Annja’s first strike almost halved the warrior in front of her. Her blade cut through him as if he wasn’t even there, and before any of the others could react, Annja had already pivoted and stabbed the guards holding Joey and Michael hostage. As the warriors fell, Joey and Michael armed themselves with weapons from the dead men.

So did Vic.

Annja spun and knocked two warriors right into the pit. She didn’t have time to notice if they were being devoured by the creature that lived below, because she was already engaged with a warrior wielding a spear.

He faced her and stabbed right in. Annja parried the thrust and swiped down at his hands.

He backed away, but her blade caught the shaft of the spear and cut through it, splintering the wood and making the warrior drop the pointed part. He spun the half shaft now and swung it at her head.

Annja dropped and cut up on an angle, catching him just above his left hip. She stepped through, feeling her blade cut deep into his abdomen. Blood sprayed and he fell away.

Vic was holding his own against one of the warriors who had rushed him. Annja watched as he slashed and drove the point of his knife deep into the warrior’s throat. The man went down gurgling.

Joey and Michael seemed well versed in knife fighting, easily dispatching two more warriors.

But the ledge was getting crowded.

Annja kicked two more fallen warriors into the pit. Jajuba was going to eat well today, she thought.

But the amount of blood on the ledge was making her concerned. Already she’d slipped twice when deflecting blows. Any more of the blood would make her footing and that of her comrades even less secure.

Annja briefly wondered if Joey and Michael would try to kill her and Vic when they were done, but she disregarded that as silly. Agamemnon had abandoned them to the pit. There was no way they’d fight for his cause ever again.

No, if Annja was able to get out of this intact, they’d be a foursome making their way back to the surface.

If they could find it.

A female warrior jumped in front of Annja and promptly pummeled Annja’s hands. Annja felt as if her bones had broken and grunted. She had to hold on to the sword at all costs. If she lost it, she might not be able to fend off the attacks long enough to retrieve it.

She ducked down and drove the blade forward, feeling her hands pulse in pain. But holding on to the sword at least dulled the pain enough to continue fighting.

The woman leaped, brandishing her own set of twin kris blades. She hissed through yellowed teeth. Annja caught a whiff of her breath and blanched. It smelled as if she’d been eating raw flesh.

“I hope you haven’t been eating Jajuba’s leftovers,” she said.

The woman hissed again and stabbed at Annja’s heart.

Annja jumped out of the way, narrowly missing bumping into Joey, who had just dodged his own attack from the side. He grinned at Annja.

“Sorry,” he shouted.

Annja jumped out of the way to avoid the woman’s second strike. “No sweat,” she replied.

She pivoted and drove the sword up high, flipping it and cutting down. She caught the woman’s collarbone and the blade hit bone. Annja grunted and yanked the blade free and continued cutting through as the woman warrior screamed and then dropped.

Annja nudged her into the pit, as well, careful to avoid the now dying flames of the bonfires that had ringed it earlier.

She heard Vic grunt and turned to see him yanking a knife free of another warrior. The man dropped without a sound. Blood spattered Vic’s face, mixing with the camouflage face paint he already wore. He grinned at Annja.

“I really need a shower.”

“Me, too.”

His eyes danced. “Cool. It’s a date, then.”

Annja started to say something, but at that moment her instincts took over and she sidestepped, just missing being run through from behind by another spear-wielding warrior. She backhanded him, and then drove her sword into his gut. He seemed to almost shiver as the blade pierced his sternum and slid into his heart. More blood splashed the ledge and he dropped down, as well.

“We’re running out of room here,” Annja said.

Michael looked at her. “We can’t go down there, though. Too many people to worry about,” he said.

Annja surveyed the scene. The main cavern was still filled with Hector’s followers. She was relieved to see protective parents had taken all of the children away, but a great many warriors remained.

We’ll never make it if we jump down there. Joey and Michael were having a hard enough time keeping the throngs from overwhelming the easiest access point to the ledge.

But Hector’s position…

Annja glanced over at him. He seemed to be enjoying the fights happening in front of him. He held his hands clasped as if he was deep in thought.

Annja frowned. What’s he up to? She wondered.

“Annja!”

Annja ducked as the body of a warrior went flying overhead. He’d launched himself up and at Annja. Joey had called her name just in time. The warrior tumbled, tried to stand and then slipped back into the pit, screaming.

“We can’t stay here!” Annja shouted.

Vic dispatched another warrior and moved alongside Annja. “We have to get a better position. They’ll keep coming at us until we’re either dead or surrender.”

“In which case we’re dead, anyway,” she said.

“Right.” Vic looked around. “How did you come in here?”

Annja pointed up at the lip that ran around close to the ledge. “I snaked my way down here following that.”

