Jake straightened in his seat. “No, I’ll be fine. Really. If you missed the Olympiad, I’d be crushed. I would feel so guilty.”
But her father’s eyebrows had knit with concern. Before he could answer, the narrow servant door opened. A small shape stepped into the room. It was Bach’uuk, balancing a large bowl in his arms.
“Ah, the porridge…” Balam said. “Just place it on the table, Bach’uuk. Thank you.”
Marika’s father kept his worried attention on Jake.
As Bach’uuk set the bowl on the table, Marika suddenly brightened. “What if Bach’uuk stayed with you, Jake? He wasn’t going to the game anyway. That way you won’t have to be crushed.”
Before Jake could respond, Marika said, “Bach’uuk, Jake is feeling a little weak. Would you mind watching over him until we return from the Olympiad?”
“I can do that,” Bach’uuk answered. He stared with a focused intensity toward Jake.
Jake stood up. He certainly did not need someone guarding him, especially not the heavy-browed boy. Jake remembered his earlier suspicions about who might have left the stingtail in his room. Bach’uuk could have easily snuck into his room.
Marika’s father spoke. “And if there is any problem, Bach’uuk could run down to Magister Zahur’s cellars. The Magister will be staying in the tower to care for Huntress Livia.”
Jake’s stomach went cold. He felt his plan unraveling before him. Not only would he be watched over by the strange boy, but the only other person in the tower would be the one who had let the stingtail escape. What if there was another attempt on his life?
He quickly recalculated. Maybe he’d have a better chance if he went with them to the stadium. With all the people and chaos, he could lose the others and still sneak off alone to the temple of Kukulkan. Maybe he could salvage his plans after all.
Jake stretched his right leg and took a few steps around the room. “Maybe none of that’s necessary. Now that I’m up and moving around, my leg’s feeling much better.” He circled the table to prove it. “Maybe lying around is not such a good idea. I might be better if I were moving. Exercising it. And…and I’d hate to miss the game.”
“Are you sure?” Marika’s father asked doubtfully.
“It truly feels much better. It was just cramped up.”
Balam brightened. “We’ll leave early then. Go slow. But if you tire out or the cramping sets in again…”
Jake nodded vigorously. “I’ll let you know. I promise.”
“Then let’s finish our porridge, grab our flags, and be off to the game!”
Marika happily complied and dished out heaping bowls of warm porridge swimming with chunks of dried fruit and swirls of cinnamon and honey.
Forgotten by the others, but plainly understanding his presence was no longer necessary, Bach’uuk retreated by the servant door.
Out of the corner of his eye, Jake watched him. He read the boy’s expression. Disappointment…and a trace of anger.
Jake was glad when he left.
“Eat up!” Balam said cheerily. “We have an exciting day ahead of us!”
Beyond the gates of the castle wall, crowds filled the streets. Banners waved, people sang, and still others danced in small parades.
Marika pulled him aside as a gaggle of children ran past, pounding cymbals and tooting horns, chased by a Chinese dragon made out of silk carried by laughing adults. Jake recognized the young ones; he’d seen them practicing in front of their pagoda two days ago.
The farther they moved out, the more people pressed around them. Jake’s need to reach the pyramid weighed on him. He had to find the right moment to escape. But the crowd was so tightly packed.
And one other thing.
Marika had taken his hand in hers as soon as they passed through the castle gates. Plainly she feared losing him or that he might suddenly weaken again. She glanced over at him frequently. Her cheeks had a flushed excitement to them, while sunlight danced in her eyes. In her other hand she waved a crimson flag with a Mayan glyph on it.
Marika caught him staring. “It’s the flag for the Mayan team. We lost during one of the early rounds, but we have to show our pride.”
Magister Oswin puffed and wheezed behind them, forcing them to go slowly. “I should have stayed with Zahur,” the English monk complained to Balam. “If the huntress expires, I would like to attempt to collect one of the slivers of bloodstone.”
“We removed all we could see that first night,” Balam said softly. Jake had to slow down and slip closer to eavesdrop. “But she continued to fail. Whatever pieces remain are too small to pick out, and you’d only risk poisoning yourself if you should touch a sliver with your finger by mistake.”
Balam patted a heavy pouch that hung from his belt. “I have Zahur’s farspeaking crystal. If there are any problems, he will let us know. Until then, let’s not cast shadows on this bright day.”
“Fair enough.” Oswin pressed a wide hand on his ample belly. “And I’ve already skipped my porridge to leave room for the dinner at the palace of Tiberius. The Romans do know how to put on the grandest of feasts!”
“They have to win first,” Balam said with little hope in his voice. “The Sumerians defeated our team without losing a single point. They are fierce and determined to win the Eternal Torch for their tribe.”
By now, their group had reached the exit to the town, and the river of people bunched up even tighter. Still holding Marika’s hand, Jake was pulled by the riptide of the crowd flowing through the northern city gates.
From this vantage point, the enormous stadium definitely looked like a Roman coliseum. Plastered in white and painted in hues of gold, it shone blindingly bright in the midday sun.
Massive archways surrounded the stadium and housed enormous stone giants. As he followed the crowd, Jake stared up at the statue of Zeus, who leaned on a lightning bolt. His shoulders seemed to be carrying the weight of the entire upper section of the stadium. Jake spotted another statue—Odin, the chief of the Norse gods. He guessed each of the Lost Tribes must have some symbol cast in stone here.
As they continued toward the stadium, someone called out to them.
“Hey! There you all are!”
Pindor waved and headed over. As he joined them, Marika finally slipped her hand out of Jake’s. He rubbed his hand on his jacket, relieved at being free, but also a little disappointed. Marika’s look said maybe she hadn’t just been holding his hand to keep from losing him in the crowd.