"But Elees!" Roya protested.
The haze swirled away ahead, revealing Rok and an unharmed Elees and Old Ledo.
"Let's get out!" Toka ran for the path.
Old Ledo ran to the moss den. "All right, come on!" The pitiful slave girls fell in behind the old warrior as he joined Toka on the narrow path.
The ledge came into sight. Toka eased to the tunnel's maw. Midway back, a dragon was coiled on guard. Drawing back, Toka held up one finger. Rok and Old Ledo joined him.
Toka breathed, "Take it as it comes!" He skipped a rock across the ledge.
There was a heavy sliding within the tunnel and the dragon's head thrust out. Rok and Old Ledo with him, Toka leaped with battle-ax flashing. The three blades tore true and the dragon's head toppled over the ledge. Aided by butchering blows of great axes, the violently convulsing body plunged after.
The tunnel's stinking gloom was traversed and the escapees crowded the mucky shore of the underground river. Old Ledo came back. "No canoe."
But that dilemma was instantly flung into the background as a murmur suddenly swept through the hopeless slave girls. Even as Toka glanced to ascertain the reason, the pitiful creatures began walking into the river. Instantly the vicious fish swarmed. The first slaves went down like mown blades of grass. The ones behind came on—hopeless, impassive, unstoppable!
Placing an arm about Roya's shoulders as she covered her face with her hands, Toka turned sickly away.