Page 74 of Defying the Relic Hunter

“What! Why?”

“Asmoday stole the crystalline death mask of Djembe, the first Katanic Supreme Leader and Qa’a wants it back,” Ethan said.

“Let me guess. They think it’s with Montezuma’s treasure?”

“They do.”

“And Qa’a expects us to find it.”

A grim smile curled Ethan’s mouth. “He does.”

“Yippee-ki-yay.” I shuddered as a tremendous power roiled around the cavern.

“Qa’a has arrived,”Adan stated.

No shit.

A gigantic vortex formed over the water. Slashes of incandescent silver flashed within the swirling maelstrom.

Snap!The maelstrom vanished. An aged, pale-faced male with glowing yellow eyes hovered in mid-air. His wispy black, hooded cloak added to his sinister air.

Huh? I had been expecting a big, slimy ball with zillions of tentacles.

Eeyore. Eeyore. Eeyore.

I whispered to Ethan. “What’s that?”

“Qa’a is laughing,” Ethan whispered back.

“At me?”

“Yep.” Ethan stood and pulled me up with him.

“My liege.”Adan did a weird bob.

Ethan gave the supreme leader a slight bow.“You honor us with your presence.”

Qa’a studied me for a long moment.“Once again a human female surprises me. I have hunted Asmoday for a millennium. He is a cunning outlaw with shields even I was unable to breach. How did you manage to do what I could not?”

“I opened a portal and since he’s sorta dead, it disrupted his powers.”

Qa’a floated closer.“What type of portal?”

“A gateway that allows trapped spirits to cross over into heaven or hell,”I answered.“And I had hoped to send him to the underworld.”

“You commune with the dead?”

“I can and to find the next clue to where Montezuma’s treasure is hidden, I need that jade snake.”I pointed to it. Poof! The jade snake appeared in front of me.“Ah, thanks, but I need to make sure it’s not cursed with more undead guardians. To do that safely, I require my grandmother’s help.”

“Summon her,”Qa’a said.

“Thank you, sir.”I was surprised she hadn’t shown up on her own. I mentally linked with her.“Where are you Granny? I need your help.”

“Are the aliens still there?”

“They are.”

“Their auras are unnatural.”

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