Page 94 of Defying the Relic Hunter

Uncle Saul turned to me. “Ready to start your search for Aztlan?”

“You betcha.” Parking myself on a crate, I spread the Pope’s map across my lap and opened my psychic eye. A devouring cold touched me, and nightmare images of people being slaughtered whirled through my brain.“You feel that too Granny?”

“I do. So many lost souls.”

A shiver shook me. All their pain and anguish tore at my heart. “Soon. You’ll be free,”I promised the spirits.“Soon.”

Something stroked my leg. I opened my eyes and instead of Ethan, Raj was hovering over me. His two yellow orbs studied me.“We will free the lost ones.”

As his mind touched mine, I knew Raj was an honorable warrior and would never harm me. I smiled at him.“You betcha we will.”

Adan, in his teenage wizard form, demanded, “Did you find it?”

“Back off,”Quinn growled.“It’s not easy doing what she does. Is the entrance close?”

Staring at him in surprise, I pointed to the east.“The Bjarke were looking in the wrong place. The entrance is about three miles thataway. It’s next to a sacrificial altar called Painted Rock.”

Ethan rubbed my back.“Can you give us a latitude or longitude?”

“No, but I can take you there.”

“That’ll do,”Uncle Saul said.

“Teleporting is out?”Quinn wanted to know.

I nodded. “Too many ghosts to risk it.”

Xenia handed me a weapons belt. “It is a lovely day for a walk.”

“Yep, it’s only going to be 112 degrees in the shade. And the really good news is; once we reach Painted Rock, I have some souls to free.”

Uncle Saul quickly hung a cross around his neck.

Xenia’s eyes widen in alarm. “Spirits like the Aztec warriors or Asmoday?”

“Nothing quite so dangerous. I can easily cross these over.” I put the belt on. Crap. It only held six grenades.

“Good. That’s good.” Xenia gestured. “Lead the way.”

Shimmering mirages danced across the rocks as we hiked up the cactus spiked hills. What little breeze there was felt like it came straight from hell, but my wonderful armor kept me cool.

I was surprised at how effortlessly Raj traversed the rocks. His orbs constantly scanned the area.

Adan transformed into an Eagle and circled overhead, searching for any sign of Ceti.

Painted Rock turned out to be a large horseshoe shaped sandstone ridge covered with petroglyphs. One upraised section was stained with ancient blood. The screams of the men and women the Aztecs had sacrificed on this altar echoed through my mind. A shudder shook me.

Ethan wrapped a comforting arm around me. “You ok?”

“I will be after I free all these souls.”

“Do your thing.” He stepped back.

“Ready Granny?”

“I am.”

“Miraculin sepulcrum ibidem solus novum. Domum rotundam vivtorie construxit,”Granny and I chanted.

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