Accidentally...Over?(27)

Still holding the towel to her face, she asked, "Whe aw we gawing?"

"As you're already aware, Death is after you, seeking to balance out the  equation," he guessed, but really didn't know what Death wanted. He'd  never seen it target an individual in such a way. The entire thing was  very, very odd.

"Annn wha?" she asked.

"And I am going to take you forward in time. I can only hope that  removing you from the current situation will prompt Death to seek  balance elsewhere."

"Woo mean dat he wiw kill someone ews?"

Yes, Death would likely find another person to take her place. But that  couldn't be helped. "That someone else will eventually die anyway. You,  on the other hand, are meant to live. Forever if I can help it."

Forever.

Yes. That was it! Why had he not thought of the solution before? Because  now your bond with the Universe is severed. You're able to put Ashli  first.

And that he would. For the first time in his existence, Máax would live  up to his bad boy reputation, not because he felt compelled by the  Universe to serve justice, but because he selfishly wanted something: to  give Ashli immortality.

In this time, 1993, it wasn't possible because the cenotes-portals to  the realm of the gods-were blocked by the Maaskab's evil magic. (A long,  long, long story.) But that little nuisance would be resolved, and the  cenotes twenty years into the future worked fine, which meant Máax could  take Ashli to his world. He could give her the immortal light of the  gods. No dentist, no more spontaneous bee assassinations, no drowning.  Of course, that meant he'd have to break two more sacred laws, but hey …                        
       
           



       

YOLO, motherfucker. YOLO.

Ashli tensed.

"What is the matter?" he asked.

"I don wan someone ews to die fow me," she mumbled.

Oh, infernum. Why didn't she understand? "Ashli, I promise that your  leaving will not trigger Death to go out and murder someone; it will  simply move on to its next target, to a person whose time it is anyway.  You save no one by staying here. Please. Let us try my solution."

She glanced out the window, mulling.

"I want you to live," he added. "I want to give you a chance to know  happiness." Even if it's only for a few short months. Damned apocalypse.  "Please trust me; this is the only way. If you stay here, you won't  survive another day. I feel it in my immortal bones."

She sighed and then nodded her head in agreement.

"I'm glad," he said, "that you see the logic. Now, it is time for us to leave."

"But wa about my toot?" she asked.

"We will fix your toot-I mean, tooth-when we arrive," he said.

"I don know. Aw you sure it's safe? Everyting is happening so fawst."

"Fast? No." He picked up her free hand and kissed the top. "I realize  now that I have waited seventy thousand years for you. It is not fast  enough." Gods only knew what Death had in store for her next. A rabid  turtle? An angry coconut?

"I don wanna weave hew," Ashli said.

"I'm sorry," Máax said, "but staying is not a choice. We are leaving. Now."

"You heard her, Máax." Brutus's menacing voice sliced through the air like a hot blade. "She doesn't want to go with you."

"Stay out of this, Brutus," Máax warned.

Ashli sat up, still pushing the towel to her mouth. "Why? He saved my  wife. I twust him. I want to hear what he has to say." She looked  directly at Brutus.

"Tell her the truth, Máax," Brutus pushed. "Tell her what will happen if you take her forward."

Dammit, man. What was his problem? Máax knew he'd figure all this out.  Later, of course. And simply because Cimil said that something bad would  happen didn't mean it was true. Cimil lied 50 percent of the time. No,  generally she didn't lie about prophecies and such, but Máax had always  followed his gut. He'd always done what he felt was right and had faith  that the Universe would take care of the rest. So far, so good.

Really, man? You're invisible. Powerless. An outcast.

Okay. Fuck the Universe. This was pure selfishness. He wanted to save  Ashli because it would make him happy. Yes, let his brethren figure out  how to save the world for once. He was through sacrificing everything  for them and everyone else. Enough was enough.

"Tell her," Brutus prodded, "what will happen if you take her forward with you."

Ashli blinked expectantly, her gaze toggling between Brutus and Máax's …  well, his neck really. "What will happen?"

The truth nearly bubbled from Máax's lips, but then something clicked. Something a tad sinister.

He'd never lied. Not once in his entire existence. Telling the truth was  simply who he was. Even after being stripped of his powers, he'd never  so much as tested the waters or second-guessed the value of the truth.  The truth-speaking it, exposing it to light, knowing when he was in its  absence-was simply who he was. But now, everything hung in the balance.  If he did not lie to her, she would stay. She would die. He simply  couldn't have that.

So now the filthy, nasty question stared him down, challenging him like  an outlaw from the Old West, daring him to reach for his gun. Was he  brave enough to pull the trigger? Could he lie, thereby sacrificing  himself, the essence of who he truly was, to save her?

Draw.

Máax cleared his throat. "I do not know what Brutus speaks of."

Brutus made a strange sound somewhere between a growl and a gasp. "I  can't believe it. You're lying. You just told me that Cimil gave you  strict instructions to leave her here."

"Máax? Is it twue?" she asked.

Máax swallowed. "No. Brutus is mistaken. I said no such thing." The lie  felt like a tiny burr sticking inside his brain. It had been so easy to  tell. Much too easy. But he instantly knew he'd never forget it.                       
       
           



       

Brutus's jaw dropped. "He-he's lying. I don't fucking believe it."

"But isn't Máax incapable of wying?" Ashli argued.

Brutus ran his hands though his dark, short hair. "Well-well-yes, but. … "

Ashli shook her head. "I don't know whath's going on between you thwo, but-"

"Ashli," Máax said, "it is quite simple; you will die if you stay here. If you come with me, I can fix this."

"But wha about my houws? My café?" She continued holding a corner of the towel to her mouth.

"Everything will be waiting for you"-he hoped-"only it will be twenty  years into the future. Brutus will see to everything. Isn't that right,  Brutus?"

Brutus still looked like he'd been run over by a bus, a giant bus of festering lies. "Yes, but-"

"Okay," Ashli blurted out. "I'll do it."

Brutus snarled. "You're making a mistake, Ashli. Stay here with me. I will ensure your safety."

"I don think anyone can save me if I stay. I wan to go wit Máax. I'm sowwy."

Máax's ego did a little cheer. Not a pom-pom cheer, but a triumphant  warrior – like cheer, just to be clear. She wanted to be with him. She  wanted to be with him.

Great. Now what?

You'll have to figure it out.

Damn. What the hell was he doing?

I'm hoping Cimil is wrong about her prophecy.





Fourteen





Sun setting to her back, Ashli stared out across the lapping  sapphire-blue waves, having never felt so petrified in her life. It  wasn't the moving ahead a few decades that necessarily bothered her,  though that certainly got an award for bizarre and unusual, but the  conversation between Brutus and Máax had bumped her anxiety up a few  notches. It didn't help that she also continued to feel out of sorts,  all tingly and such. Probably a result of almost dying yet again.

So why hadn't Máax proposed his solution to begin with? And if Brutus  worked for the gods, then why would he challenge Máax like that?  Something didn't sit right. Especially that bit about Brutus becoming so  protective. The look of wrath on his face when he'd stormed from her  house left her more mystified than ever. What had she done wrong? And  why did it bother her? Probably because Brutus had saved her life, and  it meant something to her. Just as it meant something that Máax had  saved her, too.

Gods, caring about people is so hard. She almost cared too much.

"Are you ready, Ashli?" Máax's warm, rough hand covered hers, jarring  her from her uneasy contemplation. "Come." He positioned her directly  under a palm tree that stood a few yards from her back porch. "You must  stand directly above the magical tablet I have buried here."