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.388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDZdFRfUWr4
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.388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡySNMQDoriV
"I have spoken to Tetzal and he went to see Nenetl," she said.388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsIij6tAT4r
"Thank you, my dear," Dr. Smith replied.388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHPyclFInjn
Zuma looked at the pulley-wheel. "Is it finished?" she asked.388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQhhkDE5i0M
"Almost."388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWSpCzR40Yt
"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."388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSfwwaGNTcy
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."388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmRpDIaXs9l
Zuma looked at him sharply. "You are no longer that?" she asked.388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLPCpUMZ5FS
He shook his head. "I have lost faith in Huitzilopochtli and in our traditions."388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjFlAenjJ22
"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.388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡam6Us7g2Au
"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."388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6oZECjzrMq
She smiled at the concept.388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtwRnof8J85
"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." 388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb4xOpbwIvb
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.388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwZvHZQXRi4
"And Don, the warrior?" Zuma asked.388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡonxHzh7ren
Tetzal smiled. "I am sure he will accompany you," he said.388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF98zaHnNSa
"I shall do it," Zuma relied, and then asked Tetzal about himself.388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjRWuACfVUx
"You have nothing. What will you do? Where will you go?"388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtzm1myIWy2
"Into the wilderness, Zuma," he said. "There I will seek the truth of Quetzalcoatl."388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU9Qgs1Vw3o
"When?"388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD4cud2yedy
"Now," he replied. "What better time?" He laid his posy of flowers on a bench and walked out of the garden.388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ04Hjqi4ggc
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.388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj2gs0dk3AN
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.388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0IrJPjdSmS
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.388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡliMReiAj1Y
"What's going to happen to us, Don?" she asked in desperation.388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmTb6poOnB0
"They're going to take us to the temple,' Don replied, "and you know what that means, don't you?"388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqJpVZKv0Yb
"Horrible things!" She sounded terrified.388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxtxIau0axA
"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."388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeS7FGIpJQk
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.388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡczGRL7O8EU
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.388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdn4vKHhPjF
The Perfect Victim smiled. "May victory always sit upon your shoulders," he replied.388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmKi39tXUJ2
Tlaqui waddled in. "Let the procession begin," he said. "The avenues are lined."388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd9Bl6BmxRS
Yaotl looked at Tlaqui sharply. "And what of the girl and my challenger?" he asked.388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr75qJCNYIK
"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.388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVtvDYQJ9LE
"They should go first," Yaotl argued.388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuXIcgl0Cx3
"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.388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFJtgqXOtRl
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.388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdKeOtBA0rc
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.388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbzDgsqsNti
"What brings you here, Zuma?" he asked.388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ0eAErg6Sk
"I have been instructed by the High Priests to escort Nenetl's handmaiden to the temple," she answered.388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEVxoIuiG9C
The warrior glanced at Don. "What of him?"388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ97r2grieLM
"You, alone, will escort him. So dismiss the others," she replied.388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf74Adgr3ss
"That I cannot do," the warrior said warily. "It would exceed my authority."388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPbMoCfREwR
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 388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy5Xfo3BxFv
Tlaqui had ordered him to take a different route to the temple. Zuma held up the medallion.388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFr6KY1N5jg
"Tetzal himself told me to give you this proof that I express his wishes."388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXwIXzH9x4M
The warrior took it from her and studied both sides.388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0rqwhw0zd8
"It is the title to his dwelling and all his possessions," he exclaimed.388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRSimCjcBSP
"Who holds it, owns them," Zuma hesitated and then pointed at Don. "Well, until you deliver him to the temple."388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9H92BmXI5w
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.388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoXUSgd7Miu
"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.388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkKneGhtmIj
"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.388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdKOkdgLPQl
Penny picked up the medallion. "We must take this back to Tetzal."388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfD9ueB1x9M
"Leave it," said Zuma. "Tetzal has gone."388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ80DNS2RUxl
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.388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBQ4sv9QjfN
"Exemplary, my dear," he said. "You may come down now."388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUhiahIwe4n
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."388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡamNvoBMe0W
"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?"388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaRlfZji0NW
"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."388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyt0CMF24nO
"But your plan can't work," Ann protested. "We won't escape. They'll stop us."388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEafv25nhqt
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."388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJxEixQDImL
"I'll keep my fingers crossed," Ann replied without conviction.388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6keXmkNKdw
They heard footsteps coming up the stairs.388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡatEGNUW58B
"Hide!" said Ann and Dr. Smith ducked behind the brocade curtain of the alcove.388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEG3OxGYgbK
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.388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHAHd5KGytf
"The procession has started," he snarled. "The sacrifice awaits you."388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsPx0sguBJS
"Where is the High Priest of Knowledge," Ann asked.388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyW4DQwvH09
"He is gone." Ollin spat out the sentence.388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTVUnMhYcWY
"Where to?" Ann snapped back.388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeGt63RnQwv
"Who can say?" Ollin waved his arms. "Into the wilderness, perhaps."388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0hsuYmhg0v
"You've killed him." Ann's voice was cold and accusing.388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi5HBhVT9dE
Olln shok his head. "I did no such thing," he hissed. "You destroyed his faith in Huitzilopochtli. Tetzal will never return."388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNJMsma9d02
388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA9tZjI5T2j
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