"I call upon he who is older than the stars." He moved to stand beside Papa.
Papa's chest trembled as Seg-Yo held the knife over him.
Talifa breathed with him. Out. And in. Out. And in. His flesh looked so soft and vulnerable. Papa turned his head and met Talifa's gaze.
"Protect the children," her father mouthed.
He screamed as Seg-Yo's knife stabbed into his belly.
Talifa wept as her father screamed, and screamed, and screamed. The jaguar high-priest sawed the wound open, and then he shoved his hand into Papa's stomach.
"No!" she clutched her chest.
Seg-Yo buried his arm, all the way up to his elbow.
Papa's screams cut off.
Seg-Yo tore out a bloody red clump of meat. Papa's still-beating heart. He held it up.
Liyota fainted.
The Xi People all cheered.
Blood poured out onto the
