"I doubt if you have the authority to do what you suggest, even if I agreed."
"Nor do you have sufficient authority to do more than report back to your commanding officer."
"So we have an impasse?" Almando sighed. "The way I see it is that you can stop us coming up this valley in the short term but all we need to do is wait. How long can you maintain your stance before you run out of food and water?" He answered his own question. "Three days, a week at the most!"
Meztli held her expression but knew he was right. "So I suggest a truce until sunrise tomorrow. By that time the full moon would have set and the sacrifices would have lost their value."
"But hardly time for you to get the mothers and children down the mountain and out of the area?"
"We'll risk it."
Almando studied her and n
