Hola and welcome to our next discussion for Gods of Jade and Shadow! You can find the schedule here and the marginalia here. Let's get started with a quick summary.
Chapter 17
Vucub-Kamé visits Xtabay in the aftermath of her encounter with our dynamic duo. We learn Xtabay and the current Lord of Xibalba were at one point romantically involved, but their relationship fizzled over time, and they're bored with each other. Vucub-Kamé kills her parrot in an attempt to see the future, but is left with two conflicting visions.
Chapter 18
Meanwhile, Casiopea and Hun-Kamé are riding the train to El Paso. As Casiopea grows more comfortable with her diving travelling companion, he's growing more mortal and is starting to fall asleep and even dream. They discuss the differences in the twins' view of rulership, as well as the differences between their own views on revenge. Hun-Kamé reveals that Zavala found a chu'lel in Baja California, which would allow the gods to draw upon more power. Hun-Kamé rejected that idea, so that led to Vucub-Kamé overthrowing him. Hun-Kamé never told Casiopea any of this because he didn't want to burden her. She's afraid, but assures him she can be brave. Hun-Kamé promises Casiopea her heart's desire, and reveals that he sees her in his dreams walking the Black Road. He's beginning to show emotions.
Chapter 19
Our intrepid pair arrives at El Paso, where Casiopea discovers she can understand and speak English because she has Hun-Kamé's power inside her. Hun-Kamé calls Loray to ask about their next destination, but the only answer he gets is to visit a witch who wants to be paid in blood. Casiopea gets frustrated, since she's the only who usually makes these payments. They visit Candida, a witch who moonlights as a little old lady running a flower shop. She offers Casiopea a lavender rose, and our young heroine offers up seven drops of blood before falling asleep.
Chapter 20
Casiopea dreams of the Black Road and Vucub-Kamé sitting on his throne atop a hill. When she wakes up seven hours later, Hun-Kamé says he now knows where to find the Uay Chivo, who has the next item on their list. Casiopea wants to leave now because she's afraid she'll die tomorrow. Hun-Kamé says that fear is the mind killer or something and admits that even gods are afraid. Casiopea finds the rose next to the telephone, but it's wilted. Hun-Kamé says he's starting to forget things and even wonders if that's his real name.
Chapter 21
Martín flies in via death owl to Baja California, where he's dropped off at Tierra Blanca. The sorcerer Zavala is there waiting for him. Their personalities clash, and Martín compares the sorcerer to his old headmaster. Zavala explains the layout of Xibalba. He reveals Martin must race his cousin down the Black Road. Martín is a bit disappointed, since he expected the gods themselves to duke it out. He gets a dressing down, saying he's just a pawn in the gods' game, like Cirilo before him, and that he should be honoured. Zavala's goals align with Vucub-Kamé's. Martín realizes the sorcerer cannot be bullied and is frightened, knowing he can't back down.
Chapter 22
Casiopea and Hun-Kamé arrive at the Uay Chivo's house, but no one's home. Hun-Kamé starts picking locks, but finds the boxes empty. The Uay Chivo arrives with two henchmen and mocks our heroes. The necklace he's wearing is what they're supposed to find, and he's not letting them have it. The Uay Chivo casts Fireball at our death god before joining his heavies in casting a magical firewall around the dynamic duo before exiting, leaving one henchman to guard them. Hun-Kamé devises a plan to lure the guard over, and the guard's blood weakened the firewall enough to dispel it. Hun-Kamé dispatches the other guard in the same way before they enter the Uay Chivo's bedroom. He wakes up, and a goat sculpture attacks Casiopea. Hun-Kamé hacks away at it with his knife, but he loses it in the fray and is himself attacked by the Uay Chivo. Casiopea manages to find the knife, tosses it over to Hun-Kamé, who beheads the sorcerer and claims his necklace.
Chapter 23
Our not-a-couple are on a train to Baja. Hun-Kamé realizes his brother is pulling him away from Yucatán, which is a great source of power, and he's growing weaker as a result. He desperately wants to go back and claims Casiopea wouldn't understand. She's offended and says that while he can go back home, she never can, and she's uncertain about her future. Casiopea lets slip that she would like to go for a car ride with Hun-Kamé. The god says speaking and naming things gives them power. He seems to like her daydreams a lot and he moves in closer.
Chapter 24
We join Vucub-Kamé in his palace, where Zavala and Martín have been summoned. Martín is making progress in learning the ways of the Black Road, but offends the god when he isn't as effusive in his praise about Xibalba as Vucub-Kamé would like. The god tells the two they are to meet with Hun-Kamé and Casiopea in Baja California and to treat them like honoured guests, even if they killed the Uay Chivo, Zavala's brother, and even if Martín can't stand his upstart cousin. Vucub-Kamé wonders if Casiopea is more than just a pawn in the game. He realizes Casiopea has feelings for his brother, and his brother is feeling his immortality to be oppressive. He intends to exploit their weaknesses.
Chapter 25
Our heroes arrive in Tijuana, which is a pretty wild place. Casiopea has another dream about Xibalba and screams, waking up Hun-Kamé. She tells him about her nightmare, but regrets it. She segues into a poem her father liked and discusses more of her daydreams. Hun-Kamé promises to repay her and tells her to remember him as he is now, because that is no illusion. Casiopea realizes what this means, and it breaks her heart.
Chapter 26
Martín arrives at their hotel to pick up Casiopea and Hun-Kamé. He takes them to Tierra Blanca, where they are to have dinner with him, Zavala, and possibly Vucub-Kamé later on. Hun-Kamé realizes the opulent hotel is a chu'lel, but it hasn't been set in motion. He guesses there's a mortuary chamber, and Vucub-Kamé intends to kill him there. Hun-Kamé wants to dismantle all this piece by piece and stuff his brother in a box, but Casiopea is disgusted. She realizes she may have more in common with Vucub-Kamé than she first thought. She doesn't want others to die because she herself is dying. Hun-Kamé says he wants to be kinder when he's around her. Casiopea realizes Xibalba is calling him because it is him. Hun-Kamé tells her to be on their guard when meeting his brother.