Lords of Night

Not part of Riordanverse This book or series is published under Rick Riordan Presents and its contents are not considered canon to the Riordanverse.

Spoiler Alert! Warning! This page contains spoilers for Lords of Night.

Lords of Night
Attribution
Author	Jennifer Cervantes
Publication Information
Publisher	Rick Riordan Presents
Release date	October 4, 2022
Pages	320
Chronology
Preceded by	The Shadow Crosser (Storm Runner Trilogy)
Followed by	Dawn of the Jaguar

Lords of Night is the first book in the Shadow Bruja Duology. The book focuses on Ren Santiago as she discovered a plan by rogue godborns to turn themselves into gods. She is joined by her friends in stopping them as well as finding a lost key to the Aztec land of Aztlán. It was released on October 4, 2022.

Synopsis

Fourteen-year-old Renata Santiago is the most powerful godborn of them all, a bruja with the ability to manipulate shadows and a magical rope that controls time.

Ren is also a girl with ordinary hopes and dreams. She’s always been convinced that there’s a connection between aliens and the Maya civilization, and she wishes her blog about extraterrestrial activity would garner more respect.

When Ren receives an email about a possible alien sighting in Kansas, she thinks it could be her chance to prove her theory. It could also mean that the cinco—five renegade godborns—are up to no good. Soon Ren finds herself embroiled in a quest to prevent the troublemakers from awakening the nine Aztec Lords of Night and overthrowing the Maya gods. None of Ren’s usual friends are available to help, including her bestie Ah Puch, the god of death, so Ren has no choice but to team up with two strangers: Edison, a teen demon hybrid, and Montero, an eleven-year-old Aztec hunter. Will this oddball trio have what it takes to succeed? This isn’t just another challenge. It could well be an impossible one that leaves Ren questioning her very existence.

Anyone who enjoys fast-paced myth-based adventures will be swept up in this one featuring Maya and Aztec gods and their magical offspring.

Plot

Seven Months Ago

Ren Santiago

In Galveston, Texas, thirteen-year-old Ren Santiago is reading a book about Mayan gods and she reads the last line of the book out loud. After a delayed reaction, she hears viola music coming from the kitchen, a song her father wrote and played for her on his own viola that he was buried with when she was seven. Her grandfather emerged and told her they needed to leave. He gets her in the car, and she guides him with the music. As they drive something with dark glossy wings attacks them. Ren and her grandfather arrive at the docks where they find a dinghy and Ren manages to trap their unknown pursuer in a net of shadows. After a rushed farewell, Ren's grandfather sends her on her way. As she sails off, Ren sees an image in her mind of a pink and purple sky and a crown on a pillow.

Seven months later, Xiuhtecuhtli, the Fire Lord and first Lord of Night, had awakened.

Unexplained Sighting in Kansas

A few months after stopping the hero twins, Ren is in her bedroom in Galveston looking over hateful comments on her blog, Eyes in the Sky, when Marco calls after football practice asking if she can help him with a paper. As they talk, Ren sees a comment from someone, Sir Switchblade, in Kansas about seeing a creature with five children, one of whom transformed into a snake. Ren believes them to be the Cinco, a renegade group of five godborns who desire to overthrow the gods as Marco questions why they would be there as Ren thinks their might be a portal present. Marco does not think so and tells Ren everyone is busy with something when Sir Switchblade send a picture. Ren convinces Marco, who is reluctant to miss a game the following night, to join her in Kansas after agreeing to write his essays for two years. She even agrees to go to his location, Waco, to pick him up after his Gateway Map is supposedly broken. Marco's mother calls him to dinner and he says he can meet Ren in half an hour.

As Ren gets her phone, she notices there messages from Zane with him and Brooks telling her about a box they found with a painting of eyes like the one on her blog and something that was not Mayan. She tries to call them back but it goes to voicemail. Ren goes to Waco and meets Marco outside the Dr Pepper Museum. They call Sir Switchblade, who is revealed to be around their age, and tells them no one believe him. Ren convinces him to give them his address and they find a gateway by the suspension bridge. Marco guides her as she explains what Zane and Brooks told her, but he brushes it off as they reach the bridge. The gateway appears ten feet in the air and Ren gives them a boost, much to Marco's unease. Marco goes in first and, before Ren enters, she thinks she sees a blond girl watching her.

