thumped the butt of his spear to the dirt。 ‘Do not insult the spirits！ You will take their offering！’ His voice lowered to a growl。 ‘Now。’
Her eyes never leaving him； she uncoiled herself and obediently lay down on the dirt； on her back。 She opened her legs and cast Richard a defiant glance。 She obviously knew the consequence of denying these men what they wished。
The man sprang forward and stabbed his spear into her thigh muscle。 She screamed out and flinched back。
‘You know better than that！ You will not insult us！ We are not stupid！’ He feigned another jab。 ‘Do it properly！’
Richard’s fingers curled around the hilt of his sword； but otherwise he did not move。 The woman made no effort to tend the bleeding gash on her leg； but instead obediently turned over onto her elbows and knees； sticking her bottom up in the air。
The men chuckled to Richard。
‘You would not like to lie with this one face…to…face；’ the man with the missing tooth said。 ‘She bites。’ The others nodded their certain knowledge of that。 ‘Mount her this way； and hold her by her hair。 She will not be able to bite you this way； and you can have all you wish。’
The men waited。 Neither Richard nor the woman moved。
‘Can you fools not see？’ the woman said。 ‘He does not wish to mount me like a dog in front of you！’ Her face lying against the dirt； she gave Richard a mocking smile。 ‘He is shy。 He does not wish you to see how little his magic stick is。’
Every eye was on him。 Richard’s knuckles were white around the hilt。 He strained to put an emotionless face over the rage of the magic searing through him from the sword。 He struggled to maintain reason。
Letting the magic loose in here would acplish nothing。
One of the men gave a playful elbow to another and laughed。 ‘Perhaps she is right。 He is a young one。 Maybe he is not used to others watching his pleasure。’
The seams around his control were strained near to bursting。 Richard concentrated on keeping his free hand steady and making it move gracefully。 He lifted the clay pot with the juka； showing it to them。 He labored mightily to keep his voice even。 ‘The spirits wish to speak to me of important matters。’
The smiles all withered。 They knew him as a magic man； but not a young one as they were used to seeing。 They didn’t have any idea of his power； but were obviously worried about it； worried about his smoldering； too quiet smoothness。
‘We must leave him to his duty；’ one of the men said。 ‘We should leave him to be with the spirits； and to take his pleasure from the savage if he wishes before he gives the spirits this offering。’ He bowed his shiny head to Richard。 ‘We will leave you to your peace。 We will wait in the room where you saw us first。’
Solemn…faced； the four hurried off。 After they were gone； and she could be sure they were a good distance away； the woman spat at him。
She arched her back like a cat in heat； sticking her behind higher in the air。 ‘You may mount me now； like the dog you are。 e； magic man； prove you can mount a woman when she is held for you by a chain。 You can do no worse to me than the other dogs。’ She spat at him again。 ‘You are all dogs。’
Richard extended his leg and shoved a foot against her hip； tipping her over。 ‘I’m not like those men。’
She rolled onto her back。 She threw her arms and legs open and gave him a contemptuous glare。 ‘So。 You wish to have me like this； to prove you are better than they？’
Richard gritted his teeth。 ‘Stop it。 I’m not here for that。’
She sat up。 She lifted her chin； but her eyes filled with sudden terror。 ‘So； you will sacrifice me now？’
Richard realized his hand was still gripping the hilt。 He had forgotten to maintain a calm expression。 He took his hand away； letting the magic recede and his rage cool。 As she watched； he poured the juka on the dirt floor。
‘I’m going to get you out of this。 My name is Richard。 What’s yours？’
Her eyes narrowed。 ‘Why do you wish to know？’
‘Well； if I’m going to take you out of here； I need to know what to call you。 I can’t call you ‘woman。’’
She surveyed him silently for a moment。 ‘I am Du Chaillu。’
‘Do I call you Du？ Or Chaillu？ Or Du Chaillu？’
Puzzlement wrinkled her brow。 ‘Du Chaillu。 That is my name。’
Richard gave her a smile of reassurance。 ‘All right； then。 Du Chaillu。 Who are your people？ What are they called？’
‘We are Baka Ban Mana。’
‘And what does that mean； Baka Ban Mana？’
Her chin came up again。 ‘Those without masters。’
Richard smiled to himself。 ‘I think you are worthy of your people。 You don’t look to be a woman to be mastered。’
Chin still held up； she studied his eyes。 ‘You say these words； but you intend to mount me as the others。’
Richard shook his head。 ‘No。 I told you I wouldn’t do that。 I’m going to try to get you out of here； and back to your people。’
‘None of my people captured by the Majendie ever returns。’
Richard leaned toward her。 Then you shall be the first。’
Richard drew his sword。 Du Chaillu scooted back against the wall； drawing her knees up to her chest； hiding her face。 He realized that she had misinterpreted his action and expected the worst。
‘It’s all right； Du Chaillu。 I’m not going to hurt you。 I simply need to get that collar off you。’
She shrank from him； then； thinking better of her shameful retreat； she lifted her head and spat at him。 ‘Yes； by taking off my head。 You do not speak the truth。 You wish to kill me now； and just want me to meekly offer you my neck。’
With his sleeve； Richard wiped the spittle off the side of his forehead。 He reached out and put a forting hand to her shoulder。 ‘No。 I’m not going to hurt you。 I simply need to use this sword to get the collar off。 How else can I get you out of here？ You will be safe； you’ll see。 Let me get it off you？’
‘Swords cannot cut iron！’
Richard lifted an eyebrow。 ‘Magic can。’
She squeezed her eyes shut and held her breath as he gently put an arm around her shoulder and rolled her facedown in his lap。 He laid the sword’s point to the side of her neck。 He had seen the Sword of Truth cut through iron before； and he knew the sword’s magic could do the job。 She lay dead still as he slid the sword under the heavy iron band。
And then she lunged at him。 In a blink； she had a fierce grip on his left arm。 Her teeth clamped around his forearm； pinching the nerves。
Richard froze。 He knew that if he were to try to yank his arm back； her teeth would probably tear the muscle from the bone。 He still had his right hand on the sword。 The rage of the magic pounded through him。 He used the anger to help Slim block the pain and remain still。
With the sword under the collar as it was； it would be a simple matter to give it a twist and a push。 It would cut her throat； if not decapitate her； and he would be free of her teeth。 The pain from her locking bite was agonizing。
‘Du Chaillu；’ he managed through gritted teeth。 ‘Let go。 I’m not going to hurt you。 If it were my intention to hurt you； I could cut you right now with the sword to make you let go。’
After a long moment； silent of everything but his labored 。breathing； she relaxed the pressure of her teeth； but didn’t release his arm from her grip。
She tilted her head a bit。 ‘Why？’ Her eyes peered up at him。 ‘Why do you wish to help me？’
Richard stared down into her dark eyes。 He took a chance and removed his hand from the sword。 He brought the hand up； and touched his fingers to the cold metal collar around his neck。
‘I； too； am a prisoner。 I； too； know what it is to be held by a collar。 I don’t like collars。 Though I can’t free myself in this way； I can try to free you。’
Her ferocious grip on his arm relaxed。 She cocked her head to the side as she frowned up at him。
‘But you are a magic man。’
That’s why I was taken prisoner。 The woman I’m with is taking me to a place called the Palace of the Prophets。 She says the magic will kill me if