Gods of Jade and Shadow

Casiopea and Hun-Kamé arrive in Veracruz a day before Carnival, a yearly event of fun organized to promote “appropriate” images of how people should act. After securing lodgings, they explore the city and go to a small cafe for dinner. There, Hun-Kamé explains they will find the youngest of the Mamlab by letting him come to them. As an attractive woman, Casiopea will be bait. Casiopea argues she isn’t attractive because of her dark skin and hair—so different from the images of fair, light-haired women the advertisements display as attractive. Hun-Kamé disagrees. Between her looks and the unique scent of his essence about her, she will draw the god because “something powerful and mysterious cannot be ignored” (77).

Enraged at what Hun-Kamé asks of her, Casiopea threatens to leave and cut off her hand to destroy him. Hun-Kamé says doing so would be cowardly and would break the promise she made to help him. Finally, Casiopea agrees because she feels sorry for his isolation. He replies that “we are all alone in the world” (79), but Casiopea doesn’t understand his meaning.

Hun-Kamé will enchant a piece of rope for Casiopea to bind the Mam (singular of Mamlab). He takes her hand, telling her to feel his power flowing through her veins.