It was almost finished. The groove encircled the rim and Dr. Smith had bored a round hole through the middle of the wood, both sides of which he beveled on the corner of the stone bench. He put his forefinger through the hole to check the smoothness and then spun it with the other hand. It rotated freely and was well-balanced. He took it off his finger and looked at it with a certain pride. He had never made a pulley-wheel before.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZxxlUVrJiU
He became aware of being watched and looked up. Zuma was standing a few yards away. He stood up and she came over to him.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9SghgXGfzN
"I have spoken to Tetzal and he went to see Nenetl," she said.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvAw5JO2GeD
"Thank you, my dear," Dr. Smith replied.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAamVI0jyfy
Zuma looked at the pulley-wheel. "Is it finished?" she asked.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdx7aW1eXSq
"Almost."363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpj9ru8Cn6e
"As is our time together, beloved." Tentatively she touched the pulley-wheel. "I do not understand its purpose but I have always known that it would take you away from me."363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpipJs2oKIV
Dr. Smith put it in his pocket and took her hands in his. "I am very sorry, my dear," was all he could say, and to ignore it would be to deny that which I was; the High Priest of Knowledge."363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNIoDoSS2qa
Zuma looked at him sharply. "You are no longer that?" she asked.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJXDW23g2QV
He shook his head. "I have lost faith in Huitzilopochtli and in our traditions."363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMHeEtEbafD
"Then your tragedy is far greater than mind," Zuma said. "Your whole life has been devoted to the temple. Mine has encompassed but a few days." They walked along the path leading to the garden door.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhbWkbJvhrA
"We have known each other in trust for many years and I have sought your counsel frequently, Zuma," he admitted. "Maybe in another nation you would have been the High Priest of Knowledge and I, a seller of vegetables."363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCaVYoEH7zw
She smiled at the concept.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡikAiBesQQe
"Now, I with you to do something for me to assist them," he continued and took a gold medallion and chain from around his neck. "Behold, the title to my dwelling-place and all I own therein." He put it in her hand. "Tomorrow, while Yaotl prepares the Perfect Victim for sacrifice, the handmaiden and the warrior, Don, will be brought together under guard before they are escorted to the temple for their punishment." 363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEHAVpviH2n
He squeezed the medallion in her hand. "Give that to the guard so that he turns his head away while you conduct the girl, as if for punishment, to the temple.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaFHC3CwjjK
"And Don, the warrior?" Zuma asked.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMfGSiEH5fH
Tetzal smiled. "I am sure he will accompany you," he said.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG4syWWVzvA
"I shall do it," Zuma relied, and then asked Tetzal about himself.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3tLNGvVrOA
"You have nothing. What will you do? Where will you go?"363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0F1Sck8drY
"Into the wilderness, Zuma," he said. "There I will seek the truth of Quetzalcoatl."363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ90gIRYuRQq
"When?"363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUcE6lpy4Y6
"Now," he replied. "What better time?" He laid his posy of flowers on a bench and walked out of the garden.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxNuUrwv5UM
Zuma thought to return to Dr. Smith and tell him about the medallion but decided that had that been Tetzal's wish, he would have spoken to her in Dr. Smith's presence. So she picked up Tetzal's posy as a memento and went home.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe8YAfguWfN
With the dawn came tension as the Aztecs watched the sun begin the journey across the clear blue sky to its zenith, when all knew day would become night. In their minds was one question, would Huitzilopochtli accept the sacrifice of the Perfect Victim and give them back his light, which was their life, or would they be left to die in eternal darkness? Families stayed in their homes until the appointed hour when they would be summoned to the temple square to pay reverence to the Perfect Victim and, in fear and trembling, worship their sun god.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkld118Mfds
The door of Don's dark, cramped barracks cell was opened by an armed warrior and the daylight flooded in. Don blinked several times when went outside where a second warrior pointed with his cudgel towards the Chosen Warrior's courtyard. Don walked through the passageway and wondered if this would be his final encounter with Yaotl, if he would have a small red circle painted over his heart and have a javelin hurled at it as if he were a life-size clay model. To his shock he was directed to his old quarters where two warriors stood at either side of the entrance. He went inside and Penny, guarded by another warrior, threw herself into his arms.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7zLWoIWky5
"What's going to happen to us, Don?" she asked in desperation.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuR5EoAp1mz
"They're going to take us to the temple,' Don replied, "and you know what that means, don't you?"363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPwY3pB2oIK
"Horrible things!" She sounded terrified.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkJahUOZid3
"No, the four of us will be together again," Don said reassuringly, "and thinking about it overnight I've come to the conclusion that Ollin and his friends are no match for Dr. Smith."363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMCvrjnOdzF
Across the courtyard in Yaotl's quarters the Perfect Victim waited in impatient, drugged euphoria for his deification. His body had been washed and perfumed, his garments were radiantly white, his plumed helmet extravagantly colorful and in his hands he held an exotic posy of flowers and a fly-swatter.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6hGp2rjDqO
Yaotl came from his bedroom wearing the Chosen Warrior's full ceremonial dress. "It will be my privilege as leader of our armies to escort you, O' Perfect Victim, to your glory," he intoned.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM4NHm6RhJY
The Perfect Victim smiled. "May victory always sit upon your shoulders," he replied.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBoIW53YQRy
Tlaqui waddled in. "Let the procession begin," he said. "The avenues are lined."363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4nKnzGDPVi
Yaotl looked at Tlaqui sharply. "And what of the girl and my challenger?" he asked.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn3U8rPB4v0
