Breath of the Feathered Serpent (18 page)

“Automaton one, increase pressure.”

Adam tensed at Stone’s words, but it was Mecatl who groaned. Fear was a cold, hard knot in Adam’s stomach. If he’d been held by a man of flesh and blood, he’d stand a chance of escape. He tried to move, but the grip never faltered. His legs kicked in futility at unforgiving metal.

“It would seem the Indian has temporarily lost his voice. Let’s see if we can get a better response from the marshal. Number two, increase pressure.”

Even knowing it was coming and tensing his body, the tightening of the grip around his chest made Adam’s eyes widen as he struggled to draw a full breath. He thought he heard his ribs groan in protest as they were squeezed. Black and white spots filled Adam’s vision as he wheezed, drawing air into his lungs.

For a minute or two there was nothing. No movement, no sounds. It was as if time ground to a halt. The door of the house flew open, and Elijah ran forward with the statue in his hands.

“Don’t hurt them anymore, please. Take me. I’ll be your hostage...” Elijah yelped and staggered as a shot rang out.

“No.” The sound was little more than a whisper of breath from Adam as he saw the blood on Elijah’s thigh. He closed his eyes, praying for the miracle.

“No shooting!” Stone bellowed. “Any man that opens fire I’ll kill personally.”

“The Breath of Quetzalcoatl. It answers him.” Mecatl’s voice was weak but audible.

Adam’s eyes snapped open. Elijah still stood in the center of the yard, but his attention was completely focused on the statue Elijah held. A faint blue mist gathered around the head of the serpent.

“Can’t be,” Adam whispered. It was a story, a fantasy. It couldn’t be real. Could it?

“Quetzalcoatl answers him.” Mecatl’s voice sounded stronger as if he drew strength from the events unfolding.

Adam could do nothing but stare as the mist coalesced into blue light that headed toward him. The light split into two and hit the arms of the automatons holding him and Mecatl.

Adam waited for the either the other-worldly light or the machine to kill him. Instead, the mechanical grip relaxed until the robotic arms fell to the automaton’s side. As Adam dropped to the ground, he saw the light in the machine’s eyes had gone out. It had deactivated. He swiveled, ready to face Stone, and shuddered.

The blue light enveloped Stone, whose eyes bulged from their sockets. His mouth was open wide in a silent scream, but only a hideous gurgling sound could be heard. For a second or two, Stone seemed to glow. The light vanished, and he dropped to the ground.

Adam darted forward and grabbed Stone’s gun. He was ready to shoot, but Stone’s men were already retreating. The death of their boss, in such a gruesome and unnatural manner, was clearly more than enough for them.

He took a deep breath, glad to be able to breathe freely. Then he took off at a run to where Elijah swayed, the young man’s eyes still fixed on the statue.

“Let me take it.” Adam eased it from Elijah’s hands.

Slowly Elijah raised his head and looked into Adam’s eyes. “Did you see?” Elijah whispered. “The Breath. The serpent’s Breath.”

“I saw, beautiful. Let’s get you inside.” Adam didn’t want Elijah dwelling on what happened, especially since Adam couldn’t explain it. “Someone help Mecatl,” he shouted as Ellen and some men from the house ran toward them.

Adam set Elijah down in a chair, and Abe immediately set to tending to the wound on Elijah’s leg.

“Left a nasty graze,” Abe said as Adam looked on anxiously. “Nothing serious.”

Adam let out a deep sigh of relief. He set the statue on the table. It looked innocuous enough now. Just an inanimate statue of a snake inset with precious stones. Adam marveled how something so beautiful could also be so deadly. He’d be happy when it was back in Xipil’s hands.

He knelt at Elijah’s side, brushed back the hair from his face, and kissed him tenderly. “Seeing you out there scared me more than being in that automaton’s arms,” he whispered.

“I couldn’t let you die,” Elijah said. “I couldn’t. Not when there was something I could do to save you.”

“I need to tend to Mecatl, Elijah. Just keep your leg immobile for a while to let the bleeding stop.” Abe patted Elijah’s shoulder and moved to where Mecatl had been laid on the love seat.

Looking around, Adam realized that Mecatl’s men were down on one knee near their captain. They looked at him and Elijah with reverence in their eyes.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Adam grimaced at Mecatl’s stifled groan of pain as he was laid on the bed. He’d been lucky. He’d have bruises galore across his chest and back, but nothing was broken. Adam reckoned the other man had cracked or broken ribs as well as a bullet wound. There was no way Mecatl could take the statue back to Xipil.

