I had to hit her again, and her arm dropped to the ground, forcing her to pick it up. And the hyena resumed slamming into the shield. It didn’t take much. Three slams and I could hear the shield cracking. The hall suddenly felt too small and I panicked, backing into the safety of the amulet on the opposite side of the door as Jember.

The hyena broke through just as I made it out of that space, its mane standing up with rage …

But it didn’t come after me. It paused where it was in the doorway, just looking at me. And then it swung its long neck to look at Jember. My stomach dropped into my feet. It must’ve been able to sense that the amulet was getting close to completion.

“I’m your prey!” I yelled, tapping the ground to get its attention. “Come get me, monster!”

But it was done with me, it seemed. Instead it ran at Jember, so fast it cracked its own head against the shield.

Jember jolted, making eye contact with me from across the doorway. I’d never seen him so scared, and for a moment my heart was pounding hard enough to weaken me. There were fewer amulets on the wall going toward the stairs—only two. It was a bad side to be on when you were suddenly the new target of the Evil Eye. There was no way I could break through and get to him, especially when there was so much more of the amulet to go.

I swallowed, adjusting my grip on the broomstick. And when the hyena charged at Jember’s shield, I ran out from behind the safety of mine and speared it through the neck.

I rushed back behind my shield on the other side of the door, checking on the damage I’d done only after I was safely behind it. It barely reacted, as if nothing had happened, even though the sharp end of the stick stuck through its neck about two feet, dragging heavily on the ground on the handle side. It could barely run now, let alone break the shield, with its head being weighed down. But its focus was on me again, which was all I cared about. We were back on track.

Saba, God bless her, had held herself back for as long as she could, but now she came out into the hall and took hold of the broomstick. I picked up the closest weapon—a cricket bat—and stood ready to swing, waiting for what would happen next. As soon as Saba threw the stick aside the hyena came at me, and I hit it before it could damage the shield. It clamped the bat in its powerful jaws. I yanked the weapon back, the force making me stumble further into the protective pocket.

“Andi!” Jember shouted. “Watch—”