"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 hera 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 thisa" 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 familiara That face.

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE.

"No fishies," Lander said. He sat down next to the body in the sheltering bushes where he'd left it hidden. "None at all. Casey has struck out."

He unbuckled her belt, and tried it on. A snug fit. So he used her knife to bore a new hole near its tip. It fit fine, after that.

He sliced through the thong at her throat, and held up the necklace for a closer look. The ornaments were dark with her dried blood. He counted them.

"Ha! Lander would've been thirteen. A baker's dozen. Oh, villainy!"

He jammed the knife into her belly and pulled it out.

"Curious. If you prick us, do we not bleed?"

Tossing the necklace aside, he knelt over her. No more than a trickle of blood oozed from the wound. He cut into her again.

"Oh, this is wondrous strange."

He slowly carved his name in the skin of her belly. Then he sliced a frame around it. He peeled the skin off, and held it up.

"Lander in the flesh!"

CHAPTER THIRTY.

"One's coming through!" Neala said.

Robbins hurried through the doorway. He grabbed his rifle. Dropping to one knee, he took aim. He watched the girl stagger among the crosses, bumping into some.

"She drunk?" Sherri asked.

"Something's sure wrong with her," Neala said.

Robbins lowered his rifle.

"Well shoot her, for Christsake!"

"None of the others are coming," he said.

"So what?"

"She looks crazy," Neala said.

Robbins stood up. He stepped into the sunlight.

"What're you doing?" Sherri asked.

"Just a second." He ran to the corner of the cabin, and checked the Krulls at the side. None were approaching.

"Johnny, whata ?"

He ran to the rear, looked beyond the barrier, and returned to the front. "It's okay," he said. "She's the only one."

"You aren't just gonna let her come, are you? Look at that fuckin' sword."

"That's just what I'm looking at," Robbins told her. "I want it."

The girl tripped, smashing through half a dozen crosses before she sprawled facedown. She raised her head. She got to her hands and knees. Bracing herself on the sword, she stood. She looked back as if to see how far she'd come. Then she faced the cabin. She squinted, and raised an arm to wipe sweat from her forehead.

The motion lured Robbins's eyes to her breasts. They were large, for such a slim girl, and shiny with sweat. Robbins felt a warm rush of arousal. He lowered his gaze to her belly, to her dark wedge of pubic hair.

"Look at that," Sherri said. "She's got bathing suit lines."

Sherri was right. The girl's breasts and pubic area were pale.

"That's Cordelia!" Neala gasped.

Robbins studied the face. It was swollen and bruised and marked with cuts, but it did resemble the girl who'd been with them last night.

"Cordelia?" he called.

Her head nodded slightly.