CHAPTER TWENTY‑EIGHT

A giant chased Cordie over a barren, glaring landscape of dunes. She whimpered as she ran.

Oh, if he caught her!

His shadow blocked the sun from her body. Such a cold shadow. She tried to run harder, but the sand clutched her feet, slowing her down.

The arms of the shadow reached out.

A monstrous hand gripped her shoulder. Its fingers felt dry as bone.

She bit off its little finger.

Roaring in pain, the giant released her. She ran on, out of the cold shadow, leaving the giant far behind. But she was lost, and the dunes were strange. She didn’t want to be here, after dark.

Where were Mom and Dad?

They must be nearby. They wouldn’t just leave her all alone in this horrible place.

She tried to yell, but the giant’s finger was still inside her mouth. She pulled it out.

How odd! It was just her size.

She stuck the giant’s finger onto her stump. A perfect fit.

She began running again, but the finger fell off and disappeared in the sand. Dropping to her knees, she raked through the sand, trying to find it.

Ah, here it is!

She pulled, but it was stuck. She pulled harder. Out of the sand came an entire hand!

She staggered back, suddenly afraid.

Someone buried in the sand was rising!

He sat up, sand spilling from his body, and grinned at her. “Hi, Cordie. ”

“Ben? I thought you were dead. ”

“Not me, ” he said, and brushed sand out of his hair.

No, not sand. Ants.

“Ben! ”

He brushed harder. His head tumbled off, and dropped onto his lap, and Cordie sat up screaming.

She was in the hut.

Lilly sat at her side. “Nightmare? ” the girl asked.

Cordie raised her hand. It was wrapped in a bloody rag. The hand pulsed with pain. “My finger, ” she said.

“Yeah. Well, you’re just lucky that’s all you lost. Grar doesn’t trust you much. ”

“I told him I’d do it. What does he want! Christ, my finger! ”

“We’ve gotta get going. Come on. ”

She crawled behind Lilly, keeping her injured hand off the ground. The sunlight outside hurt her eyes. Squinting, she got to her feet.

Grar came forward, his skirt of hair floating over his legs. He held a sword. It looked, to Cordie, like a saber from a Civil War movie. He handed it to Lilly, and spoke in the other language.

Lilly nodded. She turned to Cordie. “Okay. This way. ”

She walked beside Lilly. Through the center of the village. Toward a big fire, at the far end, where arms and legs were hanging. Cordie lowered her eyes.

“Tell them you want the head. ”

“What? ”

“Kigits head. You promised. We’ll pick it up when we get back. ”

Lilly led her to the fire. Two women were crouched near it cutting a carcass.

“Sandy. ”

One of them stood. Her arms and torso were bloody. Grinning, she wiped sweat off her forehead. Her hand left a red smear.

“This is the gal who nailed Kigit. ”

“Hey, congratulations. About time somebody put her away. ”

“She wants the head. ”

“Oh sure. She does, or you do? ”

“Tell her, Cordelia. ”

“I want the head. ”

“It’s yours. ”

“We’ll be by for it later, ” Lilly said.

They left. “She’s a bitch, ” Lilly muttered.

“Is she like us? ”

“A turn? Yeah. You can always tell a turn. We’re the only ones that talk English. ”

“What about Grar? ”

“He’s no turn. You kidding? Grar’s a full‑ blooded Krull. ”

Cordie walked beside her into the woods.

“You oughtta hear him rattle off his ancestors. All the way back to him. ”

“Who, Manfred? ”

With a snarl, Lilly flung herself into Cordie and tripped her. She jabbed the saber down. Its tip cut into Cordie’s belly. “Don’t you ever say his name. If you do, I’ll kill you. You get it? ”

Cordie nodded.

