Chapter 17 · Two Mayas

"Eli, don't let her touch you!" Marcus shoved me back as both Mayas reached for me.

They had the same face. Same height. Same scar through the left eyebrow—the one Maya got falling off the swing set when we were eight.

One wore a bloodstained shirt. The other stood in shredded, spotless clothes. Both smiled at me like they knew exactly which one I'd choose.

"Oh, hell no," Marcus said. His flashlight jerked between them. "Tell me this isn't what I think it is."

"Which one is real?" I asked.

My palm sparked blue. The light flickered when I pushed more power into it.

The bloody Maya stepped forward. "Me. Look at my eyes."

"Don't listen to her," the clean Maya snapped. "She's what the dark makes. I'm real."

Same voice. Same breath. Same sharp little tilt of the chin.

"Childhood code," I said. "What did we call the tree fort?"

"Skywatch," Bloody Maya answered.

"Skywatch," Clean Maya repeated.

Marcus swore under his breath. "That's not a test. That's a party trick."

"Rule about bringing friends?" I asked.

"No friends unless they passed the candy test," Bloody Maya said. "Tommy had to eat a whole bag of sour gummies.