“Ask my men for Yaotl,” Mecatl said.

“I’ll go.” Abe hurried out of the room.

Mecatl caught hold of Adam’s arm. “You have the blessing of Quetzalcoatl. You must take the statue to Xipil. It’s what our god wishes. Yaotl speaks English well. He will go with you. He can get you into the palace. We have only two days. There’s no time to waste.”

Abe returned with Yaotl who came into the room and knelt at Mecatl’s bedside. Adam stood by as Mecatl spoke quietly and urgently in his own language and finally touched Yaotl’s shoulder. Yaotl stood and bowed to Adam.

“He is now your man, Adam,” Mecatl said and indicated to Yaotl. “He will obey and protect you as he would me. My papers now empower you, as I was empowered, to do whatever it takes to accomplish your mission, and you have the full authority and protection of Xipil, King of Chimalli.”

“Look, I was meant to go, and given what you and Adam went through, don’t you think that I...” Madison started but was stopped by Mecatl.

“No. I understand why you make the offer, my friend, but Adam was rescued by the Breath of Quetzalcoatl. He has the god’s blessing. He must perform this task.” Mecatl coughed, and Ellen came quickly to his side.

“He needs to rest. Please,” she said and looked imploringly at everyone.

“It’s all right, Mecatl. I’ll go. Madison, I’m fine. I was just bruised by those mechanical men.” He hugged his friend hard and eased back. Madison’s eyes reflected his friend’s concern, and Adam smiled reassuringly. “My worry is leaving a whippersnapper like you in charge of things here. Keep an eye on Elijah for me.” He whispered the last, and Madison nodded.

“Yeah? Well mine is that an old man like you is gonna fall asleep on his horse and tumble off.” Madison patted Adam’s back. “You take care and come back safe.”

Adam nodded, took a deep breath, and turned to Elijah. His lover rose from where he’d been sitting, and Adam’s throat constricted. Tear tracks were visible on his cheeks. Elijah took a faltering step forward, trying to avoid putting too much weight on his injured leg.

“I can still ride,” Elijah said. “I can go with you.” Elijah’s voice cracked, and Adam quickly closed the distance between them.

He enfolded Elijah in his arms and held tight. He kissed the top of his head. “You saved me once. I can’t risk you when you’re already injured. This isn’t going to be an easy ride, and the danger isn’t over. Numa will still try and stop the statue from getting to Xipil. Whatever happens, I want you to remember that I...I love you. I always have, even though I was afraid to say it. I...I just didn’t have anything to offer a man like you except an old, battered body and heart.”

Elijah’s grip around him tightened, but Adam ignored his protesting ribs and happily endured the discomfort without complaint.

“Don’t say things like that,” Elijah whispered. “I love you, too. Please be safe, Adam. Come back to me. I don’t need anything else. Just you.”

For a minute or two, Adam rocked Elijah gently in his arms. In part to let his lover get control of his churning emotions, but also because if this was going to be that last time Adam held Elijah in his arms, he wanted to wring every last sensation and memory from it. He pressed his lips to Elijah’s brow, tasting his skin. He inhaled Elijah’s unique scent, committing to memory the feel of his lithe body. As he released Elijah, he drank in the sight of his beautiful face. These memories would last him a lifetime.

Adam took a step back, grateful to Madison as his friend came over a wrapped his arm around Elijah’s shoulders. Madison met Adam’s gaze squarely, and he knew without doubt that if anything happened to him, Madison would take care of Elijah. Adam tilted his head almost imperceptibly, and Madison copied the action.

Adam looked around at the people in the room. “Look after each other while I’m gone,” he said. He couldn’t trust his voice to say anything more. In just a couple of weeks, these people had all become friends, people that he cared for.

Mitch cleared his throat. “We’ll be fine. Just get that statue to its rightful owner and come back safe.”

With a nod, Adam turned away, picked up the statue in its muslin bag, and walked out of the door without a backward glance. He hurried over to the stable with Yaotl right behind him. Time was against them. They had a long, hard ride ahead, and less than two days to get to Xipil with the statue.

The rest of Mecatl’s men stood around Cinnamon and another horse, both of which had been equipped for the journey. The men fell back, bowing and murmuring in their own language as Adam took his horse’s reins. He looked quizzically at Yaotl.

