CHAPTER NINETY NINE – THE MAYA N TEMPLE

At last, as the sun began to dip towards the horizon, painting the jungle in a kaleidoscope of fiery hues, they stumbled into a clearing – and Charlotte's heart leapt into her throat. There, half-obscured by tangled vines and creeping foliage, stood the crumbling ruins of an ancient Mayan temple, its weathered stones etched with intricate carvings and glyphs. "Las ruinas," Tomas breathed, his eyes wide with a mixture of awe and relief. "Lo logramos." Charlotte could only gape at the magnificent sight before them, her weariness momentarily forgotten in the face of such an awe-inspiring remnant of a bygone civilization. Julian, too, seemed struck dumb, his jaw hanging slack as he took in the ancient wonder. "Well, I'll be," he murmured at last, a breathless chuckle escaping his lips. "After everything we've been through, we've actually bloody found the place." As night fell and the jungle grew still and silent around them, Charlotte found herself unable to sleep, her mind awhirl with