The emerge in a barn as Marco is entranced by pictures of Len Dawson, a quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs, when Sir Switchblade enters with a paintball gun. Ren and Marco convince him to lower his weapon as they lie that they took a ride share to his property. Sir Switchblade, who says he is Dawson's great-nephew, takes them to a cornfield where a seven point star with multiple circles around it was carved into a ground by lightning. Sir Switchblade said he saw the kids and creatures before the lightning strike as he walks away. As Ren and Marco debate over whether the Cinco knew lighting was going to strike or if they caused it, Ren touches the scorched earth and gets a jolt of heat before a shadow emerges from it and goes after her. Marco goes to fight it off as it enters Ren's mouth. Ren is transported to a tunnel where her shadow magic does not work and a disembodied voice is calling her it’s queen and telling her to sleep. She is temped until she sees Marco holding his hand out. Ren runs as the voice continues to tempt her and her shadows emerge soon after. Ren returns to the cornfield where stocky gray skinned creatures appear from the circle. The teenagers run and Ren locates the nearest gateway. As they approach, the voice tells Ren that it is a new moon and another lord will awaken.

Learning of the Lords

The two appear in an empty gym as Marco explains how he saw Ren shrink as the smoke entered her mouth and he feared he would lose her. Ren tells Marco what she experienced and Marco decides to go home but Ren convinces him to stay and he agrees to stay until kickoff. After suggesting they find somewhere to eat, Ren's grandfather calls and she tells him she is on a quest. He understands and wishes her luck as Marco realizes they are in Las Vegas. They go to an all night diner where Ren finally gets Zane’s pictures and she and Marco are surprised that it has the same symbol as the cornfield. After Ren convinces him, Marco theorizes the Cinco knew the symbol would appear and that she is somehow linked to it. Just then, Ren calls Ah-Puch, who tells her he is at the Hotel del Coranado in San Diego, and explains her experience to him. Before he can answer, Marco takes Ren's phone and tells her to not be so trusting. Soon, everyone freezes as the girl Ren saw in Waco appears and comes towards her.

Somewhere else, Tezcatlipoca awakens.

Ah-Puch

Ren walks over to the girl through the frozen time crowd as the girl fades away the closer she gets. Before vanishing, the girl mentions lords waking and Hollywood before asking for help. Soon time starts up again as Marco looks around for Ren in confusion. Soon Ah-Puch arrives and orders Ren and Marco to come with him, with Marco doing so reluctantly. Ah-Puch ushers them into a car driven by a demon as they drive into the desert to reach a gateway leading to SHIHOM that will not track their moment. As they drive Ren mentions lords and Ah-Puch speaks in an unknown language. Ren demands answers and Marco demands they take him home. As they reach their destination, Ren hears a voice as the car stops and Ah-Puch pulls them out. Three large panthers made of shadows appear as Ren struggles to use her shadow magic. The three manage to fight them off, with Ah-Puch burning his hands on the time rope to aid Ren. As Marco and the demon take out the last panther, Ren hears the voice saying it now knows their strengths and weaknesses.

Ren finds herself alone in an airplane hanger at sunset and Ah-Puch comes out of a plane and explains that he made a dimension as they entered the gate so that the two could talk privately. Ren remembers Zane telling her something similar his father did and she asked if he got his powers back, Ah-Puch says he did not but the gateway gave him a temporary boost. Ren explains the girl she saw and Ah-Puch suggests she was astral projecting. Ren then talks about the Cinco and Ah-Puch expresses his desire for their death. Ren chastises him for this but he refuses to listen. When Ah-Puch mentions the Lords of Night, Ren demands he tell her about them. As they walk, Ah-Puch talks about the Lords of Night, nine Mexica gods who each ruled over a certain day and vanished due to lack of sacrifices after the Spanish conquered the Aztec. Ah-Puch theorizes that each of the lords will awaken on their respective night as Ren tries to piece why the Cinco want to resurrect them. As he explains, Ren notices Ah-Puch's eye twitching and realizes he is withholding something. When she confronts him on it. He covers his eye and starts to hyperventilate, blaming it on his current condition and Ren creates a dome of shadows to calm him down. After promising to protect her, and acknowledging that challenge it would be in his weakened state, Ah-Puch says he wants her to meet someone. He tells her to release her shadow and she does so as a boy her age appears from the tree line and introduces himself as Edison. Ah-Puch explains how his mother, a demon, hid him from Ixtab and he looked after him in a five star hotel and taught him about humanity through movies and television shows. Ren is surprised by his humanoid appearance and becomes enraged when Ah-Puch says Edison will be her bodyguard. Ren objects to not having a body guard but quickly, and reluctantly, accepts before heading to SHIHOM.

