asked, 'what was it that you were doing when we entered?'
Casca chuckled. 'Little king,' he said, 'more years ago than you would believe or even Tezmec, for that matter I was taught what you saw me doing by a man from Khitai, a very wise man from a very distant land. Here. I will show you how some of it is done.' Casca was not above a little showing off. Besides, a demonstration might be to his advantage. Workmen had earlier left a pile of rocks in a corner of the room they were refurbishing, and now Casca went to these, selected a rock about twenty inches long and ten wide and three inches thick. He put this rock down on a pile of others, in effect forming a stone sawhorse.
Kneeling on one knee, he drew his breath in and let it out slowly between his teeth. He inhaled again, formed his fist, and then with an explosive exhalation sent his hand crashing down and through the rock, leaving it in two separate pieces.
Cuz-mecli stared in amazement, his mouth open.
Three guards rushed in, weapons at the ready, having heard the sound of Casca's exploding 'Kiyi!' breath burst out. Tezmec signaled for them to leave, but their leader cast a wary eye on Casca and then on the stone pieces. Finally, mumbling to himself under his breath, he left, shaking his head in confusion.
Cuz-mecli quickly made a sign to ward off evil spirits.
'It's not magic, little king,' Casca explained. 'You could learn it if you wished, but it would take many moons, many seasons.'
Tezmec shook his head. 'No, Tectli. You have not that long to remain with us. The day of your ascendance draws near.' The brightly painted murals depicting the glory of the gods and the glory of the Teotec nation seemed to add to Tezmec's words from the walls of the palace.
'As you say, priest,' Casca said drily. 'But enough of this. What can I do for the king?'
'Answer my questions, Tectli Quetza. That is what I wish. Tell me where you came from. Are all of the people there gods? And do they all look as you do? And where did you find the serpent ship on which you came to us to fulfill the legends of our people?'
Raising his hand, Casca stopped the torrent of questions pouring from the mouth of the young king.
'One at a time, my lord. First, I come from across the great water. It is many, many days' sail to reach my land. It would take the same time as it takes for a field to be planted and to grow ripe. That is, if you were not to stop and tarry anywhere.
'And, no, all the people do not look as I do. There are people of many colors from almost gold to blackest black. There are even many who have the same ruddy complexion as your people.
'And, no, all are not gods though many have thought that they were.' Another quick flash went through Casca's mind, and Gaius Nero's face flickered before his brain.
But at that moment, looking at the young king's face flushed with excitement, out of the corner of his eye Casca caught Tezmec watching him thoughtfully. Uh..oh, he thought. Better play the game.
He let a slight tone of majesty begin to slip into his voice, as though he had something of importance to impart.
'As for the ship, it came from the great god Quetza, and it was he who guided me to this place. It was not until I learned the use of your tongue, though, that the meaning of my coming was made clear to me and the message the great god Quetza wished delivered made plain for me to speak.
'I am here to give your people a great message as I have already told the priest Tezmec.'
Tezmec raised his wrinkled hand to stop the conversation. He did not want the young king to be confused by Casca's contradictions of what he himself had taught the king.
'Enough talk, Tectli Quetza,' he interrupted firmly. 'It is time for the king to attend his other duties. We will meet again another time.'It was so obvious that he was thinking that they would not meet again until the afterlife that Casca smiled broadly, irritating the old priest as he hustled the young king out of the presence of this stranger with the possibly dangerous words. Tezmec looked back over his shoulder and said testily, 'The day comes soon. Prepare yourself and your thoughts. And remember… behave with dignity.'
Metah devoted the remaining weeks not only teaching Casca all she could of the Teotec culture, but also figuring out ways she could keep the other women away from him. He might be holy to them, but to her the time he had spent with her made him more of a man than a messenger of the gods.
Half a dozen times the maskmaker came for fittings, to check on small details. The mask assumed an eerie quality as the features of Casca's face in the jade became more pronounced. The maskmaker was an artist who would have stood up against the best of the Roman Empire and of the Greeks. The mask was astonishingly Casca, right down to the hairline scar leading from the corner of his eye down to his mouth. It was his face in jade deep, green jade jade of almost gemstone quality. Only the empty eyes of the mask seemed lacking in order to give it a life of its own. It was a magnificent creation. Pletuc the carver was evidently proud of his work, and justly so. He said to Casca:
'Tectli, when the day comes for the mask to hang in the hall, it will live. Already I have acquired the finest of turquoise. It is the same color as your eyes. It will match them perfectly. It is even now being prepared, and when the eyes of turquoise are set the mask will live. For all time, people will know of your coming, and of the honor you have done us.'
Bowing his way out, the old carver left, leaving Casca to his thoughts.
Each day drew him nearer to the altar.
Metah helped him keep from dwelling on his fate, but, in spite of the growing feelings he was developing for her, each day did in its turn end and bring another and another…
He could learn nothing of his men and the long-ships. Even when he bluntly enquired as to them and how they were faring, he was politely but firmly refused information. The fact that none of them showed up in the capital of the Teotecs made him believe that they might still be alive. But were they still waiting on the coast? Would they still be there when the coming grisly affair was finished? If he returned to the coast then, would they have waited for him? How long would they wait that was the most important thing on his mind.
Except for one other.
In one week he would bare his chest on the altar.
When that time came, how could he keep from losing consciousness?
He must not pass out. The Jew's curse might keep him from dying in the case of wounds great enough to kill other men but it did not protect him from pain. If the pain were great enough, he would pass out and certainly the sacrifice pain would be that great. He usually passed out from great pain. How could he prevent it now?
Others went to the stone while he waited his turn.
He noticed something.
It might be a possibility.
Several of them had a glazed look to their eyes and moved with slow, deliberate steps, as though in a trance… or drugged. One even stepped on a broken pot shard and laid his foot open to the bone and made no sign of having felt pain at all.
'Why?' Casca asked Metah.
She told him that sometimes the messengers were given a mixture of herbs and mushrooms. The mushrooms gave them visions, but the leaf called coca was used to stop pain. Coca was frequently used by others. It gave strength to the runners who carried the king's edicts from village to village. The runners chewed the bitter leaf to stop exhaustion.
That may be my answer, Casca decided. If the leaf stops pain, I may be able to retain consciousness during the sacrifice.
'Metah, can you get some of the leaves for me?'
She turned her dark brown eyes to him, a question in their depths. 'I suppose so, my lord. How much do you need?'
'I don't know. How much do the runners take?'
'A small handful will last them for several days.' 'Then bring me five handfuls. I may have to do some testing.'
Confused, she turned away. 'As you wish, Tectli. The priests said you may have anything you wish.'
'Good woman. Then get it for me now.'
Metah left with the left cheek of her firm ass smarting, but not all in pain, from the love tap Casca administered when she turned to leave…