"They shall follow at a distance and by another way so that the Perfect Victim's path to the temple is not defiled before the sacrifice," Tlaqui replied.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFDVNlLSKou
"They should go first," Yaotl argued.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB5JmFzuK4P
"The High Priest of Sacrifice does not wish it," Tlaqui said. "They follow the Perfect Victim, but will be punished first. I shall instruct the guard," he added and made his way across the courtyard to give explicit instructions to the warrior accompanying Penny and Don about the route he should take to the temple. Then Tlaqui hurried away so as not to miss his moment of reflected glory.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Is3q2CsSy
The Aztecs watched in awed silence as the Perfect Victim walked slowly along the broad, warrior-lined avenue towards the pyramid and the temple. On one side of him was Tlaqui, supposedly gazing intently at his posy but his eyes flicked from side to side at the crowd as he tried to gauge the impression that he was making. On the other side of the Perfect Victim was Yaotl, proudly carrying a gold-studded cudgel, the insignia of the commander of the Aztec armies. But despite the solemnity of the moment, every few seconds someone in the crowd would shield their eyes and look up apprehensively at the sun blazing down on them.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaVSkD4TEGD
Zuma hurried across the deserted barracks courtyard and went through the passageway. The two warriors outside Don's quarters saluted her as she passed them as did the third one inside.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5OYzWjk3AQ
"What brings you here, Zuma?" he asked.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrZbPJd2x2V
"I have been instructed by the High Priests to escort Nenetl's handmaiden to the temple," she answered.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoFr00ggVKb
The warrior glanced at Don. "What of him?"363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCdD8z5xRb9
"You, alone, will escort him. So dismiss the others," she replied.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9J6uiru3F6
"That I cannot do," the warrior said warily. "It would exceed my authority."363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9uMEAADVUY
Zuma explained that on the day of a perfect sacrifice the High Priests wanted as little attention as possible drawn to them on the streets. The warrior conceded that 363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUQh0VPrBAJ
Tlaqui had ordered him to take a different route to the temple. Zuma held up the medallion.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd2evKROc89
"Tetzal himself told me to give you this proof that I express his wishes."363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd1gH8kB2JO
The warrior took it from her and studied both sides.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhEwSS2Witb
"It is the title to his dwelling and all his possessions," he exclaimed.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAyWSlGVtzF
"Who holds it, owns them," Zuma hesitated and then pointed at Don. "Well, until you deliver him to the temple."363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfixliWAGkp
The warrior chuckled, went outside and sent the other two warriors off to watch the sacrifice. Don gave Zuma a thumbs-up sign and had the impression that she understood.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDTaT0grnLe
"Mine until we reach the temple," the warrior repeated, shaking his head in amusement as he came back inside. It was the final coherent thought he was to have for some considerable time, as Don laid him out cold with a devastating chop on the base of his neck.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBNFxLjaSTm
"I shall escort you to the temple," Don said. He went into the bedroom, took a warrior's half-masks and put it on his head. "We overheard the route to take, didn't we, Penny?" he added as he came back to them.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCZjSxJBoP8
Penny picked up the medallion. "We must take this back to Tetzal."363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxAj1Jby1rp
"Leave it," said Zuma. "Tetzal has gone."363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0RFZn2e7iK
Dr. Smith had placed his pulley-wheel beside the strip of silk behind the curtain and made Ann stand on the throne, her arms stretched up above her head with the coiled snake bracelet held between her hands. He made a few mental calculations.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡURtXc0E8Oz
"Exemplary, my dear," he said. "You may come down now."363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMhH0IJbGhG
Ann, with less than godlike grace, clambered off the throne, though in the final stages Dr. Smith did offer her his hand. "As soon as Don and Penny are here," he said, "you must insist that Tetzal has them released."363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLDZLFA6R01
"Dr. Smith, this temple will soon be lined with warriors and Ollin will be present," Ann replied. "Do you believe Tetzal will be on our side?"363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAs9TH5HPzU
"I'm not a bad judge of character," Dr. Smith said haughtily, "and Tetzal will do all he can to help us. I will do the rest."363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOKK6j6RUEU
"But your plan can't work," Ann protested. "We won't escape. They'll stop us."363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwsjyA6K33Y
Dr. Smith was aggrieved. "My dear Miss MacGregor, the Aztecs will be preoccupied with their God, their human sacrifice, and an eclipse," he said. "What we do will be of no consequence to them."363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6XHbM3AMps
"I'll keep my fingers crossed," Ann replied without conviction.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6omcwjf0RV
They heard footsteps coming up the stairs.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQQdFwv5N62
"Hide!" said Ann and Dr. Smith ducked behind the brocade curtain of the alcove.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡANznTYB7zk
Ollin limped into the temple, a razor-sharp obsidian knife in his hand. Behind him came twenty warriors armed with javelins. Ann watched them from the throne as they took up their positions along the walls. Olln sidled over to her.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMGW7ael8f4
"The procession has started," he snarled. "The sacrifice awaits you."363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIUs9Bjm973
"Where is the High Priest of Knowledge," Ann asked.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnKEH9BEybh
"He is gone." Ollin spat out the sentence.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnDlCEee9dk
"Where to?" Ann snapped back.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGvFbvfvhts
"Who can say?" Ollin waved his arms. "Into the wilderness, perhaps."363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYYi4KIT0mf
"You've killed him." Ann's voice was cold and accusing.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvHZGloOJ5Z
Olln shok his head. "I did no such thing," he hissed. "You destroyed his faith in Huitzilopochtli. Tetzal will never return."363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCK8mGaLwpT
363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcyu2Mq2qRR
