The Smoking Mirror (13 page)

Carol tried brushing some of the ash from her clothes as they started walking.

“Um,
heart-eating demons
?”

“Whoa. Finally, something that’ll like us for what’s on the inside instead of our incredible good looks.”

He flashed a smile at his sister, and they picked up the pace.  

Chapter Fifteen

Despite Johnny’s good humor, Carol was nervous. Along the horizon she could make out a line of black stretching off into the indistinct distance. As they drew closer, the ash gave way to hard-packed earth, the Black Road carving its somber way straight toward the heart of Mictlan. Gradually, the dark line became a massive wall whose impossible length was broken every dozen or so miles by embedded minarets, massive spires that Carol figured must serve as watch towers or forts.

“Oh, fun.” Johnny’s voice was flat, as if even his playfulness were sapped by the enormity of the construction. “I’m not sure I really want to see what’s on the other side of that wall. I mean, that’s some impressive architecture, but…”

“Yeah, I hear you.”

They continued in awed silence as the wall loomed higher and higher. Soon they saw that the Black Road led right up to a pair of dauntingly huge gates wrought of some slate-colored metal and flanked by obsidian towers. Beside the towers perched a half-dozen winged humanoid creatures with the faces of women, some with hideous beaks, some feathered, others leathery. All of them were snarling.

“Harpies,” Carol muttered.

“Aren’t those from Greek mythology?”

“Well, yeah. But I guess if they’re real they’d probably pop up in all mythologies.”

“Ah, yeah. You’re right. Don’t much like us, huh?”

The twins stopped about a hundred yards away. The harpies howled and spat a rain of nasty-smelling saliva that pattered the sand in front of their feet.

Johnny glanced around, nodding absently. “So, uh, this is an insane question, but…how do we get in?”

As if in answer, the heavy gates began to groan open and a dozen wraiths swirled through the gap to materialize before the twins. Carol’s mouth went dry as she scrutinized them. Gray, nearly mummified flesh stretched across their angular bones, and their eyes glowed like hot coals above ragged nostril holes and predatory teeth. They wore thick, brine-soaked leather armor across chests, forearms, and shins as well as bone helmets filigreed in copper with hideous designs. Each of them bore a club, fashioned of copper, wood or bone, along the lengths of which had been embedded shards of obsidian.

One of the undead warriors had a black stripe running horizontally across his eyes. He stepped closer and spoke in a raspy, guttural voice. “By order of the Ajalob, puissant Lords of Xibalba, dread capital of Mictlan, you are now captives of the city guard. Accompany us immediately, or we will drag your living bodies through the streets by force.”

Johnny raised his hands in a gesture of surrender. “No problem. We were headed this way anyhow, and we could use a zombie escort.”

Carol shot him a look.
Are you an idiot?
she thought at him.
Do you see those weapons?

Calm down, sheesh. I just don’t want them to think we’re afraid of them.

I
am
afraid.

Well, duh, me, too. But they don’t need to know that.

The Captain of the Guard made an impatient gesture, and the twins walked through the gates, herded by the other undead warriors. The vista that unfolded was one of densely packed gray buildings lining twisting side streets, punctuated by black spires and towering mansions. Gritty smog hung like a shroud over the metropolis, deepening the natural gloom of Mictlan. Swooping lazily through the haze or clinging to rooftops were vast murders of crows and wakes of vultures; the closest swiveled their heads hungrily at Carol and Johnny as the twins entered Xibalba.

Cutting a broad swath through the midst of the city, the Black Road became an ample avenue upon which these strange figures made their way to mysterious destinations. More of the gray-skinned undead shambled along the cobblestones, along with cloaked skeletons, headless monsters, assorted were-creatures and tall demigods of dark and deadly beauty. From time to time shadowy forms would flit by, too fast or insubstantial to be clearly perceived, and occasionally a carriage drawn by magic or gruesome beasts would shudder past.

“Whoa. Welcome to Emerald City’s twisted sister, huh?” Johnny quipped, trying to shrug off the overwhelming strangeness. Carol doubted that his whistling in the dark would work this time.
There’s no getting away from this place unscathed. There must be hundreds of thousands of monsters here.

