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    The Halls of Montezuma: Book Three of the Tollan Trilogy
    The Halls of Montezuma: Book Three of the Tollan Trilogy
    The Halls of Montezuma: Book Three of the Tollan Trilogy
    Ebook130 pages1 hour

    The Halls of Montezuma: Book Three of the Tollan Trilogy

    By Michael Cantwell

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    Fourteen-year-old Peter Collins cannot help but wonder if it was all just a dream. Even though it has been two years since he traveled back in time to ancient Mexico with his friend, Rosa Guzman, two questions continue to haunt him: Why hasn't Quetzalcoatl, the plumed serpent who guided Rosa and him through their time travels, returned as he had promised? Who is his real father? Peter knows the secret will be revealed once he passes his final test. When Quetzalcoatl finally shows up, the boy cannot help but feel a little anxious about his most important mission to date.

    After Peter and Rosa travel back in time once more to the last days of the Aztec Empire, they are taken to Lord Montezuma, who declares that Topiltzin, the incarnation of Quetzalcoatl, is returning to reclaim his throne. When he hears hostile warriors are advancing toward the capital, Montezuma is convinced their leader is Topiltzin and decides to welcome him to avoid a war of all the gods. But unfortunately, Montezuma could not be more wrong.

    In the exciting conclusion to the Tollan Trilogy, two teenage adventurers must create peace between the conquerors and the people of ancient Mexicobefore the future of America is changed forever and Peters past is finally revealed.

    **********

    Cantwell concludes his Tollan trilogy with high school time-traveler Peter Collins greatest adventure yet.

    In previous books in the series, Peter and his friend Rosa traveled to ancient Mexico with the help of the serpent god Quetzalcoatl. Now they journey to Tenochtitlan, the city of the Aztecs,where they must set history on its right course. Tasked with no little feat, Peter and Rosa reach the heart of one of the most contentious times in Mexican history. When a conquistadorknown in Spanish as Cortescomes to the Aztec city, Peter and Rosa help Emperor Montezuma deal with the newcomer. Together they must figure out if the man is Topiltzinthe human reincarnation of Quetzalcoatlor a stranger bent on conquering the city by force. Eventually, Quetzalcoatl does in fact return, and he brings Peter and Rosa forward in history to the city of Choula, where they try to bring peace to the nascent country of Mexico by convincing the Spaniards that Mexicans deserve love, respect and equality. Cantwell superbly recreates ancient Mexico with colorful descriptions of city buildings, citizens attire and specific details like blood in the streets from human sacrifices. Despite offering an admirable message for kids, the trip to Choula feels out of place and more like a mere detour. Additionally, readers are swept away before seeing the fall of the Aztecs, which is a bit disappointing; the end of Topiltzins story is merely told to reader rather than shown. Nonetheless, Cantwell brings his trilogy to a satisfying conclusion, as Peter and Rosa realize theyre more than just friends, and Peter finally learns the shocking truth of his parentage.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisheriUniverse
    Release dateNov 21, 2012
    ISBN9781475958485
    The Halls of Montezuma: Book Three of the Tollan Trilogy
    Author

    Michael Cantwell

    Michael Cantwell, CCIM (1958-present) is an author and commercial real estate agent in South Florida as well as a published photographer. He was born in Ft. Campbell KY, raised in Trenton, NJ, graduated college at LaSalle University in Philadelphia, PA. He now resides in Palm Beach County, Florida. He is married with three children and one dog. He loves music and is a big Miami Marlins, Dolphins, Panthers and Heat fan. He also enjoys strolling South Florida with his camera at hand. He has served on many board of directors and volunteered many hours as a coach for baseball and basketball as well as for Junior Achievement in many schools around South Florida.

