Mayan Blood by Theresa Dalayne Page A

is what keeps the stone loyal to the guardian. It was placed on the stone by the heaven deities, when the stone was first bestowed on our people. Without it, the stone will follow the orders of whoever possesses it.”
    Zanya’s throat tightened. “And if Sarian has it…”
    “So, now that we know where the stone is,” Hawa said, “we can get it back, right?”
    “The stone is with Sarian, but we have not been able to locate him for almost two decades. He vanished just months after Zanya was born.” Renato paused. “After he located Ellie and took the stone.”
    “What do you mean, he found her?” Zanya sat up straight. The blanket dropped from her lap to the marble floor. “Did he…” The color drained from Zanya’s face. “Oh my God.” She cupped her hand over her mouth.
    “As I told you, Sarian has killed many. He has no boundaries, no—”
    “But my mother?” Her voice cracked.
    The room fell silent.
    Arwan’s chest grew heavy. When he visited his mother’s grave, it was as if the hole in his heart had been torn open again. Zanya was likely experiencing the same thing.
    “Sarian will do whatever he must on his quest for power,” Renato said. “He shares bloodlines with both the underworld and the middleworld, and if he is able, he will take this realm as his own kingdom.”
    “We’ll find him before that happens,” Arwan said, in an effort to soothe Zanya's obvious heartache.
    She looked at him. “And if we don’t?”
    He offered the only truthful answer he could. “We have to.”
    “I think we should get back to this later,” Tara said, resting her hand on Zanya’s arm. “This is some next level shit, and I think Zanya needs some time to process it all.”
    Zanya nodded. “That’d be good, if you all don’t mind.” She curled up and drew the blanket under her chin.
    “Very well.” Renato gestured to the group. “Everyone should get some rest.”
    Most of the group stood and walked back inside. Tara looked up at Renato. “I’m going to sleep in Zanya’s room tonight, just in case she needs anything.”
    Renato nodded. “Very well.”
    The guardian and her friend followed Renato inside, leaving Arwan alone on the veranda. He pulled back his hair and turned to the beach, scanning the jungle.
    The fight had begun.
    Sarian had made himself known. They would soon begin the hunt for his location, if only the guardian could locate the stone.
    His gaze drifted over the treetops to blue and green lights wavering in the distance. He narrowed his eyes. It wasn’t the right time of year for the borealis lights—unless someone else had summoned the lights. Someone with the necessary power.
    Drina.
    He returned to his wing and gathered his things, then took the Jeep on the long drive to th e priestess’ s village. The old priestess was up to something.
    Once he reached the outskirts of the jungle, he parked and shoved the keys in his pocket before hiking into the trees.
    Though the moon and stars provided soft light, the darkness was never an issue for him. His vision was enhanced, his senses heightened. It was one of the only perks to being what he was.
    The sounds of the jungle were deafening. Insects were the loudest at night, only second to the sound of rustling branches in the treetops. When he reached the top of the hill, Drina’s modest hut appeared in the distance.
    He walked toward the campfire, burning brightly with newly placed logs to keep it alive. “ Tia Drina?” He checked the sky. The borealis lights were nowhere to be seen. “Drina?” He smelled her musky scent. She’d always reeked of herbs and nectars from flowers, which she used to mix her various elixirs for the village people. The ones who still believed.
    “T’ere you are, boy.” Drina wobbled from her house. “Where have you been?”
    “I saw the lights and—”
    “Is about time.” She struggled to balance a stone bowl in her hands.
    The pungent stink hit him in the face, making him crinkle his nose.