Assembling the Team and Searching for Serena

Edison

Ren wakes up in her dorm at SHIHOM with a theory that the Lords of Night are affecting her magic, she tests it and her magic works fine, confirming her theory. Ren changes into her uniform and texts her grandfather before going to check on Marco. She finds his dorm empty and hears clicking, like she did with the first lord. She creates a tree of shadows just as Ah-Puch arrives and informs her Marco went home and she sees that he texted her and replies. After breakfast, they head to the training arena and Ah-Puch tells her to keep quiet on Edison being a demon. They find Edison scouting out the parameter and Ah-Puch tells Ren the two will be fighting. After realizing she finds Edison attractive, she takes a fighting stance and forms a shadow dragon to attack him, but the air gets colder and Edison forms a barrier that deflects her attack. Ren switches tactics and uses the time rope, but that fails as well, shocking Ren. However an arrow comes out of nowhere and penetrates the barrier before heading for Ah-Puch's chest. Ren and Edison run over to stop the arrow. However Ah-Puch snatches it out of the air and introduces Ren and Edison to Montero, a member of a family of Aztec hunters. Montero, who goes by Monty, explains how her powers and arrows work, as well as the limits and risks she has on her if she fails the quest or reveals her name. Monty explains how she penetrated Edison's barrier because he was unaware of her as he thinks of ways to be prepared for all possibilities. Edison then demonstrates his offensive capabilities by firing a concussive blast at a nearby tree and explains how his magic works. After Ah-Puch says they need to know where the third lord will awaken when Ren suggests Hollywood. Ah-Puch says they cannot afford to go on guesses when Ren suggests they can use Monty's magic to track down the Cinco by the belongings they left before.

Monty

The four go to Serena's tree house and find it locked. Ren, Ah-Puch, and Edison fail to open it before realizing that Monty's magic Aztec arrows could unlock it. The girl succeeds and they enter. Monty finds Serena’s shirt and works her magic before collapsing with a fever. Ren catches Monty and says she should not be part of the quest when Monty says it is her magic working and says Serena is in Hollywood. Ah-Puch tells the others to go as he will try to figure out how to stop the rest of the lords from waking.

As they walk to the gateway, Ren explains that they have to three-hour layover in Boring, Oregon as Edison stops a monkey from jumping on Monty. They arrive in Boring and have lunch at a pizza parlor and talk about the Cinco's strengths and why they might have defected. Monty theorizes Serena might have other motives for defecting. After taking the gateway, the three end up in a changing room of a women’s clothing store. Edison teleports away and the girls exit the dressing room before a woman, Becca, spots them. Ren fears she will see Monty’s arrows but they leave without her noticing. They leave and Monty reveals only godborns and sobrenaturals can see her arrows. The girls search for Edison and, after getting on an escalator, Monty says they are north of Hollywood in Century City. Soon Ren hears a notice and Monty, whose arrows start glowing, is oblivious to it. Time freezes and Ren sees the astral traveling girl. She gets off and goes over the the girl, who fades as she gets closer. The girl mentions something about the third lord and a trap before vanishing, and soon, Ren is enveloped by darkness and the voice of the second lord appears and taunts her, however Ren manages to get the voice to reveal it needs Serena for its plan. Ren challenges the lord to reveal himself and he does so before vanishing. Time starts up again as Ren slowly takes in what just happened. Monty comes over to her and questions Ren on what happened as Edison appears. Ren explains everything to them as she calls a ride share and they drive down Sunset Boulevard. After explaining everything, Edison and Monty theorizes the lords are unaware of them and they have the element of surprise. Edison also theorizes that the astral traveler might be more of a threat then the lords due to Monty’s arrows glowing for her and not the lord, something they only do for danger. After Ren mentions the trap, Edison says it is only a trap if they are unaware of it.