Led by the city guard, the twins made their way down that dark boulevard, their shapeshifting still blocked by the white ash that clung to their skin and clothes. Three rivers crossed their path, spanned by bridges built of human bone. In the first river, huge scorpions floated, fought or flailed their tails angrily against the black water. As Carol glanced at the roiling scene in horror, a dozen humanoid creatures with scales and gills erupted from beneath the surface, impaling a good number of scorpions with bone harpoons before diving back under the current, pulling their prey along with them.

“Oh, look,” muttered Johnny. “Creatures from the Black Lagoon.”

“You are too weird.”

“Weird? Carol, are your eyes even open? My weirdness is like super average behavior compared to this whack place.”

Johnny had less to say as they crossed over the second river, a sluggish stream of red from which rose a faint warmth and with it a sickly stench. Gnats and flies and other vermin buzzed on its crimson surface.
Blood. There is a river of blood under my feet.
Carol bit back the urge to scream. The final bridge spanned an even more disgusting flow: a rank-smelling, brown-colored tributary upon the surface of which floated clots of rancid pus teeming with maggots. Carol retched, acid burning at her throat.

I’m going to be sick,
she thought at her brother.

Just try to hold it down. They want to gross us out. It’d make them real happy to see our weakness.

After the rivers the avenue widened, expanding into strange parks in which dark, moss-festooned trees loomed obliquely over granite benches and sulfur-rich fountains. In the distance, an enormous shadowy shape began to coalesce. After a few minutes, Carol realized it was a huge ziggurat, one that dwarfed Huitzilopochtli’s temple. At its base stood a palatial structure with wickedly sharp arches and pillars in the shape of serpents twined around dying women. When they reached the base of the steps that led up to the building’s shadowy portico, the Captain of the Guard stopped them.

“You are ignorant living children, so I will instruct you as to proper etiquette. This is the
Mitnal
, the Council Chamber of the Ajalob. As you enter the presence of the Thirteen, you will prostrate yourselves in obeisance.”

Johnny cocked his head. “Uh,
what?
”

Carol touched his arm gently. “They want us to lie down on the floor to show our respect.”

“Dude, I know what it
means
. He’s just crazy if he thinks I’m going to kiss their bony asses like that.”

The undead warrior scoffed harshly. “If you do not show the proper deference, knave, you will be obligated to do so. Once satisfied with your groveling, High Lord Kisin will bid you stand. At that point, the audience will begin. You are to remain still throughout. We will escort you out again once judgment has been passed.”

“Wait,
judgment?
” Carol blanched. “Do you mean that this is a trial?”

“Of course it is, wench. You are living humans, trespassing in Mictlan, standing on the very Avenue of the Dead in Xibalba. Your violations of the Dark Lord’s decrees carry a weighty price.”

Our hearts
, Johnny’s voice echoed in her mind.
They’re going to rip out our hearts.

The Little People said we’d be okay. We swallowed the jade.

I’m not feeling real confident about the jade right now, Dude.

Prompted by the deadly clubs, the twins ascended the steps, crossed the portico and stepped through two copper-plated doors into a large chamber dominated by an elevated dais. It was furnished with a curved granite fixture that reminded Carol of the bench the Supreme Court sat at. Ringing the base of the dais stood six armored were-creatures with differing features. They were mainly hominoid but with the animal characteristics of a crocodile, stag, wolf, ape, jaguar and vulture. Each clasped a huge obsidian-tipped spear. Before them, in an oval depression that separated the platform from the rest of the chamber, a red-robed and hooded figure lifted a bony claw and announced in a gravelly voice:

“Abase yourselves before the Lords of the Black Quarter: Ah Pukuh, Hunhau and Akan.”

The guards pushed on Carol’s shoulders till she knelt. From the shadows behind the dais emerged three tall, gaunt figures garbed in black feathers and adorned with obsidian jewelry. Their faces were skulls that protruded through rotting, peeling flesh. Their eyes glowed a deep, unnatural blue. The trio took their places, folding themselves into high-backed thrones toward the middle of the bench.

