The story of Sak K'uk, second woman ruler of Palenque (Lakam Ha), takes place during the darkest times in the city's history. She was the daughter of Yohl Ik'nal, first woman ruler, who secured the throne for their family dynasty. Sak K'uk's brother, the current ruler, proved a weak, ineffectual leader. With disgruntled commoners and contentious nobles, it was a set-up for the sneak attack by regional power rival Kalakmul (Kan). A prior Kan attack was successfully repulsed by Sak K'uk's mother, but without her visionary abilities Lakam Ha remained unprepared. The results were disastrous: Kan invaded the heart of Lakam Ha, captured its ruler and desecrated its most sacred shrine. Using dark shamanic spells, Kan destroyed the sacred portal to Gods and ancestors that Lakam Ha rulers relied on.
Sak K'uk's young son, Janaab Pakal, saw the portal collapse. He was an extraordinary child with visionary abilities and uncanny intelligence. Sak K'uk knew that Pakal was destined to ascend the throne and become the greatest ruler of their city. The "axing" of Lakam Ha during the Kan attack changed everything. In the chaos and confusion that followed, both danger and opportunity hovered. The people were leaderless, buildings and shrines were in ruin, crops damaged, and the all-important portal no longer existed.
Sak K'uk was compelled to take action in the face of opposition by ambitious nobles. She needed extraordinary help to master the situation - and she sought it in a desperate vision quest into the Underworld. There she faced fearsome and hungry Death Lords and encountered the Primal Serpent, source of hidden knowledge. With the serpent's help Sak K'uk was propelled up the Jeweled Sky Tree from its Underworld roots to its branches in the Upperworld. In the starry sky of Gods and ancestors, she met Primordial Goddess Muwaan Mat who promised to co-rule with her until Pakal was old enough to accede.
This factually based historical fiction reveals how Sak K'uk and her son Pakal team up to restore the city. Their heroic efforts overcoming challenges and re-establishing communication with the Gods bring you deeply into Mayan esoteric wisdom and shamanic abilities. As Pakal grows into an accomplished young ruler, a strong bond between is forged between them which proves both a blessing and a curse.