“No.” Eva kept a wary eye on the busy huntsman. She shuddered at the thought of him chasing her through the woods again. How can I escape him in the daylight? He’s not going to chase after pellets again. An idea tickled the back of her brain. She held up the Omnipod. “I’ll help you. But you’ve got to help me, okay?”

“Bluh, sizzu feezi,” replied the creature, rolling his eyes.

Finished with his butchering, the huntsman grabbed several large steaks and turned around, heading toward his glider. As he glanced up, he discovered that only one of his prisoners was left, hanging next to a lone sneakboot.

“Feezi meed!” he roared, throwing the meat down and grabbing his lance. “Ya battee meer de hagrim Ruzender. Wha seesha?”

High atop the tree with the snares, Eva could hear the huntsman shouting as he neared. She breathed into the Omnipod, “This is Eva Nine. Initiate Gym Buddy. Warm up to begin in fifteen seconds.”

“Initiating in fifteen seconds,” the device replied. “Fifteen . . . fourteen . . . thirteen . . . twelve . . .”

Eva hurled the Omnipod as far as she could out into the forest. The metal device went much farther than the little pellets had the night before. It landed out in the distance, spooking a gaggle of noisy birds. The huntsman dashed past the lanky prisoner, surveying the woods. Eva held her breath, counting silently.

Five . . . four . . . three . . . two . . .

“Who’s ready to warm up with some jumping jacks?” piped a far-off voice.

The huntsman tore off after the decoy, ripping through the undergrowth. Eva climbed down the tree just as her companion stood up, balanced on one foot, knife in hand. The two of them hop-dashed toward the loot pile, where she helped him grab his things.

Little one.

Eva spun around, her heart fluttering. She shivered as a wave of hairs on her neck stood up. Is there someone hiding here in the afternoon shadows? The armored behemoth made a low groan, and Eva turned to look at him.

Little one. Help.

Eva gasped.

Help.

She stepped past the butchered carcass and approached the giant animal. Light-headed, Eva stared into its large protruding eyes. She could feel that the behemoth was not just gazing at her. Somehow, it understood her.

Free. Me.

She heard the song of its voice drift into her mind. Eva placed her pale palm flat on the behemoth’s forehead between its bulging eyes. Its rust-colored skin was warm and pebbly, like it had been cast from the ground she had been trekking across. She felt a oneness with the animal, sensing its strength . . . its sorrow . . . its fear.

“Grazeet!” The lanky blue creature grabbed handfuls of stolen items and pushed them into his overstuffed rucksack. “Zaata! Zaata! Zaata!” he shouted.

I am sorry for your friend, she thought to the armored animal. What can I do?

The behemoth began to shuffle its six feet. It tugged forward against its binds.

Must. Get. Free.