Harbinger of the Storm - By Aliette De Bodard Page 0,97
Triple Alliance,” I said. “Our ally since the founding of Tenochtitlan.”
Quenami snorted. “With one of their princesses involved in a plot against the Mexica Empire? Texcoco is a tributepaying province, like the rest of them. It has no business meddling in our politics, and you have no business accepting Nezahual-tzin’s help.”
”For all the help you gave me–”
”I offered,” Quenami said. “I offered and you denied me. You preferred the Texcocan boy.”
“Acatl?” the She-Snake asked. “Is that true?”
It was true. At least, I couldn’t deny it without outright lying, and I refused to sink to Quenami’s level.
My moment of silence must have been all he needed. I saw the She-Snake bow down his head. “Then I’m afraid there is nothing I can do. If they are right…”
They were; and they weren’t. They were the ones endangering the Mexica Empire, the whole of the Fifth World, but there was nothing I could say. “It’s not the point,” I said.
”It’s the point of this audience.” The She-Snake’s voice was almost gentle, an apology. I had missed my chance, if I’d ever had much of one. “To determine your fitness as High Priest.”
”I stand for the Fifth World,” I said. “And for the Revered Speaker, who keeps us safe. What more do you ask for?” I bit my tongue before I could say more.
”Your loyalty.” Quenami’s voice was gleeful. “And it’s clear we don’t have that.”
”Not until the Revered Speaker is elected,” I snapped.
”The charges stand, then,” Tizoc-tzin said.
The She-Snake held my gaze for a while. In his pupils, I saw only darkness, the same yawning abyss that his goddess ruled. “I’m sorry, Acatl. But they do.”
Tizoc-tzin made a quick, peremptory gesture. “Then it’s settled. Treason carries the death penalty.”
”You can’t–” I started, but this time, one of the guards slammed the butt of his macuahitl sword into my back, sending me sprawling to the ground. Now that the She-Snake had joined them, they felt safe to silence me.
”By the flower garland,” Quenami said. I wished I could have smashed the smug smile from his face. “Tomorrow at dawn?”
”Better make it quick.” The corners of the She-Snake’s mouth had curled up in a disgusted smile. “Put an end to the whole sordid business as soon as possible.”
I was hauled up again, all but carried out of the room, to the central platform overlooking the courtyard. The Fifth Sun shone clear and bright on what looked to be my last day in the Fifth World.
The warriors that carried me were halfway across the platform when something leapt up from the stairs, seemingly coming out of nowhere, as black and as sleek as a fish, lifting its wrinkled head towards me, the clawed hand at the end of its tail unclenching, coming straight towards me.
An ahuizotl.
SEVENTEEN
Ahuizotl
“What in the Fifth World is that?” one of the warriors asked, but the ahuizotl was moving again with supernatural speed. Its tail swept down and sent us all crashing down onto the stone floor.
Another one appeared, leapt over us. I lost it from sight, struggling to pull myself upright on shaking muscles. One of the warriors reached out for his macuahitl sword to stop me, but the ahuizotl was on him before he could react, its full weight resting on his chest. The tail uncoiled again, plunging towards the eyes.
I turned my gaze away, even as he started to scream.
The second warrior had his macuahitl sword, was pointing it in my direction. Given my painfully slow speed, I had no hope of avoiding it. I threw myself to the ground nevertheless.
Nothing happened. I felt the wind of something else’s passage and heard the warrior tumble to the ground.
”What is the meaning of this?” Tizoc-tzin asked, from inside.
I crawled away from the scene of the carnage. The ahuizotls watched me – and so did the last thing – the huge, ghostly serpent rearing in the air, drops of water and blood shining on its feathered collar – for a moment only, and then it lunged towards me. I couldn’t avoid it. I remained where I was, fully expecting something unpleasant, but it twisted at the last moment, knocking me off the ground, and before I could understand what had happened, it was under me, its body supporting me as it rose again.
The ahuizotls joined it, framing it like an escort. With a single powerful leap, they leapt up and hung onto the serpent’s tail; and the whole assemblage started to glide upwards at a greater speed than a boat in rapids.