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Tobi swallows. He glances up at the king again. King Harok. But he avoids meeting his eyes. He looks at his broad chest with its leather harness, straps nestling in the dark hair. Lymok called him a slayer of demons. Is that true? That soldier said the Ambolk king was a demon himself. So is he part demon or does he kill demons? Tobi supposes it only matters if one believes demons are real.

Before Tobi can say anything, Lymok speaks again. He says, “There will be no debate. You came onto our land and we will take what we want. If you refuse we will slay all of you.” Tobi looks around. Lymok seems to be addressing him.

In the group of women and children, a young girl bursts into tears. “Please,” Tobi says. “We do not wish to dishonour the Ambolk. What do you want from us?”

King Harok says something to Lymok, who nods. “We require Prince Tobi Darekul. Beast Tamer.”

Tobi feels like a strange cloud has suddenly enveloped him. He can’t speak. For a moment he doesn’t feel like his feet are touching the ground. His voice, when he finally finds it, is weak. “Tobi Darekul?”

“That is correct. Please will you point him out to us.”

Before Tobi can respond, one of the Ambolk grabs a squealing figure from the group of women and children. She is pulled to her feet by a big hand in her hair. It’s Myrtle. The Ambolk man who holds her puts his blade to her throat.

Tobi watches, hardly daring to breathe as Myrtle is forced onto her knees before the crowd of his terrified friends. She has frightened tears rolling down her face.

“To make it clear we are serious,” Lymok says, quite smoothly.

Tobi looks around in panic. He has to say something. But he can’t seem to speak from sheer terror. He can hear his blood rushing in his ears. But everything is happening so fast. He feels frozen with fear. Can he declare who he is and give himself up to these brutal people? They cannot mean to treat him well.

Darvo leaps up, barging past the Ambolk guarding him and the other men. He rushes over and tackles the man holding Myrtle. Tobi cries out, “No,” it is clear there are too many. Darvo is strong, but he’s no warrior. And most of the Ambolk look as large as he is.

And Darvo’s heroics are over as fast as they began. He is grabbed and held back by two huge Ambolk warriors. He’s panting and looks like he’s in pain. His arm looks wrong. Like they broke it as they pulled him off the man he attacked.

Lymok strolls over to him. “What’s your name?” he says.

Darvo is fighting the men who hold him despite his injury, “Let her go,” he snarls. “Let Myrtle go.”

“Darvo,” Cyrus says, from his position on his knees, sounding quite weary. “His name is Darvo. He‘s her husband.”

“I see,” says Lymok. He looks at Darvo. “You care for this woman?”

Darvo nods, his face anger and fear.

Tobi glances over at Harok, who simply watches all of this impassively.

“Do you know Tobi Darekul?”

Darvo nods again.

“Where is he?”

Darvo looks at Tobi. His face is pale. He doesn’t want to betray Tobi, even though there is no point in keeping quiet about the fact Tobi is standing right in front of them.

Darvo lifts his chin and says, “If he has any sense, he has fled into the forest.”

When Lymok translates this, the Ambolk laugh. “I assure you,” Lymok says, “If he were in our forest, we would know. We have your people surrounded. He is here. Give him to us. Give him to us or you can watch your woman die.”

Tobi looks at Darvo. His sweet frightened face. His broken arm. His air of dumb, stubborn loyalty.

He swallows. He has to say something, he must.

But before he can, Cyrus says, “Tobi Darekul is standing right before you.”

Lymok turns. He looks at Tobi as if he is somewhat surprised. “You? You are Tobi Darekul? Son of Prince Rafus?”

And Tobi finally finds his voice. “I am,” he says, lifting his chin and standing as tall as he can despite feeling half mad with fear. “Here I am. Prince Tobi Darekul. Son of the Crown Prince of Azuria and yours to command.” He nods to Harok and bows.“Your Majesty.”

Lymok translates what Tobi has said, while Harok stares down at him. When Lymok finishes, Harok says some words of Ambolk.