It’s not yours! “Tla! Nasgi Aquateseli!!” No! It IS mine!! Teutates’ voice grew deep again, threatening. He pulled Evelyn closer, bringing the scepter’s ivory tip beneath her chin. She screamed and a small river of blood appeared. John cried out for him to stop, his remorse immediate and profound. “Don’t do it, Grandpa!” Evelyn pleaded bravely. “He’ll kill us all if you tell him!” