Cece Rios and the Desert of Souls by Kaela Rivera (online e book reading .txt) 📕

“Coyote’s calling in his debt now!” I scrambled to sit up. “He wants you to be my criatura! That’s his deal. Then you’re even.”

For a moment, there was just the cool brush of wind from the cave’s entrance, and the flickering tongue of the torch fire. Little Lion didn’t move. I held my breath. Slowly, he lifted his head.

“Then we’re even, huh?” he mumbled.

“Yeah.” I let out a slow breath. “So you won’t hurt me, right?”

He pushed off the ground with a scowl. He had broad shoulders for a teen, and they twitched with anger. “Not like I could, now that you have my soul stone.” He stood and backed away, looking me up and down. “Coyote really gave you his?”

I sat up, rubbing my wrists. “Yeah. He said it was in return for saving his life.”

Little Lion folded his arms. “You saved him?”

“He was trying to rescue me, but it didn’t work out. It’s complicated.” I stood and tried to catch my breath. “Anyway, I need another criatura to fight in the tournament tonight, and he said you were strong and owed him a favor.”

Little Lion’s nose wrinkled. “I am. And I do.”

I smiled. “Perfect! Because I could use your help.” I glanced down at his stone, and my excitement waned. Four cracks ran through the jagged quartz crystal. He’d died four times already. The thought weighed on me as I tucked his soul into my shirt. Unlike Coyote’s soul, which was always pleasantly warm, Little Lion’s was just a little too hot.

When I looked back up, he threw my torch back at me. I scrambled to catch it without scorching myself.

“Listen carefully, human,” he said, with so much fire in his voice that I was suddenly more worried about him burning me than the torch. “I hate you soul-sucking brujas. So as soon as I’ve repaid my debt, I’m gone. You understand?”

I paused. “I think you’re saying that you’ll help me. Right?”

“For Coyote.” He pointed a clawed finger in my direction. “And no other reason.”

Wow, okay, he was mad. Whatever he owed Coyote must’ve been pretty important for him to agree to help me. But now probably wasn’t the time to ask. We still had a long journey home.

“Well, I appreciate it anyway.” I gestured to the cave mouth. “We’ll talk more about my, uh, fighting style at my place. I have to be home before the sun sets or my parents will think I’ve skipped curfew.” I started walking out. “Once night falls, we can sneak out for the Bruja Fights.”

His footsteps followed behind me. “You care what your familia thinks?”

I glared at him. “Yeah, so? That’s pretty normal.”

“Not for brujas.” He sneered.

“You’ll find out soon,” I said as we emerged from the cave. “I’m not like most brujas.”

14

The Lion

“Okay, the window on the east side, the second floor, that’s the one you need to sneak through,” I said. “I’ll meet you up there once I’ve had dinner. Okay?”

Even in the warm light of evening, Little Lion’s face was no more merciful than it had been in the cave.

“Is that a command?” he asked.

I sighed. “It’s a request. Please try to be reasonable. If my parents see you, they’ll call the police, and then you and I will be captured together.”

We stood outside my house, in the backyard. As I spoke, I tucked both necklaces in my shirt, so my dress collar hid the two leather straps and their stones. Little Lion watched the whole thing.

“What?” I snapped.

He raised a single eyebrow. “You’re a bruja who can carry two criatura souls, and you’re afraid of the police.”

“Yes,” I hissed. “Because if they realize I have two criaturas, they’ll imprison me and kill you and Coyote. Got it?”

He inclined his chin and said nothing. Well, he wasn’t going to be very good company. Still, I should be grateful I’d gotten him here at all, considering I could have been dead in a cave instead.

“Por favor, just go up to the room. I’ll be there soon.”

He turned away, and then crouched and sprang into the air. He left behind a shiver of dust, disappearing from sight without so much as a sound.

I took a brave breath and marched to the front of the house, ready to face my familia and pretend like I hadn’t just been hunting for a criatura all afternoon.

“I’m home, Mamá!” I called as I closed the front door firmly behind me.

Mamá peeked out from the kitchen but didn’t say anything. I smiled and met her in the small cooking alcove. “What’re we having for dinner? Is Papá home yet?”

She turned back to the tortillas on the comal. At the mention of Papá, her eyebrows tugged together.

“No, mija, he’s out.”

I’m not sure why I even bothered to ask. Papá rarely came home before sunset, and when he did, he was a stumbling, sweaty mess. For some reason, I’d thought that would change after Juana was taken. I didn’t understand why he’d want to stay away now that our familia was even smaller.

Mamá pulled the tortillas off the stove and slapped them onto the table next to a single plate of beans and rice. Then, she rolled up her sleeves and stomped off toward the front door.

“Mamá?” I asked as she tugged on her worn coat.

She turned to me and smiled sadly. “I cooked your dinner, mija, but I have to go. The police are looking for volunteers to help them track down the Bruja Fights tonight.”

I slipped my hands into my pockets before they could shake. “Oh yeah?”

Her mouth tightened. “Your Papá is too busy to help track down the criaturas who stole away his own daughter, but I am not.” Her eyes flashed with something hot and brassy. My chest tightened. “Stay here and stay safe, mija. Lock all the doors. I’ll be back sometime after midnight.”

“But Mamá, it’s dangerous,” I said. “You haven’t let me out at night—it’s not safe for you either.”

She opened the front