'The council,' I said; time to see if we could get answers out of them.
We entered the palace through the gates, where Yaotl's wards shone in the sunlight, and headed towards the state room. We were perhaps halfway to it, bypassing the House of Animals where cages held everything from webbed-foot capybaras to dazzling quetzalbirds, when someone called out.
'Acatl!'
It was Quenami. The High Priest of Huitzilpochtli the Southern Hummingbird appeared to have found another set of ceremonial clothes: a heavy feather headdress falling on his back, and huge plumes hanging from his belt, spread like the wings of a hummingbird. He smiled at me with paternal condescension, never mind that he was the younger one here. 'Just the man I wanted to see. Come, we need to see the council, and reassure them that nothing is wrong.'
Treating me like a peer when it suited him, not that I was surprised. 'We were already on our way.'
If I'd expected to faze him, I was disappointed. 'Perfect. Then let's go together.'
I hid my grimace of distaste as best as I could, and fell in step next to him. He was going to be surprised, though, if he thought what I had to say was going to reassure the council.
We had a powerful summoner within the palace, capable of calling star-demons, and ruthlessly determined to influence the succession. Unless things went their way, I very much doubted that they would stop at the murder of one councilman.
Our only hope was to catch them before they struck again.
FOUR
The state room was on the ground floor, below the Revered Speaker's reception room. To reach it we crossed the courtyard, which, in daylight, was now deserted, order having presumably been restored by the She- Snake's men.
By the noise that came through the entrance-curtain, the council was locked in a bitter discussion. I did not relish having to take part in it, but I also knew that anger made evasions more difficult. I might learn things I wouldn't have found out from clear-headed men.
Teomitl touched my arm as Quenami lifted the entrance-curtain. 'Acatl-tzin.'
'Yes?'
'I won't be much use in here.' His eyes were fierce, still lit with something close to battle-frenzy. 'I'll go ask around, to see whose envoys they were. There aren't that many liveries in the palace.'
I doubted that whoever had sent the envoys would have been so transparent, but, then again, I might be surprised. Subtlety wasn't the hallmark of the nobility. They were all warriors, over-obsessed with their faces and their hearts. I nodded. Teomitl straightened up in a brief salute, and strode away.
Lucky man. I'd have given much not to have to face the whole council. With a sigh, I followed Quenami inside.
Like the reception room, the state room had been calculated to impress, painted with rich frescoes of Huitzilpochtli striding forth on the battlefield, holding four spears in His left hand, and a reed shield in His right. The Southern Hummingbird's face, arms and legs were painted the deep blue of imperial tunics, and a huge eagle hovered over Him, its wings spread out over the whole of the Heavens.
The council sat on reed mats spread around the room. In the centre was a light lunch of maize wraps with mushrooms and frogs.
They were all men, most of middle age or older. One of them in particular looked old enough to have seen the founding of the Triple Alliance. He sat like a king, wrapped in intricate magical protections that clung tight to his body. No doubt he was the council's leader in magic, if not in politics.
Tizoc-tzin was still nowhere to be see, but furthest away from the entrance was the She-Snake, engaged in what looked like a heated debate with his neighbour, a middle-aged man with a round face and traits reminiscent of an older Teomitl.
Quenami released the entrance-curtain. Whatever I thought about the son of a dog, I had to at least admit that his sense of timing was impeccable. The bells jangled and jarred against each other, and every gaze in the room turned towards us.
'Ah, the high priests,' the She-Snake said. He gestured towards us. 'Why don't you sit down and join us?'
'I think not.' Quenami's voice was as cutting as cold obsidian. 'We're not here to pour chillies on the fire.'
'Are you not?' The She-Snake's voice was measured and pleasant, much in the same way that the song of an
Quenami did not give ground. 'I stand for Huitzilpochtli, and you would do well to remember it.'
The She-Snake raised an eyebrow. 'So do I. Have you forgotten? In the absence of the Revered Speaker, the She-Snake is the ruler of the land. If it helps make the point, I'll start eating behind a golden screen, and forbid any man to look me in the eye. Though I'd prefer not, it would be unseemly.'
During his speech, I'd been surreptitiously looking at the council, trying to gauge their mood. They sat unmoving, their gazes alter nating between the She-Snake and Quenami. The overall atmosphere was tense, far too tense. Several of them were sweating, as if in fear for their lives. No wonder, with a summoner of stardemons loose in the palace.
Quenami glared at the She-Snake, obviously preparing a withering response. 'Look,' I started, at the same time as the She-Snake's neighbour, the round-faced man, got up.
'I don't think this petty quarrel is the reason you came here,' he said, and he was looking straight at me. Now that my attention was focused on him, I could remember seeing him several times at Court. His name was Manatzpa, a brother of Axayacatl-tzin's father, making him therefore Teomitl's and Tizoc-tzin's uncle. He was Master of the Worm on the Maize Blade, among his duties was the collection of the tribute from the conquered provinces.
