Doctor Who: Target - Novelisations [088] - The Aztecs by John Lucarotti

Author:John Lucarotti
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: Science-Fiction - Doctor Who
ISBN: 9780426195887
Publisher: Target Books
Published: 1984-10-14T23:00:00+00:00

9

Bride of Sacrifice

Ian went up the temple stairs two at a time. He wore his Chosen Warrior’s loincloth and embroidered cloak, as well as a plumed battle-mask in hammered silver which concealed the upper half of his face. The temple guards saluted him and one drew back the brocade curtain to let him pass.

Barbara was standing on the terrace looking down at the city. She was startled when Ian came towards her, not certain for a moment whether it was him or Ixta. Ian lifted his mask and Barbara sighed with relief before frowning. ‘You shouldn’t be up here. It’s too dangerous,’ she said anxiously.

Ian dismissed her fears with a downward wave of his hand and remarked lightly that, for all the guards knew, he could just as easily have been Ixta.

Barbara wasn’t convinced. ‘I still think it was reckless of you.’

Ian led her to the back of the temple behind the throne. ‘I came here to warn you,’ he confided. ‘About what?’

‘That’s the problem, I don’t know. But I’m convinced that Tlotoxl and Tonila are cooking up something against you.’

Barbara was surprised. ‘Tonila? I didn’t realise he was on Tlotoxl’s side. Our High Priest of Sacrifice seems to have the knack of bringing people round to his way of thinking,’ she added ruefully.

‘That’s where you’re wrong, Barbara,’ Ian replied. ‘They’re all on Tlotoxl’s side.’

‘What about Autloc?’she asked.

‘What about him?’ Ian shrugged. ‘He’s reasonable, cultured, civilised in himself, but he goes along with Tlotoxl. You saved my life, Barbara, not Autloc. He would have let me die.’

‘I’m not so sure that he would now.’ She did her best to sound convincing as she told Ian about her last conversation with the High Priest of Knowledge.

Ian shook his head. ‘Cometh the crunch, Barbara, he’ll behave like an Aztec.’ Ian was adamant. ‘You can’t fight a whole way of life.’

Barbara turned away. ‘First from the Doctor, now from you,’ she laughed mirthlessly. ‘But there’s such nobility in them,’ she protested, ‘that I want to do something to save them from destruction.’

‘There’s only one thing to be done,’ Ian said quietly to her back, ‘get back into that tomb and leave them alone.’ Barbara heard faint footsteps on the stairs. Someone’s coming up,’ she whispered, ‘hide.’

Ian dashed to the curtain behind which he and Ixta had held the Rain God victim. He ducked into the alcove, holding one slit of the curtain open with a finger so that he could see Barbara, who had taken her place on the throne. He heard Tlotoxl’s shuffling gait as he limped over to the throne with Tonila at his side, holding a goblet.

‘We greet Yetaxa,’ Tlotoxl said ingratiatingly. ‘What do you want?’ Barbara asked coldly.

Tlotoxl gestured to Tonila and himself. ‘We come before the Great Spirit in all humility,’ and they both bowed.

‘Quiet words do you credit.’ Barbara’s eyes and mind were alert for any indication of danger.

Tlotoxl stretched out his arm in a gesture of despair. ‘Have we not both spoken harsh words and had

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