Eva opened her eyes and met the gaze of her lanky blue companion. He was kneeling down alongside the armored animal, his hand outstretched. As he pulled Eva out from underneath the behemoth, she saw that he had the huntsman’s other weapon—the sonic rifle used on Eva’s Sanctuary—in his other hand.

“Gabu Baasteel!” The creature spat, throwing the rifle down to the ground. He pointed up toward the orange sky. Eva saw that the sun was setting in the murky cloud cover.

The lanky creature hopped around the camp, cutting the snares of the other captives and freeing the contained insects.

Eva walked over to the stunned and fallen huntsman. His massive arms were limp as he lay on his side breathing in a slow rhythm next to the carcass of the butchered animal. She felt a nudge from behind and a now familiar song in her mind.

Am. Free. Little one.

Eva’s gaze traveled to the severed head of the slain animal. Its lifeless open eyes had clouded over and its beaked mouth was slightly agape. Flies danced on the dried white saliva that was caked on its chin and barbels.

Run. Free.

Yes, Eva thought back, we must run . . . or . . . She looked at the lance lying on the ground next to her feet. It was a thin ivory rod, much longer than the huntsman’s rifle, and had a dark lever mounted at its midsection. The coiled electrical cables were tangled around one of the huntsman’s legs. As she studied the bloodied tip, Eva thought about how easily it had cut through thick flesh. She thought about the knives in the kitchen and how they were tools.

Simply tools.

Now her kitchen had been destroyed and an innocent animal had been slain. She bent down to grab the lance.

No. Little one. Free.

“Feezi!” her lanky companion yelled. “Zaata! Zaata!” He pointed to the woods with his hat. With his walking stick as a crutch, he hopped toward her, grunting from the effort. Eva saw that his discolored foot was swollen and raised in such a manner that he could not put any pressure on it.

“Let me help you,” she said.

“Dat, dat, dat,” the creature said, shaking his head. Once again he pointed into the woods. “Feezi zaata.” He turned and pointed in the opposite direction and said, “Ruzender zaata.”

“No.” Eva picked her Omnipod up from the ground. “You won’t make it. And I don’t know where I am. You said you’d help.”

“Bluh,” the creature said with a sigh, and threw up his hands.

A groan came from the huntsman’s direction.

“Oh, no!” cried Eva. “He’s waking up. Let’s zap him again.” She scanned the site for the sonic rifle. It was lying on the ground near the heap of loot. The behemoth let out a low hoot.

Free. Now. Run.

Eva looked over at it. The animal regarded her, hooting again.