Eva could hear her lanky companion approach her, but his voice sounded distant and muffled. The blue creature put his large hand on her shoulder and pointed to the forest excitedly. Nervously.

Hurry.

Ignoring her companion, Eva walked over to the behemoth’s back leg. The pillar-size limb shadowed her as she knelt down and examined the snare that held it. Like her binds, it was simply a noose that was now pulled so tightly that it had cut the thick skin. The ground underneath it had become dark mud from the weeping wound.

Back, Eva thought to it, step back.

Hurry. Free.

Giving up on Eva, the lanky creature escaped into the woods. Still entranced, Eva put her hand flat on the behemoth’s leg. It was thicker than her entire body.

You have to step backward, she thought. Do you understand? Walk backward.

Still the armored animal did not move in the right direction. Eva could hear the snare tightening around its foot. It let out another low bellow.

Call. Others. Free. Now.

Eva ran back around to face the animal and put both hands on its forehead. She began pushing it. Back up, she thought to it. Move backward!

Free.

Come on. She closed her eyes. Please just move back and you’ll be free.

Others. Free. Run.

“Move!” yelled Eva. “You have to move back!”

The behemoth stopped. It started shambling backward. The tension on the snare around its foot loosened. Losing her balance, Eva tripped as she pushed, and fell flat on her stomach. Disoriented, she snapped out of her trance, and looked up.

On the opposite side of the campsite, the huntsman reappeared from the forest. He threw down the Omnipod and bolted straight toward Eva Nine.

CHAPTER 10: RUN

Nassa ruzender Keet!” The huntsman leaped over the loot pile toward Eva.

Eva scrambled to her feet.

Run. Hurry. Free.

She dashed around the backside of the armored animal. As quick as lightning, the huntsman was on top of the behemoth’s plated back, lance in hand as he searched for his quarry. Eva dropped, crawling between the massive legs under the animal’s girth. Ducking under its thick, fan-shaped tail, which was tucked and hidden under its belly, she grabbed the now loosened noose and pulled it off the behemoth’s bloodied foot.

You’re free now, she thought to it.

“Tista baffa fooh!” shouted the huntsman over the behemoth’s bellows. He squeezed a lever and the lance began to charge, its hum growing loud.

Eva heard a loud BOOM.

She put her hands over her head, waiting for the weight of the dead behemoth to crush her—but the animal did not fall.

Instead she heard a familiar voice: “Ovanda say tateel?”