Next time an Aztec god tries to throw their weight around and convince you that you must worship them because they have the power to destroy the world, just remember this: all it takes is one bird to shut them up.
The great enslumberer returns in Dawn of the Jaguar: A Shadow Bruja Novel. We hope the Lords of Night brought their pajamas and fuzzy slippers, because this bird has plans to put those Aztec gods back to sleep for a long time.
Or at least that’s what we would be saying if Zyanya hadn’t totally disappeared. No one has seen her, or the Obsidian Blade she lives in, since the explosive finale of The Lords of Night.
We don’t know whether she’s safe, she’s been imprisoned, or she got stuck in some power lines. What we do know is that, wherever she is, she’s most likely complaining about it.
Oh, and if she’s not reunited with Ren soon, the entire world could be in deadly danger.
Does anybody know any shadow bird calls?
Catching Some Z’s
For those not in the know, Zyanya was Ren’s secret weapon to put the awakened Lords of Night back to sleep. The bird’s magic allows her to send anyone with a pulse off to dreamland, and all without needing to resort to violence. But even Zyanya’s ancient power has its limits.
For one, if you use her magic to put someone to sleep, you’d better wake them up within less than five minutes or it’s “lights out forever.” Six minutes or more and you’re entering zombie territory. Also, Zyanya can’t knock out all five awakened Lords of Night in one fell swoop. She needs at least a ten-minute rest between each.
Unless she receives a massive boost of energy from a powerful source, that is. But the last time we checked, the hardware store was all out of dark magic-infused bird feed. There must have been a recent sale . . .
One in the Hand
Even if Zyanya has been completely safe and sound since her last interaction with Ren, who can say their reunion will be totally amicable? After all, unforeseen trips to the underworld have a tendency to change people.
When they first met, Zyanya was able to discern Ren’s inner magic. Shadows recognize each other, after all. But if Ren is supposed to be the queen of the Lords of Night, then we can assume she’s much more than a shadow bruja.
With both her shadow magic and her time rope missing, there’s never been a better time for Ren’s hidden powers to emerge.
We just worry that, if the rumors are true, Ren’s powers may inadvertently place her on the opposing side of her feathered friend. Or at least she might start looking at Zyanya with new eyes.
Hungry eyes.
Live by the Sword, Fly by the Sword
And yet, no matter the danger, we can always expect Zyanya to face her enemies head-on. Even if she does need to be dragged flapping and screaming.
If you can deal with her sass and her fussiness (and keep the noise down when she’s resting), Zyanya can be a very powerful ally. Her services don’t come cheap, though.
In fact, she may ask you to make a promise in exchange for her help. A promise to destroy the famously un-destroyable Obsidian Blade so she can finally enjoy her freedom.
Perhaps you’ve heard of it? The ancient, magical, forbidden Obsidian Blade. Just so you know, dozens of people have promised to free Zyanya, but so far none have followed through on it. And those who fail her could be put into a forever sleep. With the added bonus of horrifying, endless nightmares.
Although, considering all the insults and put-downs we have to deal with while we’re awake, how bad can those nightmares really be?
Want to see if Zyanya will finally get the opportunity to fly free? Find out in Dawn of the Jaguar: A Shadow Bruja Novel by New York Times best-selling author J.C. Cervantes, on sale now!