In The Noble Disc, the second in The Tale of the Venus Disc, even from the grave, Thomas Brighten refuses to let Carter Boyle live. Only the magic of Witz Balam and the love of those who value Carter's atonement stand in the way.
In death, King Smoke Jaguar becomes the Jaguar Spirit, still a shapeshifting nagual.* Resolved to see Witz Balam renewed and protected, he mauls Thomas Brighten to death, then he mourns his ruined village and now dead subjects.
In the aftermath of the mercenaries’ assault, Appy Apperton gathers his staff for a calming speech. But then the Jaguar Spirit makes a terrifying entrance. Where awe and inspiration were intended, he instead spreads panic.
Once calm returns, Hector launches Witz Balam’s renewal, building huts for the dig staff and also for newcomers who are promised healing with the Noble Discs.
Carter reaffirms his intention to follow young Michael Apperton’s example. Michael knows things: most notably, where to find a cache of more Noble Discs. Carter and Janice Carey prove themselves, undertaking Hector’s most strenuous efforts.
Lou Shelton takes over Primero Travel. Determined to fulfill Brighten’s last wish, he authorizes Schumer to hire two killers who worm their way into Witz Balam: the mysterious O’Kahn and mob bodyguard Shaun Payne.
Pregnant with the twin heirs to the throne, Linda leaves Belize. Her friend Roscoe takes her in, and she enlists Janey to help. All’s well until Schumer finds her and attempts to kidnap her as a bargaining chip to get at Carter Boyle.
Manipulating the Venus Disc transfers Hector to Xibalba. Sitting upon his throne, he watches the ancestor spirits celebrate his ascendency. With a deeper understanding of the Jaguar’s Vision—that “third eye”—he sees the hallway of his mind, where doors open into rooms of thoughts and memories—his and those of others.
The goddess Venus gets involved too, and makes her demands known. With an assist from another god, the "Stinking One," Thomas Brighten’s ghost gets its due.
Will Brighten’s last wish be fulfilled? Can Shelton, Schumer, O’Kahn, and Shaun Payne succeed? Boyle, an admitted murderer, could face death in the states. Does atonement measure up to the losses of his victims’ families?
* In Mesoamerican folklore a nagual is a being who can shift shape into an animal such as a jaguar. A less common spelling is “nahual,” which, based on the word’s roots, may better reflect its pronunciation.
The third book, The Venus Choice, is in outlining. The year is 2012, the year of the baktun in the Maya long count calendar. A New Baktun occurs only every 394 years. The last was in 1618.
Many consider the baktun a time for spiritual renewal and enlightenment. Others believe it to be the end of times. Given the magic of Witz Balam, who knows where the truth lies? The Jaguar Spirit is always lurking; and all of the hallways, of all the minds, are now thought to connect.
Our characters are older now, with the twin heirs becoming 17. There are new characters too, as the village population has grown. Most were terminal but now healed and quite alive. Small groups of high-paying tourists are flown in for the opportunity to learn about the Maya and assist in the excavations if desired.
The preserved remains of the twelve priests and nobles who fell with King Smoke Jaguar are interred in a proper stone structure where even in death they show off their finery.
The excavations have uncovered many of the ancient ruins, and the tower has been rebuilt authentically to carry out its original purpose. The exception is the ground floor, which provides a space where guests may purchase unique and exquisite Maya-made treasures.
The Venus Disc by Christopher Hunt