Finding the Cinco

The driver lets them out as Monty insists she go on alone to track Serena. Ren reluctantly agrees and watches Monty vanish into the crowd as she sees a costume shop and gets disguises for herself and Edison. After Ren and Edison buy a blonde wig and a fake mustache respectively, Edison talks about his life in Xib'alb'a and how his magic works. Ren also talks about her dreams of becoming an astronaut. As the two hide their blushing faces from each other, Monty calls and says she found Serena outside a museum. The two find Monty hiding behind a car and join her. Ren sees Serena along with two other members of the Cinco, Kenji, son of the Mayan bee god Ah-Muzen-Cab, and Diamante, daughter of the Mayan wine god Akan who was killed shortly before the gods were kidnapped. Edison sees a demon in disguise with the three and says he can sniff him out. Monty says she can paralyze and knock out the demon, but it will give away their position. Ren tells Edison to leave but stay close and Monty lends him her cellphone. Edison sneaks away and Serena creates an illusion around the museum. Monty takes out the demon and the girls sneak in. However as soon as they do, Ren gets a call from Zane. Ren hastily picks up her phone as Zane quickly tells her he and Brooks think it might have something to do with aliens and to ask Ah-Puch before hanging up. Ren is still with shock as Monty urges her forward. Ren wonders what Ah-Puch might be hiding from her when the girls come upon the Cinco. They see Serena and the other two godborns performing a ritual. They hide and watch as Serena creates an illusion of a desert and they see the symbol from the shell and cornfield burned onto Serena’s palm. The astral travel, who Ren finally recognizes as a godborn from SHIHOM, soon appears and places an azure stone partially painted like an eye, into a disk and the illusion dissipates. After it is done, Ren remembers the girl's name is Ezra, daughter of Yohualli, the Mayan spells and magic.

Elsewhere, Piltzintecuhtli, one of the Lords of Night, awakens.

The illusion vanishes and the girls are spotted. Ren tries to create cover, but fails and Monty is taken. The Cinco vanish as Ren rushes outside and runs into Edison. They track Monty to an alleyway and Ren rushes in after Edison tries to stop her. The two are trapped in a net three yards in the air as Serena, Ezra, and Kenji come forward with an unconscious Monty. Serena says they are leaving with Monty and Ren and Edison will not follow. Ren agrees but Edison, speaking in an authoritarian tone, says they have two minutes to hand over Monty and leave before he attacks and Ren tries to get him to back off, fearing for Monty’s safety. Edison counts down as Ren tries to reason with Serena. As Ezra threatens to curse Monty, Ren manages to encase the unconscious girl in shadows as Edison breaks free of the net and attacks the Cinco. Ren runs towards Ezra when the demon from earlier blocks her. Ren encases him in shadows as well and uses the time rope to kill him. As Ren runs after Ezra, Kenji unleashes countless bees from his mouth that attack Ren and her friends. Edison holds them off as his skin rips open from the stings to reveal a diseased complexion underneath. Ren gets Monty back just as she passes out from the pain, but not before hearing a voice call her queen.

Becoming Queen and Learning More on the Lords

Ren awakens in a field of vanilla where Piltzintecuhtli greets her and calls her queen. The Prince Lord tells her the Cinco have indeed been waking them, but does not confirm the Lords of Night are planing to overthrow the Mayan gods or what the Cinco will get in return for helping them. Ren asks about Monty and the Prince Lord says she is slowly dying, but he can save her if Ren agrees to be queen. Ren refuses but he goes into detail that she felt she never felt she truly belongs, shocking her. The Prince Lord offers to save Monty again if Ren becomes queen and, reluctantly, she accepts.

