Sail With Me (A Discovery Series Book) (23 page)

“What do you mean, we can’t go?” Tizoc’s voice boomed throughout the
house the next morning.

“Aochmin told the emperor of your attempts to stop him from going to the
eastern shores to greet the guests,” Yaoti explained. “Dimazuno has forbidden
you to interfere, Tizoc. We’re lucky that is all he’s done.” Yaoti sat at the
table, a weary look on his face.

“By keeping me here the emperor has forbidden me to protect this city and
our people!” Tizoc shouted. “What about the legend? What about my destiny? Or
do these strange eyes of mine and our mental links mean nothing?”  

I had never seen him so frustrated. He paced the kitchen in long strides,
looking fierce and on edge. Back and forth. Back and forth. Citlali was seated
beside me, her hands clasped in her lap despite Ghost’s efforts to nudge them
aside so he could take up residence there.

“I must talk to the emperor.” Tizoc stopped his pacing for a second.

“
Pilli
,” Citlali began, “you cannot go against the orders of the
emperor. You know that. He could have you imprisoned, regardless of the legend.”

“Which he has never really believed,” Yaoti added. “Dimazuno sees you as
a skilled warrior, Tizoc. Nothing more.”

Tizoc actually growled in response. He looked less like a young man and
more like the tiger his eyes suggested. Every exposed inch of him screamed out,
“Beware!”

“The emperor didn’t say anything about fortifying Ezenoch, did he?”
Daniel leaned against the threshold between the kitchen and the patio, looking
calm in comparison to Tizoc.

A warm breeze filtered in from outside every once in a while. It carried
the mixed scent of a dozen different flowers that grew, so beautifully, in the
courtyard. The thought that all the exquisite magnificence of this city could
be wiped out sent a cold shiver through my body.

“I like the idea of fortifying the city,” Tizoc finally said, looking at
Daniel.

“If we can’t stop them before they get here, maybe we can at least keep
them from getting inside.” Daniel shrugged his left shoulder.

Tizoc chewed on his bottom lip as he soaked in what Daniel had said. “If
the emperor grants the outsiders passage into the city, however, we will have
no choice but to let them in.”

“You can give them accommodations in a location that can be monitored
closely,” Daniel offered. “As you did with us.” He was beginning to sound more
like a soldier than a sailor. After all this time I had spent with him, he
could still surprise me.

“One of the palaces?” Yaoti suggested. “That way they’d be close to where
most of the warriors gather.”

“Yes,
Tahtli,
” Tizoc agreed. “A good idea. I must talk to Zolin
and the others. See what they think as well, for we will be asking them to put
their lives in jeopardy.”

“As all warriors must do.” Citlali’s eyes lingered on her son.

Tizoc turned his gaze to his mother and offered her a solemn look.

“I know,
pilli
,” she continued. “But it is not easy for a mother
to send her only son into danger.”

Citlali stood and crossed the room to Tizoc. He bent low to embrace her,
kissing the top of her head.

“Wherever I go,
Nantli
,” he began, “you are with me. I go to
danger only to protect what I love most.” He looked around the room at
everyone, including Daniel and me.

A single tear rolled down Citlali’s smooth cheek. Tizoc brushed it away
with the pad of his thumb and gave his mother’s hand a final squeeze. Turning
to Daniel he said, “Will you come with me to speak with the warriors?”

Daniel pushed off the threshold and walked toward Tizoc. It warmed me
some to know they were on the same side now.

Yaoti followed Tizoc and Daniel out of the kitchen leaving Citlali and me
alone in the house.

“I see why you love Daniel,” she said. “He is a fine man, like my
pilli
.”

“For two men from different cultures, they have a great deal in common,”
I said.

“That’s probably why they didn’t get along well at first,” Citlali said.
“Although, I think it had more to do with
you
than them.” She winked at
me and patted my hand. “Come,
Cihuapilli
. Let’s retire to our rooms and
get some rest.” She walked past me, a swish of flowing fabrics billowing out
around her.

Scooping up Ghost, I stood and followed her to the stairs. With a kiss on
my forehead, Citlali left me to go to her chambers. I walked toward my own room
but stopped in the middle of the hallway.

