared up. Coiled its muscles.
I unsheathed my machete. Slashed it through the air. It sliced into the beast's thick hide. The animal froze as I pushed with all my might, twisting the blade into its flesh.
The nagual snarled and leapt backward. The blade stuck in its hide for a moment. I tried to hold on to it, but the abrupt movement caused the machete to clatter to the ledge.
As I gained my footing, the ground shivered. Small stalactites, which until now had resisted the tremors, started to break loose. They fell to the ground and shattered into millions of pieces.
The nagual's first blow had been slightly off-target. A few inches to the right and it would've crushed me under its meaty paws. I doubted it would make the same mistake again.
I grabbed my gun. My finger squeezed the trigger as I searched the shadows for the animal.
But it was gone.
Show yourself, damn it.
"Behind you," Beverly shouted.
I twisted around.
The nagual sprinted toward me. It moved so fast I could've sworn its body was shape-shifting.
Beverly shouted and ran forward. Votan aimed his pistol at her. But she didn't back down. She swung a few fists at him, driving him toward the fallen Graham.
Emboldened, Dr. Wu limped out of the darkness. He headed toward me.
I took careful aim at the creature. Then I squeezed the trigger.
The nagual jolted. Seconds later, it smashed into my side. I spun around and lost my grip on the gun.
Votan pushed Beverly, knocking her to the ground. Before she could recover, he bent down and shoved Graham. The water splashed as the old explorer fell into the lake. Quickly, Graham drifted away from shore and toward the fierce current.
The nagual was a blur of motion. But I caught glimpses of its horrible face, its head. I saw dark matted fur. Powerful limbs. A long sleek body. And teeth. Those horrible, bloodstained teeth.
I kicked out hard. My boot slammed into one of the beast's legs. It lost its balance and spilled to the side. I caught a quick glimpse of a crisscross pattern on its rear right heel pad.
A mid-sized stalactite splintered. It collapsed to the ground in a heap. Votan lost his balance and fell over. Beverly shot me a quick glance. Then she dove into the water. Using powerful strokes, she swam after Graham.
I scrambled away. But the nagual was up in a flash. It charged me. I rolled, barely avoiding its sharp claws.
I grabbed my pistol and took another shot. A bloody hole appeared in the beast's thick hide. But it refused to back down. Instead, it circled around me like some kind of demon, oblivious to its gaping wounds.
Votan backed into the passage from which he'd arrived. Then he pointed his gun in my general direction. His finger squeezed the trigger.
Dr. Wu froze. A look of disbelief came over his face as he toppled forward. He rolled onto his back, gasping for air. Horrific amounts of blood poured out of his side. Squirming, he tried desperately to breathe.