Aztec Gold Read Online Free PDF Page A

assume you are more comfortable in this than our Nahuatl tongue.”
    With a deferential nod, she said, “I am comfortable in either, but my team prefers English if that does not bother you.”
    “What difference the language of one conqueror over another?” he said to her in English spiced with the exotic qualities of both his Spanish and Nahuatl tongues.
    “Very true, but we are not here to conquer—”
    “You are here for your friends and for the City of Gold, but I doubt that you will find either,” he said and increased the pace of his strides, almost racing down the path leading to the village.
    She and Hernandez chased after him. “Is there some rush, Mr.—”
    “Just call me Yolotli Yaotl. I no longer answer to any of the colonial names with which my spirit was imprisoned.”
    “Heart of the Warrior,” she said, translating his name. “Why do I sense that you are not happy with—”
    He stopped short, nearly causing Hernandez, who was following close behind him, to run him over. From behind Cynthia, Dani jostled her thanks to the abrupt stop.
    The Mexica leader faced her and the only emotion evident on the broad planes of his face was fear. “There is talk from the other nearby villages that there is unrest in la selva del diablo . My people fear that the unrest has something to do with your friends. That if you stay here too long, the troubles will spread to Quetzalxochitl .”
    She shot a look over her shoulder at Dani and then back to Hernandez before addressing Yolotli Yaotl once again. “Do you believe our friends are alive?”
    “Pity them if they are. Now hurry. You must be safely settled before night comes.”
    With a quick burst of speed, the calpulli rushed ahead down the dirt path, leaving her staring at his retreating back.
    “What do you make of that?” Dani asked as she swung around and took a spot beside Cynthia for the remainder of the short walk to the village.
    Booth leaned forward, sticking his shaggy-haired head between them. “I think that he believes Santiago and the rest would be better off dead than being held captive by whatever has them.”
    “You mean ‘whoever’ has them?” Rogers said, jostling Booth aside with an elbow and earning a shove back from the younger and slightly homophobic curator.
    “Boys,” Dani admonished, a chuckle escaping her before Cynthia shot the two men a warning glare.
    “I would suggest you keep your antics under control. Once we leave here, we need to be alert.”
    “Who died and made you boss?” Booth chided with a boyish grin that made it hard to get mad.
    Rogers mumbled his acknowledgement and then rushed ahead to join Hernandez and the guides much as he had for most of the journey.
    Cynthia hadn’t known what to expect once they reached the heart of the village. She had hoped for some friendliness, but what they got was a guarded reception from the settlers who were obviously leery of any outsiders. They apparently had an ongoing battle with the Mexican government about the lands on which they had staked a claim. Because of that, they viewed outsiders as potential spies who would report back any problems that the government could use against them.
    Possibly due to the villagers’ suspicions, Cynthia’s group was shown to a clearing far off to one side of the settlement where they pitched their tents and made camp for the evening. As night fell and they gathered around a small campfire to cook some food, some of the more friendly villagers ventured over with fruits and freshly made txalcalli , a corn pancake similar to modern-day tortillas. But after the exchange of food and some pleasantries, the villagers hastily fled back to their homes, murmuring concerns about being out too late at night.
    Cynthia tried not to read too much into their fears. It was impossible, however, to forget the calpulli ’s comments about Rafe as night fell.
    Almost complete darkness swallowed them up except for the flickering golden light from the