Free Doctor Who: The Aztecs by John Lucarotti Page B

Yetaxa not to punish the High Priest for his misgivings.
    ‘This draught is symbolic of the blood of Huitzilipochtli.’ Tlotoxl took the goblet from Tonila and held it up in front of Barbara. ‘Let us share it in reverence.’
    Barbara took the goblet from him and raised it to her lips. Behind the curtain Ian held his breath and tensed his muscles, ready to dash out to knock the goblet from her hands before she drank. Tlotoxl and Tonila watched her intently.
    Then, she hesitated, smiledand held out the goblet to the High Priest. ‘If you now acknowledge my divinity, then first both of you must drink in reverence to me,’ she shot a quick glance at Tonila who averted his eyes, ‘and then I shall drink in reverence to Huitzilipochtti for us all.’ She stood and thrust the goblet at him. ‘Drink,’ she commanded.
    The High Priest took a step backwards. Barbara came down from the dais and turned to Tonila. ‘You’ll sip it in reverence to me, won’t you?’
    The balding, pudgy little priest shook his head and edged his way towards the curtained entrance to the temple. Holding the goblet at arm’s length, Barbara went with him. As he reached the curtain Barbara looked at him icily. ‘You defile this temple. Get out of my sight.’ She threw down the goblet, which smashed at his feet, and Tonila fled.
    Barbara turned back to face Tlotoxl who looked at her apprehensively. ‘Well?’ Her voice was expressionless. ‘We meant only to test you’
    ‘With poison’ Still she betrayed no emotion.
    ‘Yetaxa would have lived as true Gods are immortal’ ‘Well, I would have died.’
    Tlotoxl’s eyes widened in triumph.
    ‘I am not Yetaxa.’
    He pointed at her. ‘False! You are a false God. As I have known since first I saw you.’
    ‘And who will believe you?’ Barbara’s eyes hardened. ‘I warn you, Tlotoxl. Say one word against me to the people and I shall have them destroy you. Now, go.’ The High Priest of Sacrifice stared malevolently at her for a few seconds. Barbara met his eyes with a steady gaze, then he muttered the word 'false' again, and limped from the temple.
    As soon as he was gone Barbara began to tremble. Ian came quickly from behind the curtain and put his arms around her. Barbara closed her eyes. ‘W-w-we m-mmust get away, Ian; she stammered, ‘I can’t p-pl-play this r-r-role much Ion-longer.’
    ‘We will, Barbara, we will,’ he reassured her, but he didn’t know how they would do it.
    It was early afternoon. The two High Priests and Tonila had eaten their mid-day meal of roast pheasant, hot spicy pancakes, and fruit, all of which had been prepared by the women who served in the temple. The three of them sat on cushions around the table rinsing their hands in the finger bowls which had been placed in front of them.
    ‘What progress do our pupils make at the seminary, Tonila?’ Autloc dabbed his mouth with a dampened corner of his napkin.
    ‘All are diligent in their studies,’ Tonila replied. ‘And Yetaxa’s handmaiden?’ Autloc asked.
    Tonila raised his arms. ‘Her intelligence far exceeds that of the others. And she has knowledge of things known only to the Priests,’ he added, clearly impressed.
    ‘But are you surprised? She also serves the Gods,’ Autloc reminded him.
    ‘Other Gods than ours,’ Tlotoxl growled.
    Autloc sighed and asked when the High Priest of Sacrifice would cease to doubt Yetaxa’s divinity. ‘Never, for I know she is false,’ he snapped, and was on the point of telling Autloc about the poison but realised that they had tried to give it to her without his knowldge. ‘She has come amongst us, intent on destroying us.’ He slammed his fist onto the table. ‘Or saving us,’ Autloc replied quietly as he stood up and went to his cell to rest.
    Tlotoxl flicked crumbs of food off the table. ‘Do you share Autloc’s conviction?’ he asked Tonila.
    ‘I do not know to whom I should listen.’ Tonila nervously remembered the goblet exploding, splashing