“They say you have the blessing of Quetzalcoatl. That he has chosen you himself to return the Breath to King Xipil and prevent war.” Yaotl gave a red-toothed grin.

Adam nodded. “Tell them thank you,” he said. The idea of being blessed or chosen by the Aztec god made him feel uncomfortable, but he couldn’t deny what his own eyes had seen. Nor could he forget the choked scream he’d heard from Stone when the eerie blue light had enveloped him. He’d be more than happy to get rid of the strange artifact. He tucked the statue securely in his saddle bag and mounted Cinnamon.

“For King Xipil and the Breath of Quetzalcoatl,” Yaotl said.

“Let’s ride,” Adam replied.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Adam rode hard and fast, pushing both Cinnamon and himself to the brink of exhaustion. Yaotl kept pace with him. Each hour that ticked by was one that Adam knew brought them closer to war if Numa succeeded.

Finally, they crossed the border, but Yaotl didn’t take them directly to the capital. Instead, he bought a wide hat and colorful wrap for Adam. They then rode a seemingly tortuous route to the capital. Adam was taken through small streets until they reached a small house at the end of a row. Yaotl tethered his horse behind the house and indicated Adam should follow him.

Once inside, Yaotl embraced an older man as Adam removed his hat and wrap. He stood back while the two men conversed quickly and quietly.

“This is my uncle,” Yaotl said. “He has the eyes and ears of an eagle. It won’t be safe to approach the palace openly. You noticed we were followed when crossing the border?”

“I noticed,” Adam said with a nod. “I assume that was the reason for my disguise?”

“Exactly. From what my uncle says, Numa has many spies in the city. Some are open and wear his livery. Others are secret and could be your friend and neighbor that he has paid.”

Adam ran his hand through his hair. “Seems like Numa is ready to do battle even if the statue is returned.”

The old man shook his head. “That he cannot do without incurring the wrath of the emperor. Our emperor has a fondness for Xipil, due the fact they share a preference for a consort rather than a wife. The emperor’s soldiers are as many as Numa’s. But if Xipil fails to produce the Breath of Quetzalcoatl, given all the boasting Numa has done saying the god has abandoned Xipil, then it will be very difficult for the emperor to protect him.”

“Then there’s still a chance if we get this statue back where it belongs.” Adam looked from Yaotl to the older man. “So how do we do this? What about getting into the palace and to Xipil?”

“Openly?” the older man asked and shook his head. “Impossible. Numa’s men have sealed off the entrance to the palace for the protection of all inside. That also ensures no one can put back that which he had stolen.”

Yaotl snorted. “Adam and I have not come this far to be stopped by the likes of Numa.” He looked at Adam with a speculative gleam in his eyes. “Although your eyes are blue, your hair is the right color for one of us. If your skin was a little darker and you kept your head down, no one would look twice at you.”

“Then what?” Adam asked.

“The palace has many secret passages. Some are simply between the rooms while others go to the temple. A few go beyond the palace walls, so that in times of war the royal family can escape to fight again.”

“Fine,” Adam said. “We don’t have much time. Let’s do it.”

Yaotl held up his hands. “First we need to deal with your pale skin.” He grimaced. “My uncle will prepare what’s needed while we spend a few minutes in the steam room.”

Following Yaotl’s direction, Adam stripped and followed him into the
temazcal
. Yaotl scowled at the sight of Adam’s hairy chest.

“We don’t have the time to shave you,” he said. “We’ll just have to keep your chest covered.”

Once Adam was clean and dry, Yaotl and his uncle rubbed colored ointment into his skin. His hair was tied up, and feathers woven into it. By the time he pulled on a
maxtlatl
, Adam was certain his own mother wouldn’t recognize him. He shoved his pistol into the waistband of the
maxtlatl
at the small of his back while Yaotl fastened scabbards to each of his thighs and slid sharp knives in place.

Yaotl eyed him critically. “Silence will be needed. A knife may serve you better.”

“If you say so,” Adam said. “But I’m no expert in using a knife.”

Yaotl smiled. “Quetzalcoatl will guide your hand. To get into the palace, even through the hidden passages, will be dangerous. According to my uncle, Numa has been generous with his bribes to ensure some of my people betray their king. Are you ready, my friend?”

“If we fail and the provinces go to war against us, my friends and family are first in the firing line.” Adam curved his lips in a humorless smile. “Let’s go.”