The Snake In The Castle

By BL Maxwell

Sixteen-year-old Jayden Sutton is looking forward to time off from school for spring break. Lots of time to sleep-in and take it easy. When a last-minute chance trip to Cancun presents itself, Jayden and his family are all excited to go. The idea of a week at the beach sounds like heaven, and he can't wait to see what else there is to do at the tropical paradise. Hadwin Patil lives in Cancun with his family. His father has passed down his love and knowledge of their Maya heritage, and for Hadwin it's more than a passing interest. When he spots a red-haired boy about his age on a tour of the ancient city of Chichén Itzá, he's drawn to him, and soon they're enjoying the sites together with his unique insights and knowledge. A chance meeting or fate, only the two of them can decide if it lasts longer than Jayden's vacation. A Young Adult novel centered around the Spring Equinox, the magic of Chichén Itzá, and young love.
#younglove #youngadult #friendstolovers #LGBTyoungadult #comingofage

• Language: English
• Publisher: BLMaxwell
• Release date: Nov 14, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223726630

BL Maxwell

BL Maxwell grew up in a small town listening to her grandfather spin tales about his childhood. Later she became an avid reader and after a certain vampire series she became obsessed with fanfiction. She soon discovered Slash fanfiction and later discovered the MM genre and was hooked. Many years later, she decided to take the plunge and write down some of the stories that seem to run through her head late at night when she's trying to sleep.

Book preview

The Snake in the Castle

BL Maxwell

Copyright

The Snake In The Castle

BL Maxwell

Editing provided by AnEdit

Proofreaders: Anita Ford and Nicole Walker

Copyright © 2021 BL Maxwell

All Rights Reserved.

This book may not be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permissions from the author, except for using small quotes for book review quotations. All characters and storylines are the property of the author. The characters, events and places portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.

Trademarks:

This book identifies product names and services known to be trademarks, registered trademarks, or service marks of their respective holders. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of all products referenced in this work of fiction. The publication and use of these trademarks in not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

Warning

Intended for a mature an 18+ audience only. This book contains material that may be offensive to some and is intended for a mature, adult audience. It contains graphic language, explicit sexual content, and adult situations.

Dedication

To all of those that are fascinated by the many secrets of the Maya

If I destroy you, I destroy myself.

If I honor you, I honor myself.

Hunbatz Men, Mayan

Contents

1.One

2.Two

3.Three

4.Four

5.Five

6.Six

7.Seven

8.Eight

9.Nine

10.Ten

11.Eleven

12.Twelve

13.Thirteen

14.Fourteen

15.Fifteen

16.Sixteen

17.Seventeen

18.Eighteen

19.Epilogue

About the Author

Also By BL Maxwell

20.Chapter 20

21.Chapter 21

One

Spring break was finally here, and for a couple of weeks I’d be able to sleep in, play video games, and basically do whatever I wanted . . . as long as I took the trash out and helped around the house. Life was good when you were sixteen and still didn’t have too many responsibilities.

Jayden, get in here and help me with your sister, my mom yelled from the dining room.

One more reason I didn’t have a job; it was my responsibility to help take care of my sister while my mom worked at home. My dad’s office was in the downtown area—he did something to do with farming, but I wasn’t sure exactly what it was. He worked long hours and if my mom had any hope of getting her work done, they needed me to help with Jeanine, my two-year-old sister.

Coming, Mom, I called back as I turned off my game and walked out to the living room.

Jeanine, come on, let’s go build something with blocks and give Mom a break, I said as I scooped her up from where she was hiding under the table my mom was working at. I blew a raspberry on her cheek and carried her into the living room.

Thanks, Jayden, dinner’s ready and your dad should be home anytime, Mom called and waved as she picked up her laptop and moved to work from her office.

So, what should we build today? I asked Jeanine, watching her red curls bounce as she rushed to get the box of big blocks she loved to build with. We’d constructed the same tall tower repeatedly the past few months, but she never got tired of building it up, then shoving it down.