Vic frowned. “There’s no way we can use that. They’ll cut our feet out from under us. We need something better.”

Annja pointed at Hector’s position. “What about there?”

Vic frowned. “I don’t like the lack of maneuverability but we could grab Hector. If we get to him, it just might take the fight out of his people.”

“Agreed,” she said.

Annja turned to Joey and Michael, who had just double-teamed another warrior. “We’re moving!” she told them.

Vic led the way across the ledge toward Hector. Annja watched as Vic kept himself low and balanced, avoiding the bigger puddles of blood easily and concentrating on getting close to Hector.

Hector seemed completely unfazed by the movement and continued to hold his ground, with a curious expression on his face.

Annja felt a twinge in her stomach.

Something wasn’t right.

“Vic.”

He turned. “What?”

“Is he suckering us in for something here?”

Vic frowned. “We can’t go back. Joey and Michael have already abandoned their position. They’re fighting with their backs to us as it is.”

Annja turned as Joey stabbed another warrior. “You guys okay?”

“Keep moving,” Michael said. “We can’t stop here.”

Annja turned back, deflecting the warrior who had jumped up to her left and tried to swing a club at her head. She parried the blow and struck down, slashing off his hands. He fell off the ledge with blood spraying from his wrists.

Vic closed in on Hector. Hector still had not moved.

What’s he planning? she thought. Why hasn’t he tried to escape? It doesn’t make any sense.

She heard Michael gasp and turned to see him taking a cut across his arm. Blood ran freely and he backpedaled, trying to get some distance from his attacker. Annja stepped between them and drove the warrior back, cutting and slashing until he missed deflecting one of her moves and found himself cut open.

Annja retreated and Michael breathed a sigh of relief. “Thanks.”

“Don’t mention it.”

Joey was next to her. “You okay?” he asked.

“Yeah.”

“They seem to be slowing down,” he said.

Annja watched as the warriors who had just jumped on to the ledge were now starting to back away.

“What’s going on?”

Joey shook his head. “I don’t know.”

Annja turned. Vic had reached Hector and he stood behind him with a smile on his face.

Hector was also smiling.

Annja, Joey and Michael raced over to Vic. “You okay?” Annja asked.

Vic nodded. “No problems.”

Hector looked at Annja. “You’ve killed a great many of my warriors.”

Annja shrugged. “They shouldn’t have tried to kill us. Self-defense and all that jazz.”

Hector smirked. “They were doing what they were trained to do. It’s their life mission to appease their god Jajuba. Just as it is my mission to ensure his continued survival.”

“By sacrificing people to him?”

“Yes.”

Annja pointed at the pit. “I’m sure he’s done for the day. We threw in countless bodies while we were killing your people.”

Hector shook his head. “No. All you did was stoke his blood lust. He will crave more now that he has been overfed.”

Vic glanced at Annja. “You think so?”

Annja frowned. “I’d be willing to bet he’s curled up somewhere now just trying to get over the indigestion.”

Hector spit. “You are a foolish woman. You know nothing about what it is that you face.”

“Well, I know something,” she said. “I know you’re in a really bad position right now.”

Hector eyed her. “And what would you like me to do?”

“Tell your warriors to give us passage out of here. What you do here is of no concern to us. We just want to get home.”

Hector shook his head. “I’m afraid I cannot do that. Jajuba has already told me that you must all die.”

Vic frowned. “We could kill you, of course.”

Hector shook his head. “That would not matter one bit. Jajuba would still demand his sacrifice. You would still die.”

“But your people would let us go if you were dead,” Annja said.

Hector frowned. “This has nothing to do with me. It has everything to do with tradition and the needs of Jajuba. Nothing more. Our destiny as a people is tied to his survival. If he lives, so do we.”

“And if he dies?” Annja asked.

“He will never die,” Hector said. “He is immortal.”

“No one lives forever,” Joey said.

“That you know of,” Hector replied.

Vic looked at Annja. “So, what now?”

Annja glanced at Hector. “We might as well kill him. If it doesn’t matter anyway, there’s no sense keeping him around,” she said, hoping he’d back down from the threat to his life.

Hector laughed. “You are about to see what it is that you are up against.”

He brought his hands together, and instantly a different chant came out of his mouth. Annja found herself mesmerized by its soothing melody. And then it changed abruptly, rising in volume until Hector’s voice rebounded off every cavern wall.

Now his people began chanting, as well. And Annja could at last make out one word they screamed together.

“Jajuba!”

The noise grew.

Vic frowned. “Annja.”

“What?”

“Look.”

The area around the pit had changed. Something kicked up the water. Huge splashes sounded from below, and then there was a great roar.

And then as she watched, Annja saw something emerge from the pit.

Jajuba had risen.