At Road's End (Pre-Aztec trilogy, Prequel)

Tecpatl was born a warrior of the Mexican Valley, one of the elite class of fighters, defending his great city, capturing vanquished foes to sacrifice for the honor of the gods.

Yet, the circumstances conspired to send him into the Southwestern desert, to follow the ancient road, guarding a group of traders.

When he rescues a girl from the ransacked village, he thinks nothing of it. He just wishes to
make the traders sell their goods in a hurry, so he could return to his
homeland.

But the fate had planned differently, for the warrior and for the girl alike.