Dis, she said as she handed me a block, and we got busy stacking. I was lost in the routine of it when my dad walked in from the garage.

You’re early today, Mom said, as she stepped out of the office, and kissed him hello.

He rubbed his hands together in excitement and looked at each of us.

I have an announcement.

I stood up from where I was playing with Jeanine, and Mom took her earbuds out.

We’re all going to Cancun. I need to be there for business, and I thought you’d all like to join me. So? What do you think?

For a moment none of us reacted. His excited eyes bounced from Mom to me, and then to Jeanine, who grinned back at him.

Come on, guys, you’re killing me here.

Gary, are you kidding? When do we go? Is it okay to take the kids? Mom asked as she walked over to him and slid her arm around his waist.

Yes, we’re all going. The hotel has a kid’s park or something like that, for small children. Like a daycare. They keep them busy all day. And, Jay, they have a teen club too, you can go on different excursions with a group of kids your own age.

That sounds great to me, Mom said. I can still keep up on my work while you’re out doing your thing, then maybe at night we can have some family time. She smiled.

Sure, whatever you want to do. Once I’m finished for the day, we can go out and have some fun.

So, when is this vacation? I asked. I was excited to go, but I also wasn’t thrilled about missing out on any of the lazy spring break days I had planned.

We leave in a week. They’re ready to book. I just need to confirm then all we’ll need to do is show up. Good thing we already have passports, he mumbled as he explained more of the details to Mom. Hey, Jay, don’t worry, I’m sure you’ll meet other kids and have a great time. Walking into the kitchen he opened the door to the fridge looking for a snack.

Don’t you dare, dinner is done. I was hoping to do a little more work after we’ve eaten. We were just waiting for you.

Great, let’s eat. He rubbed his hands together again, and for a while we all forgot about going to Cancun, but after I went to bed, it was all I thought about. We’d been to Mexico a few times, but never to this area. I looked at photos on my phone of white sand beaches, turquoise water, and Maya ruins. Hopefully there would be time to visit some of them.

I fell asleep to thoughts of snorkeling in beautiful clear water and climbing the steps of an ancient pyramid deep in the jungle. Cancun, here we come.

***

The next morning—well, closer to afternoon, it was the first official day of spring break and no way I was getting up any earlier than I had to—Mom and Jeanine were outside watering the plants in the backyard.

Morning, sunshine, Mom said to me with a grin. Glad to see you decided to enjoy part of the day.

Hey, I’m going to enjoy it as long as I can.

You better, once you have a job those days of sleeping in are over.

I could get a night job, I said as I walked over to sit in one of the patio chairs.

You could. She smiled and moved to the next area to water a plant I’m sure she knew the name of, but I had no clue.

When would we be going to Mexico? I asked.

Your dad will find out more information today at work. Are you excited?

I was looking at all the activities available. It looks pretty cool.

Yeah? What sounds fun?

Snorkeling, the beaches and water are way different than where we’ve gone before. And I didn’t know there were pyramids there. I’d really like to see those if we could.

You know your dad would love that. And Jeanine and I would love to go too, huh, baby? Jeanine now had the hose and was as busy trying to squirt the dogs as they were just as busy trying to avoid her. I met my mom’s eyes and she grinned. Don’t worry, we’ll put her in a stroller.

I’m going to go see what else we can go do while we’re there. I walked back into the house and flopped on the couch. It was hot here in the Sacramento area, but I’d been to Mexico enough times to know it was even more brutal there.

Maybe snorkeling was a better idea than stomping around in the jungle in the heat and humidity. I scrolled through photos on my phone of Chichén Itzá, and the more I looked, the more my curiosity grew. Forget snorkeling, I wanted to climb a pyramid.

Two

Y ou are so lucky! Lance said as he flung a pillow at my head. I’m stuck at home with my little brother all week. Lance