Sky Knife Read Online Free PDF Page A

cylindrical stone object. The old man carried the object to the king. Tiny jade beads dangled from each end of it. They made a crackling sound as they clinked against each other.
    Storm Cloud took the staff, held it briefly to his forehead, then held it out horizontally in front of him. “What is your name, boy?” he asked.
    Stone Jaguar leaned forward as if to say something but a sharp glance from the king stopped him. Stone Jaguar bit back whatever he was about to say and sat still as the stones he was named for.
    Storm Cloud looked back to Sky Knife for an answer.
    â€œSky Knife,” he said. It came out as a whisper.
    Storm Cloud jingled the jade beads slightly four times before speaking. “I am Storm Cloud, King of Tikal,” he said in a loud, commanding voice. “This is my command. Sky Knife, attendant to Stone Jaguar in the Temple of Itzamna, shall go forth from my presence to seek out those who would bring bad luck to our city. The rules of status no longer apply to him. He may go anywhere and speak to anyone. No one may take this task from him, nor interfere with him. And when he has finished his task, he shall report to me alone. So I have said.”
    â€œSo you have said,” echoed the attendants. The old man picked up a gourd out of a box and shook it four times. The eerie rattle of the gourd echoed into the corners of the room and crawled up Sky Knife’s spine.
    â€œSo that all may see that my authority travels with Sky Knife, a warrior from my personal guard shall assist him and shall be responsible for his protection. So I have said.”
    â€œSo you have said,” whispered the attendants. The old man shook the gourd four more times, then placed the gourd back in the box.
    Storm Cloud returned the staff to the old man, who rewrapped it in its black cloth. Storm Cloud raised his left hand, palm out, to Sky Knife and Stone Jaguar, then looked away from them.
    â€œYou are dismissed,” hissed one of the attendants, a short, bald man with a jade ring in his nose.
    Sky Knife lowered his forehead to the floor again briefly, then stood and waited to see what Stone Jaguar would do. Fear nearly strangled him and he felt as if he couldn’t breathe.
    The priest bowed, then turned and left. Sky Knife followed him back outside to the stela, relieved to be out of the royal presence, bewildered and terrified of his new responsibility.
    Stone Jaguar stopped before the stela. He turned and placed his hand on Sky Knife’s shoulder. “Sky Knife,” he said in a voice more kind than he had ever used with Sky Knife before. “You know I never agreed with Vine Torch about you—I admit that freely. But now the king has chosen you as well and, who knows, perhaps I have been wrong about you. Perhaps Vine Torch was right.”
    Sky Knife blinked in surprise but Stone Jaguar wasn’t finished.
    â€œThe king is entrusting you with an important task,” said Stone Jaguar. “Whatever it takes, however much courage is required, you will have to do it. Even if you feel you aren’t capable, that your task is beyond your abilities to perform, you will still have to do it. Do you understand?” Though Sky Knife could not see Stone Jaguar’s face in the dark, he heard the concern and anxiety in the older man’s voice.
    â€œYes, Stone Jaguar,” he said. “I understand.”
    Stone Jaguar sighed. “I will be honest with you; I think it would be wiser for one of the older attendants or one of the priests to be given the task. But the king has spoken. We can do nothing but obey.”
    â€œYou are Sky Knife?” barked a growly voice. Sky Knife’s heart jumped in his chest in surprise. He stepped back and looked back at the king’s house. The warrior of the beautiful face and the yellow and blue skirt stood there.
    â€œThis is the attendant in my temple whose name is Sky Knife,” said Stone Jaguar smoothly. “Do you