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"You must see Eyipantla Falls as well," Ernesto added "Sadly, I cannot take you there, but if you have a car, it is not far from your hotel, and the route is wellharder for me to appreciate the scenery and rein in my nerves Soon I’d find out whether Nalleli could help us, if she could tell anything about the hex or at least remove the curse fromin a feeeks

But o back to my shop Since Montoya knew to find ht of stupidity to return Instead I should keepa lock on me It worried me that we’d paused in Catemaco, but I couldn’t see a way around it I needed to hear what the island witch had to say

Lunging, Butch yapped at a bird that dove too close to the boat I wrapped an arm around him and tucked him beneath it

"Oh, no, you don’t," I race to look abashed

I bounced with each wave until I learned to brace reen poles that held the awning aloft The engine slowed as Ernesto downshifted, letting the boat glide close to the island At first I didn’t see anything, and then big siled above the boat, their weight causing the branches to hang so low as to brush the awning I’m not sure what I expected, but these were not the tiny, adorable animals that perch on people’s shoulders in the htfully called cute--and as Ernesto put the fresh fruit on the yellow seats at the bow, they boarded

Heaven and Hell

"Don’t worry," Ernesto said in Spanish, doubtless reading o I do this all the time"

Well, sure Who wouldn’t want to invite enormous feral monkeys onto their boat?

Beside me, Kel tracked their movements as the aniest ones fought over the last piece, shrieking until I thought they’d come to blows Eventually the sreedy, their eyes darting back and forth as if they were angry about being forced to live on this island But I was probably reading too much into the situation They were aniht now, but I didn’t have a caet this over with so we could ask Ernesto to take us to see Nalleli It didn’t helpa hexed saltshaker that could killearlier, but he’d extended a hand, wordless I couldn’t claim I was sorry to turn Eros over to his care

A thump overhead rocked the whole boat--and I wasn’t a fan of the idea that there were now giant monkeys on top of us The one that clier than the rest; it had a scarred ray fur It should’ve been funny with its ry Withoutto, I moved a little closer to Kel He put his hand on my arm--caution or reassurance, I didn’t knohich Either way, it wasn’t working

I s

Please, oh, please, let that be nothingthan a part we don’t need

Unfortunately, the sun slid behind a cloud--clouds that hadn’t been so present or so dark a few ns so hideous was about to happen To make matters worse, the sood ever came of that stench For the first time since I’d known hi sound, which I took to ," Kel said softly "Using the water all around us"

An actual witch would kno to block that It sucked that I wasn’t one "But how--Oh, shit A tracking spell"

It onlythe saltshaker The curse needed to be removed before it decayed and struck somebody else Only a selfish son of a bitch would discard a hexed ite an iteain Soe

Theyellow teeth There were six anihed down the boat All around us, the air turned thick, heavy as chilled molasses; it had an actual viscosity, as if I could slice it and peer through I struggled for oxygen, but it was no use I couldn’t breathe, couldn’tever, even worse than the cold life-sucking shades the warlock in Laredo had conjured Oh, I didn’t want to face worse than Nathan Moon

Not like I had any choice

The boatid, and then the convulsions started A bloody froth poured froht the icy paralysis, but couldn’t break free Poor Ernesto He’s dying because of mefor four hundred pesos I wanted desperately to look away, but I owed hi

"What’s happening?" The words weren’t clear because I couldn’t

"A su over takes a lot out of any de on him before they attack us"

The paralysis was probably insurance, assuring that its prey didn’t scaht Tears streamed down ony; it seemed like an eternity before he stilled Eventually, the air cleared, releasing ht Kel tensed beside ardless of what he sensed, he didn’t leave my side I could never repay hihtened on my forearm as the world around our boat went dark I could still hear the rocking of the lake, but as if fro skyward like a beacon, and everything snapped back into focus, the darkness swirling away like windblown smoke