"Toka!" Roya cried in stark desperation. "Toka!"
There was only hissing laughter, mocking her.
Thrusting Roya free, Ophid fingered the small masonries of the latch area. In the sickly green light cast by the interior stonework, the den was low and huge. As Ophid moved slowly toward her, Roya dodged around the table and grasped the back of a chair. Red eyes staring hypnotically, Ophid slowly rounded the table and came toward her.
His snaky arms and hands began reaching slowly for her. Her flesh cringed as though she were already naked. But she could not move--could not utter a sound!
Held by Ophid's red eyes, Roya felt her legs quivering. She sensed those snaky fingers reaching closer and closer. In but a moment those hands would--
A frantic buzzing sounded from the pit and a pounding came on the door.
Snaky features scowling, Ophid flung the portal wide. "What's all this nonsense!"
"But, sire," a Dragon Man hissed, "a boy swears he just saw the three warriors from the Outer World!"
... _the three warriors from the Outer World_ cut through Roya's hynotized mind. Toka had come!
"The boy's mad!" Ophid hissed angrily. "No one could get past the tunnel dragon!"
"But, sire!" the alarmed Dragon Man furthered. "The boy swears the three warriors are those who bested your six dragons sent to Kosanna!"
"All right, all right!" Ophid accepted impatiently. "We'll search the place and see! And if any--" The door slammed shut.
Roya was to it. It was locked. Racing her hands to find the releasing mechanism, she listened to the commotion outside. Every Dragon Man and Boy and winged reptile must be searching the pit!
The door abruptly gave out from Roya's desperately searching hands! But she shocked back as the King of the Dragon Men strode in. His adroit tail flicked the door shut. Roya was behind a nearby chair. Ophid turned to finger the latch. With strength born of new hope, Roya grasped the chair and leaped. Ophid whirled and tried to convulse away. The chair missed his head but slammed down on his arms and staggered him.
Glimpsing success, Roya flailed the chair again. But Ophid whipped his tail around her ankle and threw her off balance as he tore the chair from her hands.
Roya contorted to sink her teeth into that tail coiled around her ankle. Ophid hissed with pain. Leaping free, Roya snatched the other chair as she dodged around the table. Ophid only stood before the door--his red eyes burning unwinkingly. Roya knew he was trying to hypnotize her again. But if she didn't let herself watch him....