“It has to be important,” he mumbled.

To prove it, he reached to his neck and pulled out the gift his mother had given him: the tiny flute made of animal horn. He squinted at the gold letters imbedded in the surface.

They were clearly Norse runes. Jake had already examined them as best he could with the resources at hand. He’d even consulted the Vikings at Bornholm but had hit a dead end. Elder Ulfsdottir had said the writing was gibberish. But maybe it was written in a script the Vikings in Calypsos didn’t know. The only detail that made sense was the large rune in the center. He studied it again.

It was the rune called algiz, representing a raised shield. He remembered his mother’s words: the flute will help protect you.

Jake stared at the scroll.

“Beware of Loki,” he read aloud, and glanced significantly at Kady. “Loki was the Norse god of mischief.” He held up the flute. “Mom gave us this. It’s a flute covered in Norse runes. That can’t be a coincidence.”

“What is she trying to tell us?” Kady asked.

“I don’t know. She must have been in a hurry. That’s all she could write.” Jake locked gazes with his sister. “But she also told me to go home. Maybe we should listen to her. If we’re going to have any hope of figuring it all out, I’m going to need to consult experts in Norse runes and languages.”

“So you want us to go back home?”

He slowly nodded.

“When?” she asked.

The answer came from the doorway, in a voice hoary and old. “Before the moon sets this night, you must be gone.”

They all turned to find the Elder of the Ur tribe hunched in the doorway, leaning on a thick staff, his heavy brows shadowing his eyes.

Bach’uuk stood at the old man’s side and stepped into the room. “Magister Mer’uuk met with our people’s seers, those who dream in the long time.”

The Ur Elder nodded. “Something stirs in the great river. It is coming for you, Jake Ransom. You must be gone from here before that happens. For all our sakes.”

Kady grabbed his arm.

If Jake had any doubts about his decision, the Elder’s words ended it. The Ur were the first of the tribes to come to Pangaea. They had been living in the shadow of the great Temple of Kukulkan far longer than anyone else. They’d become uniquely attuned to the energy given off by the Atlantean technology, sensitive to time’s flow.

If they said it was time to go …

An hour later, moonlight still bathed the stone serpent wrapped atop the great Temple of Kukulkan. Jake stood with his sister on the top step of the pyramid, alone with Mer’uuk.

Bach’uuk had followed them through the Sacred Woods and stood a lonely vigil at the foot of the steps. Jake had already said his good-byes to his Ur friend, but he hadn’t had time to rouse Pindor or Marika. The moon had been too near to setting. Jake and Kady barely had time to dress.