Ren wakes up eight hours later in one of Ah-Puch's safe houses near Lake Tahoe to be greeted by the teenage death god and Marco, who arrived to help Edison save her after she failed to answer his texts. Soon two mountain spirits, Cilta and Mina, enter and bring Ren a vegan bologna sandwich and she asks if Monty is alright. Ah-Puch says she is and is amazed the girls survived. Ren reflects on how she was tricked and Ah-Puch tells her to be less trusting. Soon Monty and Edison enter the room and Monty explains that she failed as Ezra broke one of her arrows and the rest will be out for her blood. As Ah-Puch asks Ren how she survived, Ren stalls until she demands Ah-Puch tells her about the symbol. Just then Marco, who left to change into clean clothes, returns and asks what is going on. Ren tells him Ah-Puch was about to talk about the symbol as Ah-Puch says Ren is going to talk about what happened to her while she was unconscious. The two stare each other down as Ah-Puch gives in and tells them about the Time War, but not before giving them a final warning to back off or live a life of even more danger. Ah-Puch summons Saás, the all knowing orb from SHIHOM, to explain it for him. She is reluctant at first, but Ren convinces her to tell it after explaining they are facing the Lords of Night and they could replace her with another model. Saás agrees to do so after scanning one of Monty’s arrows. She says the war involved the Mayan gods fighting an enemy older then them. Saás explains that the gods defeated the enemy, who they called the unknowns, and kept a handful alive in prison while killing the others. Eventually the gods released them for help in creating humanity. Soon they were allied, but the alliance came to an end after learning that the unknowns were interbreeding with demons, with the resulting offspring being able to overthrow the gods. Because of this, the unknowns fled but they returned to check on their descendants. Ren asks how they are linked to the lords and Saás says the unknowns put the lords to sleep, but cannot answer why Serena knows how to wake them. Monty reveals her parents told her about the lords and gives vague information on them. Ren asks about their queen, but Saás says the lords have none. Saás says the only way to put the lords back to sleep is with the obsidian blade. Ah-Puch claims it does not exist as Edison reveals it does and he knows where it is, The Dark Mercado.

Edison explains that The Dark Mercado is a shady marketplace where, to get out alive, one must give up something valued in return. He also says that to get there, one must pass through the Maze of Nightmares, a maze designed to trap those init for eternity. As Edison explains everything, Ah-Puch becomes fearful. Marco is skeptical of the idea while Ren and Monty think it is worth a shot. Ah-Puch is against it and says the maze shifts every new moon before revealing he created the maze and the market. Ah-Puch explains he created the market place to gain power, but it grew out of hand and he created the maze to contain it. After Ah-Puch says he cannot destroy the maze in his current state, he reveals their only option is to fight the Cinco and the lords, something only Marco agrees with. As Ren protests that they can find an alternative, Ah-Puch demands she tell them what happened when she was out cold. They go outside and Ren reveals she made a deal with the Prince Lord to become the lord's queen if he saves Monty. Ah-Puch scolds Ren for giving the lords what they want and, in a state of panic, Ren unleashes her shadows and is unable to recall them. As Monty’s arrives her arrows start to glow, and Edison uses his magic to calm Ren's. Ah-Puch asks Ren to speak with him alone and the other go back inside. Ren and Ah-Puch hike to a gateway and, after a delayed reaction, it opens and Ah-Puch drags Ren through.

They emerge in a blizzard as Ah-Puch gives Ren his jacket and pounds the ice to reveal a caver. Ah-Puch pulls her in and they find themselves surrounded by cats. Ah-Puch called for someone named Seven Deaths and a woman appears. Ah-Puch introduces the woman as Seven Deaths, a former high official of Xib'alb'a and spy during the Time Wars. Seven Deaths brings them to a patio for tea as Ah-Puch asks her to refresh his memory on the Lords. Seven Deaths explains that before the lords were placed in slumber, they gave up some of their magic to loyal servants who passed the abilities through their bloodlines. After Seven Deaths reveals the ability to be shadow magic, Ren and Ah-Puch start to panic. Ren starts to have an absence seizure, but Seven Deaths plays music and Ren snaps out of it. Seven Deaths says there is a prophecy about this descendant becoming queen and returning the power to the lords, which can only happen if the individual chooses to become queen. Ren reveals they have been calling her queen and she agreed to be one. Seven Deaths is speechless as Ren silently realizes Serena thinks she is the queen. Seven deaths says only five lords need to be awakened to reclaim the power. After Ah-Puch asks who else knew about this, Seven Deaths says only he knew. As Ah-Puch processes the revelation and questions who he might have told, Ren decides their only hope is to get the Obsidian Blade.