“Tremble before the Lords of the Red Quarter: Yoaltecuhtli, Yoalcíhuatl and Tzontémoc.”

Another three beings stepped from the shadows. They wore no robes or capes; instead, exposed muscle and meat glistened red and slick, as if the skin had been flayed away. Wreaths of fire encircled their bloody heads, and their eyes were like burning coals. They took up positions near the Lords of the Black Quarter, leaving a single throne between the two groups.

Okay. I am officially freaking out
, she thought at Johnny, her heart beating madly.

Just pretend it’s a real gory horror flick.

I hate horror.

Oh, that’s right. Crap.

“Look on the Lords of the White Quarter and know despair: Techlotl, Cuezalli, and Itzcoliuhqui.”

Pale, corpse-like demons wrapped in shrouds floated across the dais. Dazzling white tongues of fire danced above their heads. Their eye sockets were empty, but the blackness within bored into Carol as they arranged themselves at the far left edge of the bench.

They can see into me
, she realized.
They know my weaknesses
.

“Lastly, the Lords of the Green Quarter, sickly sweet and source of rot: Chalmécatl, Chalmecacíhuatl, and Nexoxocho.”

The trio that appeared next were rotting corpses whose moldy flesh was covered by moss, toadstools, and strange lichens. Bright, poisonous flowers encircled their foreheads and their bodies teemed with beetles, worms and flies. Snakes wriggled out of their mouths and into their eye sockets as they took up spots at the far right end of the dais.

Okay, now even
I
am grossed out.
Johnny winked at her.

“Now, prostrate yourselves, humans, before the Chief of this Council, Speaker of the Ajalob, High Lord Kisin.”

A very tall and very thin man strode slowly from the darkness. His dark skin clung tightly to his skull, and his lank black hair spilled down his back. He was dressed in what appeared to be elegant Spanish clothing from the 16th century: a white silk shirt, black velvet doublet and breeches, and blood-red leather boots and jerkin that Carol suddenly suspected were made of human skin. As Kisin lowered his dark brown eyes upon the twins, Carol slumped face-first onto the floor, her arms outstretched. Beside her, Johnny did the same. 

That jerk used magic to make me go all prostrate! Son of a…

Stop, Johnny. Let him have his fun. Remember what we’re here for. We need to get past them and get Mom.

“Twins. Once more.” Kisin’s voice was smooth and rich, but also cold and haughty.
The voice of a sociopath
. “How I tire of twins. Nonetheless. As living beings you have trespassed in both Mictlan and its capital city, Xibalba. You have thereby violated the natural order established by the Dark One and your own feathered worm. You have further ignored edicts handed down by the Lord and Lady of Death by traveling the Black Road and using force against its guardians. Have you aught to say in your defense, urchins?”

Johnny pushed himself up, regarding High Lord Kisin with anger and disgust. “If being alive in Mictlan is a violation of the natural order, then Tezcat did it first. He brought our mom to this stupid place. And I’m pretty sure he wanted us to come looking for her. So, yeah, this is jacked up. Stop pretending like you freaks have justice down here, and let’s move on to the sentencing, ‘kay?”

Though Carol was frightened out of her wits, she felt a surge of pride in her brother. She wanted to applaud or hug him. Kisin’s power, of course, held her firmly in place.

The High Lord grimaced and gestured dismissively. Johnny’s face slammed against the cold stone floor with a crunching thud. “Very well. Juan Ángel and Carolina Garza, the Ajalob declare you guilty to your hypocritical cores. You are sentenced to die upon the Great Temple of Tezcatlipoca at the end of two more watches: sixteen of your living hours. Once your young hearts have been ripped from your chests, we will feast on them. Then your shades will wend their fleshless way to annihilation at the center of Mictlan.”

Two guards seized them by the shoulders and yanked them to their feet.

“In the interim, you are remanded to the
cuauhcalli
to await the ceremony that will end your meaningless lives.” Kisin turned his back on them and faded into the darkness. The other lords stood as one and floated backward into the shadows as well.