‘O Malel, O Snake, O Jaguar! O spirits and ancestors, hear our prayer! O world that was, and world that is, and world that will be, do not see your children cut from your skin. Do not see your children in bonds and degradation. Do not see your tribes broken and scattered to the winds. Accept this life and this blood; accept this courage and this strong-beating heart. Accept this man, as he accepts his time for rebirth is at hand. We call to you from despair, O Malel. Answer us!’

Vaqix turned to face Aez, who took one single step backwards and then halted. In the silence, Lilla heard a sound, small with distance, a cut-off plea. And then Aez flung his arms wide, baring his chest. To preserve the spirit, his body would die. The high shaman smiled behind the blue of his paint. ‘Fair and noble warrior, your death will carry our prayers to Malel. We honour you. We thank you. Go now in honour and in thanks. Go without pain. Go with peace.’

Vaqix struck, a single hard blow that entered just beneath the ribs and angled upwards, cleaving stomach and lung and then heart. The Axi shuddered once and opened his mouth, but the knife had stolen his breath and whatever sound he made this time didn’t carry to Lilla’s ears. His knees buckled and Zasso and Vaqix caught him. They lowered him gently, reverently, to the platform and he disappeared behind the ring of kneeling shamans.

Lilla’s breath whistled through a tight throat. ‘Thank you,’ he whispered again. Malel was close, her god-born were close, and spirits and ancestors gathered around them. Magic overlaid them. And then a single drum, a single beating heart, that stuttered and skipped, and finally stopped.

Lilla thought his own heart might do the same as the goddess filled him and filled them all. A flute screamed, so unexpected that he jumped, and then the drum started up again, a wild celebration, a rattle bursting through. Next, a cacophony of instruments. On the platform the shamans spun out of their positions and began again to dance, screeching and roaring, flinging themselves into the sky in twisting leaps, clawing fingers reaching for the magic, the spirits, Malel herself.

In glimpses between their whirling bodies, Lilla saw Vaqix and Zasso making the final prayers over Aez’s body, cradling his head and his hands. There were tears on Lilla’s face, tears of joy and thanks. Aez had begun as an enemy; he had died carrying all their hopes and dreams. Had died an ally; a friend. His name would be remembered among Tokob and Yaloh alike.