He turned and looked, seeing, in the distance beyond the temple mound, another promontory.

Shouts came from the top of the temple mound, and Blade looked toward it.

And the nearest temple mound was well over a mile away.

Then he looked toward the temple mound, again measuring the distance.

Break through that side of the crowd, and he would have a clear run to the temple mound.

At the far end of the avenue on his right rose the great temple mound.

Now it was only a few hundred yards to the temple mound.

They were rising to their feet and spreading out in a line around the base of the temple mound.

But at least there had been maps in the temple mound.

They might be dead by now, sacrificed atop the temple mound.