Searching for the Obsidian Blade

Ren and Ah-Puch return to the safe house and explain everything to the others and how finding the Obsidian Blade is their only option. Edison and Monty agree to join her, but Marco jumps ship. Ah-Puch takes them to the Actun Tunichil Muknal cave system in Belize where they are greeted by the remains of the Crystal Prince. Ah-Puch reveals he cannot go with them as his presence would cause the maze to collapse and gives them complicated instructions. Ah-Puch instructs all but the Crystal Prince to speak or touch anything as they will lose a voice or body part if they do. He also tells them the maze will mess with their minds and instructs them to not follow their instincts. Once they reach the market, they are not to use any magic as the will be sent to Xib'alb'a, and the blade will call out to one of them and demand an unknown price. Everyone accepts the terms and Edison and Monty follow the Crystal Prince into the maze as Ren stays behind to hug Ah-Puch. He returns it and tells her to follow the golden arrows and that they could end up anywhere when they exit. Ren then follows her friends into the maze. The Crystal Prince leads the three to a staircase leading to the maze and informs the three they must not talk until their feet touch all one hundred steps. The prince vanishes after saying no one has exited the maze in the last century and the three descend. As they walk in silence, Ren hears Smoking Mirror taunting her in her mind and she desperately tries to reply only in though. After the three reach the bottom, Ren tests to see if it is safe to take and finds it is safe. Monty complains about a foul smell as Edison senses strong magic coming from the maze. Monty wants everyone to swear to watch out for the others but put the quest first. Ren and Edison cannot bring themselves to do so and they enter the maze.

They find themselves in front of a pyramid of mirrors sitting on a lake as Edison reveals it is made of a rare substance from Xib'alb'a. They find a boat and paddle. Edison says he cannot use his magic as the energy surrounding them will have catastrophic results if he uses it. As they pass by the pyramid, Edison says the mirrors will show their most likely future as Ren thinks of Ah-Puch's warning to ignore her instincts and not look at the mirrors. However she looks and sees herself wearing a crown and stabbing Edison. Soon Edison sees the same thing and looks at Ren with fear. Monty spots a passage and they go through it. Ren looks at another mirror, but looks away as her necklace heats up and Pacific appears. The goddess says the Time Rope called to her and she reclaimed it temporarily to learn what her daughter has been up to. Pacific reveals she cannot intervene to a greater extent or destroy the maze, but tells Ren that the maze feeds gets angry if people take too long to decide and to give the maze what it wants. Pacific returns the Time Rope and leaves. After a few seconds of cursing her mother, Ren realizes what she means and has Edison use his magic and Monty fire all her arrows. The others realize what she means and they overload the maze. Eventually they destroy it and Edison creates a barrier. Once the maze collapses, the girls realize Edison is gone and a door appears that is quickly vanishing. Monty fails to urge Ren to put the quest first, but Ren refuses and enters. Ren finds and grabs Edison as Monty helps. Monty gets out, but Ren trips and gets locked inside as the door vanishes.

Elsewhere, Centeotl, the god of mazes, awakens.

Ren finds herself in the presence of Centeotl and the Flower Prince asks to take her measurements for her wardrobe. She refuses at first but gives in after he says she cannot escape her destiny and realizing he can send her back to her friends. After taking measurements, the Flower Prince asks what color she prefers and if she how she feels about a jade and shadow crown. Ren trembles upon realizing the crown the Flower Lord described was what she saw she was wearing in her vision and shortly afterwards, wakes up with Monty and Edison by her side. Edison, who recovered quickly from his wounds, cleans Ren's injuries with a handkerchief and they realize they are at the market. Ren says they have an hour to find the blade and to follow the gold arrows to get out. They split up after promising not to use magic and Ren desperately tries to tune out the venders, but becomes intrigued when one offers to alter properties. Ren resists the temptation but the vendor graces her and she inadvertently uses magic to fight him off. Ren runs as ghosts chase after her and hides in a supposedly empty stall. Ren focuses on a statue with a hole in it and reaches in only for her hand to get stuck and the vendor to come out and accuse her of theft. Ren realizes she found the blade and tries to barter for it to no success. Soon Monty arrives, moving at a high speed, and scares away the vendor before freeing Ren's hand. The girls meet up with Edison, who shields the three of them, and they find a gold arrow. However a shadow bird appears soon after.

The bird flies around but, as Edison is about to scan it’s magic, he falls asleep. The bird calls him rude and, after introducing herself as Zyanya, she tells Ren to wake Edison by placing the blade on his left and right eyes in that order. After Edison wakes up, he says Zyanya has an ancient magic and Zyanya is pleased with her response. Zyanya explains that she is the source of the blade's power and can put anyone to sleep instantly, but they must be awakened five minutes later or else they will sleep for the rest of their lives and she needs a ten minute recharge after every use. The teens are uncertain about the recharge period as they worry what the enemy can do in that time and theorize they could put a lord to sleep a day. They call Ah-Puch for a pickup as Ren says they are in White Sands, New Mexico. After returning to the safe house, Ren tells Ah-Puch about what she saw and asks him to have Monty kill her if she becomes queen. He is reluctant and says he thinks of her as his daughter, but soon agrees.