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      Book preview

      The Halls of Montezuma - Michael Cantwell

      Copyright © 2012 by Michael Cantwell

      All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

      This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, names, incidents, organizations, and dialogue in this novel are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

      iUniverse books may be ordered through booksellers or by contacting:

      iUniverse

      1663 Liberty Drive

      Bloomington, IN 47403

      www.iuniverse.com

      1-800-Authors (1-800-288-4677)

      Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

      Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

      Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

      ISBN: 978-1-4759-5847-8 (sc)

      ISBN: 978-1-4759-5849-2 (hc)

      ISBN: 978-1-4759-5848-5 (e)

      Library of Congress Control Number: 2012920224

      iUniverse rev. date: 11/30/2012

      Contents

      Dedication

      Acknowledgments

      PART I

      Chapter 1

      Chapter 2

      Chapter 3

      Chapter 4

      Chapter 5

      Chapter 6

      Chapter 7

      Chapter 8

      Chapter 9

      Chapter 10

      Chapter 11

      Chapter 12

      Chapter 13

      Chapter 14

      Chapter 15

      PART II

      Chapter 16

      Chapter 17

      Chapter 18

      Chapter 19

      PART III

      Chapter 20

      Chapter 21

      Chapter 22

      Chapter 23

      Epilogue

      Reviews

      Amid the turbulence of the times, Cantwell accurately integrates the development of Mexico in the 1500s with a storyline that decries prejudice and supports freedom and dignity for all. Cantwell describes, in vivid detail, the sights, sounds, and aromas of the fabled city of Tenochtitlan. ‘Who is my real father?’ Peter Collins learns the answer to this haunting question in the conclusion of this, the third book of the Tollan Trilogy, THE HALLS OF MONTEZUMA.

      —Marie La France

      EC Programs for Young Children

      Massachusetts Department of Education

      I would recommend this book to adventure lovers of all ages.

      —Susan DiRaimo

      English Department

      City College of New York

      Praise for Book One, THE SECRET OF THE SMOKING MIRROR, awarded Editor’s Choice for fiction.

      A fantastic tale about two children who travel back in time to ancient Mexico to save a civilization from destruction within. Fantasy, history, and an adventure that should be remembered for valor triumphing over evil with the aid of the future’s science and the guiding spirit of Quetzalcoatl, who still stands watch over those who place trust in him.

      —Claudia Dias

      Writer, modavivendi.com

      Dedication

      Once again, to the memory of my father and mother

      and for my sister, Anne-Marie

      Acknowledgments

      Several sources were invaluable to me in my research for this novel. Chief among them were Cortéz & Montezuma by Maurice Collis, The Conquest of New Spain by Diaz del Castillo, and Quetzalcoatl and the Irony of Empire by David Carrasco.

      LIST OF MAJOR CHARACTERS

      Peter Collins—Teenage time traveler born in twentieth-century America.

      Rosa Guzman—Peter’s classmate and companion in his time travels.

      Quetzalcoatl—The plumed serpent, god of life and wisdom.

      Tezcalipoca (Smoking Mirror)—God of war and death.

      Quetzalcoatl Topiltzin—Tenth-century king of Tollan II who becomes the incarnation of Quetzalcoatl. He is driven out of Mexico and vows to reclaim his throne in five hundred years.

      Montezuma—Emperor of the Aztec Empire at the time of the Spanish invasion.

      Hernan Cortés—Spanish conquistador whom Montezuma and others believe is Quetzalcoatl Topiltzin returning to reclaim his throne.

      Luis Alvarado—Aide to Cortés who becomes commander of Cholula in 1530 and bans marriage between Spanish troops and Native Americans.

      Lieutenant Francisco Juarez—Spanish soldier who marries a Native American woman.

      Sulma Juarez—His beloved wife.

      Louise Collins—Peter’s mother.

      Ben—Peter’s stepfather.

      PART I

      43208.jpg

      Chapter 1

      Was it all a dream? Peter Collins, teaching himself to shave, looked hard in the mirror and wondered. It had been two years since he’d traveled in time to ancient Mexico—that is, if it hadn’t been just a dream. Yet, dream or no dream, those travels had changed his life. He was no longer a nerd, a wimp shunned by his schoolmates. He was captain of his high school freshman soccer team, getting good grades in his classes, and making friends.

