A girl with a magical necklace has fallen into the Underworld, except Itzel doesn’t belong in the Land of the Dead for one simple reason: she’s not dead. But she’s not leaving without her grandmother, even if she has to cheat death to do it.


The New Xibalba

 

“From shadow, we shall make a new Xibalba—with sun and moon, with trees and fields—and let no trace nor stench of its former lord endure.”

— Kukulkan, King of the Gods

“And I shall provide the perfume.”

— Ek Chuah, Merchant God

 

Cast of Characters

 

Itzel


A brave and determined girl who refuses to accept loss, diving into Xibalba to bring her grandmother home… no matter the cost.

 
 

Quashy


A mischievous coati with a magical, ever-stretching tail and a habit of stealing anything that isn’t nailed down.

Snake-stick


A curious magical staff that can twist, slither, and transform, communicating only through hisses and flicks of its tongue.

 
 

Bright Macaw


A dazzling, sharp-tongued macaw whose feathers blaze like the sun… and who never lets anyone forget it.