Annja watched as Vic struggled with the knots binding his second wrist. “No luck?” she asked.

Vic yanked on the knot one more time and then slumped, gasping for breath. Sweat rolled down his face, staining his camouflage even darker than before. “I can’t get enough purchase to loosen the knots.”

“He said we wouldn’t be able to.”

Annja glared at Eduardo. “I don’t see you doing anything to help the situation any.”

“I’m listening for anyone’s approach. We don’t want them to see us doing this, after all.”

“Way to take one for the team,” Annja said. She looked at Vic, who was clearly angry with himself for not being able to break the binding. “Don’t sweat it, we’ll figure out another way out of this,” she said.

He smirked. “Will we?”

Annja nodded. “We can’t give up now. We’ve got all day to figure it out.”

Vic sighed and hung there with one arm free. “We don’t. I’ve got to finish this or they’re apt to wander by and see me hanging like this. Besides, my other arm is killing me now. It’s taking all the weight.”

“What about the shoulder you dislocated?”

“I’m used to it.”

Annja looked around the small clearing. The torches, which had burned throughout the night, looked as though they might go out at any moment. She knew the cavern would sink into darkness when they did. It would be the perfect time to try to make their escape.

Otherwise, if they stayed there, Hector or his men would come through, light the torches and check on them. Once they saw Vic hanging there askew, they’d fix him up and undoubtedly tie him even tighter than they had before.

Annja closed her eyes. The sword still hung where it usually did. Annja could see it so tantalizingly close. If she could only release it, she could cut herself down and then free Vic.

And Eduardo, too, she supposed.

But how could she grasp the sword without both of her hands wrapped around the hilt?

She watched it hover, vaguely moving in her mind’s eye. She studied how it hung there, almost as if it was surrounded by some type of force field or aura. Annja tried to fathom how the entire process worked. She wondered if the sword was in purgatory or limbo or just on another plane. And if it was on another plane of existence, then how was she alone able to access it?

In the past, all she’d ever done was reach in with both hands and grasp it. Then she’d retreated and the sword was hers.

She heard a sudden shout and thud. She opened her eyes and saw Vic was flat on his face on the ground. “Vic!” she said. “Are you okay?”

“Maybe,” was Vic’s muffled reply.

Eduardo shifted. “The idiot broke free. Are you just going to lay there? Do you plan to get us out of here or not?”

Annja frowned. “You aren’t much for being patient, are you?”

“Not when my life is on the line, no.”

Annja ignored him. She looked at Vic. “Can you reach my foot with your free hand?”

Vic frowned. “Yeah, I think so.” He twisted and then stretched toward her foot.

Annja felt his fingers close around her toes and then her ankle. She nodded. “Good.”

Vic struggled. “I don’t think I can cut your binds loose if that’s what you’re thinking.”

“You have to,” she said. “I know you can do it. Chew through them if you have to.”

Vic worked on her ankle bindings and eventually he did resort to chewing them. It worked and Annja was able to stand. As soon as she did so, the bindings around her wrists slackened slightly. She worked her right wrist until it was raw and bleeding, but suddenly her hand slipped free.

Vic was still working on his ankle bindings and Eduardo was still doing nothing.

Annja looked at Eduardo and Vic. “I need to ask you both a favor.”

“Anything,” Vic said.

Annja smiled. “I need you both to turn your heads away from me and close your eyes.”

Eduardo frowned. “I can assure you there’s nothing I haven’t seen before. I have been with many women.”

Annja smiled. “Wonderful for you. But I need to do something and I need privacy to do it. When it’s over, we’ll all be free.”

Vic shrugged. “Okay, whatever. As long as it works.”

Eduardo frowned. “Very well, but I warn you not to betray me. I have a very long memory.”

“Don’t worry, lover boy,” Annja said.

Eduardo turned his head and closed his eyes. Annja looked at Vic, who winked at her once and then did the same.

Annja took a breath, closed her eyes and reached for the sword.

When she opened them, the sword was in her hand.

Annja cut her left arm loose, carefully moving it until she had checked it out. It seemed okay, perhaps a little sore for right now. But Annja suspected it would be fine in short order. Her whole body ached.

She looked at the sword, feeling strength run through her body. It felt great holding it again.

She looked at Vic and Eduardo. She could tell they were desperate to know what she was doing.

Annja smiled and then cut them both loose.

They needed to get out of there.