      Yet, aside from the question of whether it all had been a dream, two questions continued to haunt him. First, if all those things that had happened to him and Rosa in ancient Mexico had indeed been real, why hadn’t Quetzalcoatl, the plumed serpent who had guided them through their time travels, returned as he had promised? It had been two years ago today, at the appearance of the morning star, that Quetzalcoatl had last come for them. Whenever the planet Venus appeared as the morning star, Peter was out of bed, looking through his telescope, hoping to see a sign of the flying serpent flitting across the moon and skidding down a ray of starlight aimed at Peter’s bedroom window.

      And the big question, the one that had gnawed at Peter’s heart for as long as he could remember, the question that had led him to take his chances with Quetzalcoatl in the first place, remained unanswered. Who was his real father? Peter would be fourteen tomorrow, and he still didn’t know. His mother had yet to tell him, and the serpent had given no hints. Okay, the serpent had said the secret would be revealed after Peter passed all three tests laid out for him. Well, he had passed two of them. On their first visit to ancient Mexico, he had solved the secret of the Smoking Mirror, thereby defeating the evil lords of Tollan I. On their next trip, six weeks later, he’d won the sacred ball game in Tollan II. Rosa passed her tests, bringing her the confidence and the respect of fellow students in school. One test remained. Peter was eager to take it, but he’d been waiting two years.

      Standing now in front of his bathroom mirror, Peter thought about how he and Rosa had discussed their adventures in ancient Mexico together many times and in great detail, Rosa sometimes reminding him of things he’d forgotten. If their time travels had happened only in dreams, it was hard to believe they had just happened to have the same dreams. But how did you explain two years with no sign of Quetzalcoatl?

      With all these questions hanging over his head, Peter went downstairs for breakfast. He found his mother sitting at the kitchen table, sipping coffee and smiling up at him. Yes, she was still as beautiful as the great goddess of Tollan I.

      Good morning, birthday boy, she said. You’ll be fourteen years old at exactly five-thirty tomorrow morning. What a lovely young man you are growing up to be! I’m so proud of you! She got up to pour coffee into his waiting cup. His breakfast of sliced fruit and yogurt was set beside it. Yes, tomorrow will be a big day, she went on. I have a big surprise for you—something very special just for your birthday.

      Peter was stunned. Something special just for his birthday? Was she going to tell him who his real father was at last? He had never summoned the courage to ask her straight-out, fearing it might embarrass her. But she had to know it was on his mind.

      His mother sat down, folding her hands over her stomach and smiling. Ben is coming home tomorrow!

      Ben? Peter shuddered.

      Yes, Ben is coming home from the mental asylum. He’s coming home for good. Isn’t that wonderful?

      Wonderful? Peter wanted to cry out in protest. But he knew his mother would be offended. One of the reasons he’d been feeling better about himself lately was that his stepfather had been away. He’d been a patient in Back to Reality Hospital for two years. It was Ben who had made him feel so bad about himself, telling him time and time again that he was a wimp, afraid of his own shadow, not made of the right stuff. And it was Ben who had wanted Peter put away in the hospital.

      His wife had agreed on the condition that the whole family would be given examinations. As it turned out, Peter had passed his with flying colors while Ben had been found to be in dire need of mental treatment. Having been exposed to her husband’s wild mood swings, Peter’s mother had signed a paper to have him put away. Peter knew she was unhappy about it and feared that Ben would never recover and that the home life she’d once shared with him was gone forever. Not that it had been much of a happy home life the last few years. But looking back, it seemed to Peter his mother’s marriage with Ben had been a fairly good one years ago. The trouble really had begun with his own coming of age, the problems he had started to have at school, trying to grow up—problems that had led Ben to decide he wasn’t born with the right stuff.

      Whatever the cause, Peter dreaded the thought of having to live with Ben again. Whenever his mother dragged

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