Facing the Cinco

Monty tracks the Cinco to Lake Zirahuén in Southern Mexico and they search for their hideout. As they walk, Zyanya comments on Ren's shadow magic and senses something within it. They eventually find a stone building surrounded by the gate. Ren says they should split up with Edison and Monty taking out any guards as Ah-Puch acts as lookout. Just then, Marco arrives with his father and the war god says there are demons on the property along with bees, enemy godborns, and the Lords. Marco agrees to take out the demons as Ren creates shadow butterflies to handle the bees. They fan out as Marco silently tells Ren to be carful. Ren splits from the others and scouts out the nearby forest. She soon notices time has stopped and sees Ezra. Ezra comes over to Ren and congratulates her on finding the Obsidian Blade and asks for it, saying Ah-Puch stole it from her mother. Ren refuses to hand it over and laments on how Ezra tricked her. Ezra unintentionally confirms Ren's theory that Serena thinks she’s the queen in the prophecy. After Ezra informs her that the water goddess has just been awakened, Ren tries one last time to reason with Ezra, saying they are both godborns, but Ezra laughs and calls Ren impure and a descendent of dead gods. Ren tries to fight with shadows, but they do not work during the paused moment and Ezra attacks. Ren sidesteps and unleashes the Time Rope. Resisting the urge to kill Ezra, Ren gets her shadows to work and makes a cage to temporarily trap Ezra before fleeing.

Ren reaches the lakeshore as the Cinco's symbol appears on the water’s surface. Soon Chalchihtlicue, the recently awakened goddess, approaches Ren and asks to be called Jade. As Ren reaches for the blade, Jade informs Ren she is the one who gifted shadow magic to her ancestors and Ren struggles with putting the goddess to sleep or learning more about her heritage. In order to get Ren to surrender, Jade then shows her images of her friends in battle and gives her a taste of their current emotional state. As Ren reaches for the blade, she guesses the goddess wants to make a deal, but Jade rebuffs this and says it is to make her more likely surrender. Just then, Zyanya emerges from the blade, before vanishing with Jade. Ren starts to feel the shadows taking over as Smoking Mirror appears. He informs Ren that one of her male companions has died in the fighting and Ren blames herself as the shadows take control and Smoking Mirror vanishes as Marco approaches Ren and tries to get her to regain control. However, he is pushed away by Ren and pinned to the ground by shadows as she walks into the lake.

Keeping a Promise

As the sun rises, Ah-Puch reflects on the outcome of the battle. He thinks of how Marco was taken with the rogue godborns, how Edison was killed by Kenji's bees, and the shock on Serena’s face when she learned she was not the queen mentioned in the prophecy. He also thinks of his promise to Ren and fights every urge to not go through with it. After meeting up with Monty, he tells the girl of his promise to Ren and she reluctantly agrees to help. Monty climbs into a tree and they see Ren step out of the forest wearing a silver dress and accompanied by the male lords. After hearing some of their dialogue, Ah-Puch realizes they plan to marry Ren to the Prince Lord. Monty notches an arrow and aims it, waiting for Ah-Puch's signal. As a crown is being lowered on Ren's head, they lock eyes and Ah-Puch hopes to see Ren in there. However he sees nothing and he signals to Monty to fire her arrow, piercing Ren's heart.

Characters

• Ren Santiago
• Abuelo Santiago
• Xiuhtecuhtli/Fire Lord
• Marco
• Marco's mother (voice only)
• Ezra
• Sir Switchblade
• Ah-Puch
• Tezcatlipoca/Smoking Mirror
• Edison
• Montero
• Becca
• Serena
• Kenji
• Diamante
• Zane Obispo (voice only)
• Piltzintecuhtli/Prince Lord
• Cilta
• Mina
• Seven Deaths
• Crystal Prince
• Pacific
• Centeotl/Flower Prince
• Zyanya
• Nakon
• Chalchihtlicue/Jade

Chapter List

The book is comprised of forty five mostly unnamed who told from the third person perspective of Ren Santiago for all but one chapter, with the last one being from the perspective of Ah-Puch.

1. In the beginning (sort of) Seven months before
2. Seven months later Xiuhtecuhtli

Trivia

• The book is set shortly after Cave of Doom.