Lilly took the saber away. “Okay. Get up. ”

Cordie stood. She pressed her hand to her belly. “Christ, you cut me. ”

“You’re lucky that’s all I did. That’s the worst thing you can do, say his name. ”

“Nobody told me. ”

“I told you. ”

“You didn’t have to cut me, ” she mumbled. She felt frightened and betrayed. “I thought you liked me. ”

“Yeah. ” Lilly shrugged, and briefly smiled. “Sure, you’re all right. But you can’t go around saying his name. It’s the worst kind of luck. ”

“You did that ’cause it’s bad luck? ”

“The worst kind. Some say he hears it if you say his name, and comes for you. ”

“That’s bullshit. ”

“Sure it is. You’d better hope so. You’ll get us both killed. ”

“Grar said his name. ”

“That’s okay for Grar. He’s the Mang. Like a witch doctor, you know? He’s got special powers. ”

They reached the stream, and waded in. The cool water swirled around Cordie. It felt so good! She sighed. She drank until her belly felt bloated. Then, keeping her wounded hand high, she dropped below the surface. When she came up for air, Lilly was near the other side.

For an instant, she considered escape.

Stupid!

Even if she got clear of Lilly, she’d still be in the woods. Far from safety. If they caught her… No, she didn’t dare.

She swam, and followed Lilly ashore.

They walked for a long time through the heat of the woods. “How much farther is it? ” she finally asked.

Lilly shrugged. “Who knows? ”

“Don’t you know where we’re going? ”

“Sort of. I’ve only been there once, though. It’s a good place to stay away from. You wouldn’t catch me near it, except for Grar. You do what he says, you know? ”

“I found out, ” Cordie said.

“Yeah. Shit, if I’d had any idea I’d get into a mess like this…” She swung the saber at a nearby sapling. Its blade hacked cleanly through the thin trunk. She swung again, and cut down a bush. Suddenly, she grinned.

A nasty grin that sent a shiver of fear into Cordie.

“Know what I could do? ” Lilly asked. She looked at Cordie with narrow eyes. “I could cut you down. That’d fix everything. ”

“That’s not funny. ”

Lilly swung the saber wildly, chopping it through the air. “I’d say a Thak did it. ”

“Grar! He’d find out. ”

“No, I don’t think so. ”

“Lilly! ”

The girl’s eyes darted. “I don’t see nobody that’s gonna tell on me. ”

“Just go back. If you don’t want to go to his place, just leave. Or stay here. I’ll go the rest of the way by myself. ”

“That’s chicken. ”

“No, it’s–”

“’Sides, I can’t. If you’re alone, the Krulls’U nail you. It’d get back to Grar, and he’d cook my ass. ” She took a step toward Cordie.

Looking past Lillys shoulder, she gasped. “It’s him! ”

Lilly whirled around.

Cordie ran. She heard a hiss of anger. Then quick footfalls. Ahead, she saw a clear way through the trees. Like a corridor. She leaped into it, and sprinted. Head down, arms pumping, legs flinging out as far and as fast as she could kick them.

At the end of the open area, she jumped over a dead trunk. She glanced around. Lilly raced toward her, hair flying, mouth a twisted hole, sword high overhead.

She dashed sideways. Circled a thicket. Skinned her shoulder as she passed too near a tree.

Then the trees ended.

She charged into a clearing.

And stopped abruptly.

Twenty or thirty Krulls turned to look at her. Many picked up weapons.

She spun around. Lilly burst from the trees, saw the group, and lowered her sword. “So, ” she said. “Here we are. ” She spoke loudly to the Krulls, apparently explaining Cordie’s mission. Then she took Cordie’s arm. “Come on. ”

They stepped forward. The Krulls parted, and Cordie faced the landscape of pikes and heads. She jerked her arm free of Lilly’s grip.

“Your friends are in the cabin. ”

She shook her head. She felt numb.

“Here. This is for you. ” Lilly held out the saber, hilt first. “Use it on the guy. ”

She raised her arm. Saw her hand close around the hilt. The weight of the sword dragged her arm down like an anchor.

“Get going, ” Lilly said. “The quicker you get it done, the quicker we can get our asses out of here. ” She saw fear in Lilly’s eyes. “We don’t want to be around when he comes back. ”

Cordie couldn’t move.

Lilly pushed her, and she began to walk. The heads seemed to bob and sway in her vision. A bird fluttered down. A black bird. It perched on the nearest head, and pecked a gash in the forehead. The skin parted, but no blood flowed.

Something familiar…

That face.