Why was I staying behind and
resting
of all things? I had managed
to do a boy’s load of work aboard the
Rose
. Maybe a man’s load. Couldn’t
I do a man’s load of work protecting a city that was becoming more my home
every day? Hadn’t I been bold enough, strong enough, to leave the comforts of a
wealthy house in Southampton to ride across the ocean in search of the
Americas? I could not sit and wait for the outsiders to come.

I had to do
something
.

Quickly making up my mind, I continued to my room, dropped Ghost on the
bed, and rummaged around in the pile of women’s clothing Tizoc’s sisters had
given me. At the back of the collection, I found what I sought. A pair of
breeches I had made a few weeks ago. I hadn’t known exactly why I was making
them at the time. Probably to sell along with the women’s garments and warrior
cloaks I had fashioned. Most of the men did not wear actual trousers in
Ezenoch, but perhaps some of them might like them. Maybe I was making them for
Daniel who had maintained his English style of dress except for trading his
boots for sandals.

Shaking them out now, I knew I had been making them for me.

I shed my dress and slipped on the breeches, tying the cording around the
waist. I selected a sleeveless shirt and tucked the ends of it into my
trousers. After gathering my hair into a tight knot at the base of my neck, I
gave myself a quick glance in the looking-glass.

“Well, hello, Charlie,” I said. “Let’s see what trouble you can get into
now.”

****

It was easy finding Tizoc and Daniel. I had only to link to Tizoc’s mind—something
I could control and do easily now—to know his location. When I arrived at the
armory, I strode into the warrior training circle where Tizoc stopped
mid-sentence to regard me.

“
Cihuapilli
?” He looked at my garb with confusion. “What are you
doing here?”

Daniel grinned at me.

“I’m doing whatever you ask of me.” I stepped closer to the warriors.

“I asked you to stay protected.” Tizoc folded his muscled arms across his
chest.

Again, I glanced to Daniel, who had his left hand in his pocket and his
eyes on me. He wouldn’t stop me. He knew better than that.

“Staying protected doesn’t mean I hide in your house.” I folded my own
arms across my chest, imitating Tizoc’s defensive posture. “I’d much rather
actively
stay protected. I need to do something. I
can
do something.”

Tizoc looked over his shoulder at Daniel who raised his eyebrows. “I’ve
seen her work on the
Rose
, Tizoc. She’s better than half the crew we
sailed with.”

I stepped forward, a little miffed that Tizoc had checked with Daniel,
and grabbed onto Tizoc’s forearms.

I can help you,
I thought. 

Can I talk you out of it?
Tizoc thought back.

No
.

I didn’t think so.

After letting out an exaggerated huff of breath, Tizoc said, “Zolin, it
looks as if we can count on one more warrior among us.”

I released my grip on Tizoc. He ran a long finger down my nose and shook
his head.

“If it gets too dangerous,” he started, “we will—”

“Protect each other any way we can,” Daniel finished, coming to stand
next to me. Slinging his arm around my shoulders, he pulled me close to him,
and I felt invincible.

Tizoc scrutinized me, assessed, decided. “I have a feeling you’d be good
with a bow and arrow.”

Zolin disappeared into the armory. When he returned he held a sturdy
looking bow and a quiver of arrows out to me. I took them, surprised at how
light they were.

“Tochtli is our best archer,” Tizoc said. “He will instruct you.” Tochtli
stepped forward, shouldering his own bow and quiver. “And you…” Tizoc looked at
Daniel.  

Daniel’s jaw tensed as he studied his feet then his empty right sleeve.        

“You have been the brains behind our preparations,” Tizoc said.

Daniel did not say a word, nor did he look up. He jammed his left hand
deeper into his pocket.

“A spear, perhaps?” Zolin held his own out to Daniel. “It can be thrown
and wielded single-handedly. A powerful weapon.”

Slowly raising his head, Daniel leveled his eyes first on the spear then
on Zolin. He curled his fingers around its shaft. The moment his hand connected
with the weapon, a new fire gleamed in his blue eyes.

“This should do.” He tested the feel of the spear as he lifted it then
set it down again. “The rest of you will need shields too. A great many of
them. The Europeans will not be using spears or arrows. They will be firing
guns, meant to kill from a distance.”

