Carmody brought his hands up to the arm clamped around his throat, trying to pry it away. It didn’t budge. Malkira’s companion had been perfectly positioned for an ambush. The guy was even bigger than he was, and his left arm was still weak from the bullet wound. He spun Carmody halfway around on the trail. Jerking him from behind. Twisting him. This way, that, like he was a rag doll. The slope slid out from under his boots. Another twist. Another jerk. This way. That. His fist pounded the side of Carmody’s face. It felt like a mallet.

Then Carmody saw Malkira above him. About ten feet up the slope. Just standing there in the middle of the trail.

He had something in his hand. Long, bright, silver, reflective.

A knife.

“Jochi, get him up here.”

He moved up the trail, forcing Carmody along in front of him, pushing him forward with his chest. Carmody dug his heels into the dirt. The guy held him in his vice lock and kept pushing and punching his face.

Malkira took a step toward him. He was holding the knife low. About level with his hip. His arm cocked at the elbow. He was going to uppercut him with the blade.

Carmody knew what he needed to do. But he couldn’t do it too soon. It had to be timed right.

He waited until the knife was coming up in Grigor’s hand. Not giving him a chance to stop his upward stabbing motion. Then he pivoted to the left, using his hip, using his shoulder, using his legs, bringing the big ox behind him around his right side, counterclockwise, between the arcing blade and his own body.

It didn’t cut the ox too deeply. He was strong enough to stop his off balance momentum so the edge of the blade just grazed him through his right sleeve. He spun around and hurled himself on top of Carmody, body-slamming him, knocking him backward off his feet and down onto the trail. His face was in Carmody’s face. His beard was squashed into his mouth. He brought his hands down around Carmody’s throat. Carmody brought his hands up around the guy’s throat. But the guy had him pinned with his weight. Had him crushed into the dirt and rocks. The guy had all the advantage.

Then something happened Carmody couldn’t have explained.