As he neared the gate the lionman roared an order. Leiria saw the gates swing open and thought he was going to try to escape outside.
Instead, she heard bellows of rage and she dug her heels in to stop her headlong charge, shouting a warning to Jooli at the same time.
Both women halted, moving together for protection. Jooli had time to say, 'What in the hells?!' and then six strange figures burst through the open gates to join their king.
They were nearly as tall as he, but with broader shoulders and wider backs. From the neck down they were men. But above they sported the mighty horned heads of fighting bulls. They were all armed with huge spiked clubs as thick as a ship's main mast.
The bullmen fanned out around their king. Then, with him in the center, they advanced-their bellows echoing across the arena.
Suddenly, the crowd came to life. They cheered wildly, then took up the chant:
'Kill them! Kill, kill, kill!'
Jooli said, 'Looks like we're in for a long fight, sister.'
Leiria smiled, then said, 'On my signal, we go for the king, agreed?'
'Agreed!'
And so Leiria gave the signal and they charged.
Safar forced a brandy-laced potion through Palimak's lips and he came awake, choking and sputtering.
When his son had caught his breath, Safar gave him the flask and he took a long swallow.
Palimak closed his eyes and shuddered as the restorative did its work. When he opened them again relief flooded Safar's veins as he saw sanity had returned.
The young man was pale and shaken from his ordeal. Then, with a start, reality took hold.
He embraced his father, saying, 'Thank the gods you found me!'
Moved by the sight of father and son reunited, the soldiers scraped the ground with their boots. Sergeant Hamyr wiped away a tear with a battle-hardened hand.
Then Palimak drew back. 'I had a terrible dream, father,' the young man said. 'I was in this arena. And a man with a lion's head gave me a spear. And you were on the other side of the arena and the lionman-'
'It wasn't a dream, son,' Safar broke in. 'But never mind that. We have things to do. And they have to be done in a hurry.'
Palimak was horrified. 'Do you mean it was real?' he asked, voice quivering. 'Did I really try to-'
Once again, Safar interrupted. 'Please, son,' he said. 'It wasn't your fault. And we can discuss the whole thing later and I'll prove to you that it wasn't. Just take my word for it right now. All right?'
Palimak nodded weakly. 'All right,' he said.
'We have to get back to that arena immediately,' Safar said. 'Leiria and Jooli are in grave danger. Do you understand what I'm telling you?'
Again, Palimak nodded. 'I understand,' he said.
Safar helped him to his feet. He motioned to Hamyr who stepped in to belt a sword about Palimak's waist. Then he gave him a tunic and a spare pair of boots which the young man hastily pulled on.
'Are you hungry?' Safar asked when he was dressed.
Palimak shook his head. 'I couldn't eat,' he said. 'I'd get sick to my stomach.' He motioned at the flask, grinning weakly. 'But maybe some more of that.'
Safar gave the brandy to him and he drank it down. When he was done he drew in a deep breath, then squared his shoulders.
'I'm fine now,' he said.
Safar turned to the soldiers. 'Leave your packs here,' he said. 'Just take your weapons. And the moment we get there, don't stop to think. Or look around and wonder where in the hells you are. Just fight, all right?'
The men all said they understood.
However, Sergeant Hamyr made bold to ask, 'Pardon, Lord Timura, but can you tell us exactly who we'll be fightin'?'
Safar chuckled. 'The enemy,' he said.
Hamyr nodded, smiling. 'Ah, the enemy. That's good to know. Thanks, me lord.'
'You're welcome, sergeant,' Safar said.
Then he led them down the path to a large black patch that had been burned into the ground by Jooli's spell.
It hadn't taken him more than a few minutes to figure what she'd done and he was quite impressed with her feat. Her action had not only saved him and Palimak, but had also pointed the way for Safar to work some magic of his own.
The spell she'd cast had also weakened the witch's portal so much that he'd be able to return to the arena with Palimak and the entire squad of soldiers. Plus Leiria and Jooli would be able to remain with them, adding two excellent swords to the fight.
Especially Leiria's blade, he thought fondly. She's worth half an army all by herself.
Meanwhile, Palimak was studying Jooli's magical spoor. Gundaree and Gundara also whispered interesting hints in his ear.
After a moment he turned to Safar, saying, 'I see how the spell goes together, father. Let me help you.'
Safar clapped him on the back. 'Sure you can, son. The more we can put behind this, the better,' he said.
Palimak raised a hand. 'Wait a minute,' he said. 'Gundaree and Gundara have a suggestion.' Palimak said.
He bent his head, listening. Then he grinned. 'It's a pretty good trick,' he said to Safar. 'Something that'll really put a curl in that damned King Felino's mane!'
Safar chuckled, recalling just how evil the minds of the two little Favorites could be. 'Wonderful,' he said. 'The only caution is that I'd rather capture him if we can. I want to find out what's behind all this.'
Palimak nodded agreement and Safar got to work setting up the spell. Using his silver witch's-dagger he scratched a pentagram in the ashes. In the center he sketched a lion's face.
He stepped back, raised his arms and spreading them wide, concentrated on his goal. As he did this he felt Palimak's power, backed up by Gundaree and Gundara's energies, flow into him.
And he chanted:
In numbers even gods could not add.
We conjure a thing to bedevil a king
Then he clapped his hands together and thousands of butterflies burst up from the pentagram, flying free and high into the towering trees.
'Arm yourselves,' Safar shouted, drawing his sword.
Blades scraped from their sheaths and suddenly the jungle vanished.
And they all found themselves standing in the center of a huge arena, a battle raging not far away.
While all around them a thunderous crowd chanted its bloody anthem:
'Kill, kill, kill!'
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
In their first charge Leiria and Jooli came within inches of killing King Felino.
The lionman and his bellowing cohorts had clearly believed the two women would be so terrified when confronted with such an overwhelming force that they'd squeal in feminine dismay and beat a panicked