“Guns?” Coatl’s dark brows creased as he stood next to Tizoc. “I do not
know this word.”

Tizoc shifted his gaze to Zolin.

“We do.” Zolin pushed aside his vest, exposing a horrid, circular scar on
the left side of his stomach. The skin around it was pocked and discolored. It
did not look as if it had received the proper attention such a wound would
require.

My eyes wandered to the jagged scar on Tizoc’s bicep. Had Englishmen
inflicted it? Had he defended his cousin?

Catching my gaze with his own, Tizoc said, “We all have seen battle in
our own way. We have survived to this point for a reason, and we will be well
prepared to defend our home.” He nodded to Zolin and Tochtli who led Daniel and
me away from the rest of the warriors so we could begin our training with the
weapons we had been assigned.

Actually aiming an arrow at someone sickened me, but I was honored to be
part of the preparations, to be counted among the warriors.

I would not let them down.

****

After several rigorous training sessions with Tochtli, my competence with
a bow and arrow had grown. I was able to hit a target and do it quickly. I
spent many mornings out in the training circles at the armory practicing until
my fingers were raw and burning.

On one such morning, Xochitl, Tizoc’s sister, visited me.

“You put some of our best warriors to shame, Charlie.” She came to stand
beside me.

“It isn’t as hard as it looks.” I met Xochitl’s gaze, which she shifted
to look at the bow in my hand. “Want to try?”

She shook her head but stared at the weapon. “It is not my place to take
up arms.”

“You have the right to defend yourself and your people.” I wiped at the
perspiration on my forehead. The Sunal sun could be intense. My shirt was
soaked through, and my breeches were rolled up to my knees. I twisted my hair
into a knot to keep it out of my face then held the bow out to Xochitl.

“You’re as good as any man, Xochitl, and the more we have fighting with
us, the better chance we have. You don’t want to see all the beauty here
destroyed, do you?”

“No.” She let out a small cry as she said the word.

“We could double our numbers if the women agreed to fight as well.”
Again, I held out the bow to her. Her long, slender fingers took it from me.
“Hold it like this,” I said, showing her the proper stance. With a few
instructions, Xochitl fired off her first arrow with gifted precision.

“We must show my sisters,” Xochitl said. The gleam in her dark eyes told
me we had strengthened our army considerably.

I held trainings specifically for the Sunal women. Those that had
children or couldn’t bear weapons helped make shields and protective vests for
the warriors. Those that got involved believed in doing anything to save
Ezenoch.

Unfortunately, many—the emperor included—did not believe trouble was in
our near future. Dimazuno patiently awaited the return of his steward, Aochmin.
He fully expected to receive good word that the outsiders were not headed to
the Sunal Empire, that these “gods” would give their blessings without treading
on the paved streets of Ezenoch. Many people supported the emperor’s misguided
notions and so, we that prepared did so secretly. More underground chambers
were dug throughout the city. Hidden barricades were erected around the city’s
perimeter. Weapons and supplies were amassed.

Tizoc, Daniel, and I somehow became leaders of those that wanted to
defend Ezenoch. Tizoc handled most of the male warriors. I organized the
females, and Daniel planned strategy. Tizoc’s family, his parents included, supported
our efforts by training to fight, gathering supplies, or listening while
working in Dimazuno’s court.

I went to sleep each night exhausted, as I had during my time aboard the
Rose
.
Cradled against Daniel, I slumbered in the darkness of my room, renewing my
energy for the next morning. We awoke each day, thankful that a quiet dawn had
greeted us, but knowing all too well that it could be gone in a second.

****

“Wake up! Wake up!” Yaoti’s voice echoed throughout the house.

Daniel leaped out of the bed, making Ghost screech beside me, and fumbled
with his tunic, trying to put it on quickly.

I jumped up as well, tangled in the quilts and not sure what to do to
conceal Daniel when another voice reached my ears and my ears alone.

I will stop my father,
Tizoc said in my mind.
Do come down
quickly though. His news must be urgent for him to shout.

“There’s nowhere to hide, and I can’t get to my room without bumping into
Yaoti,” Daniel whispered.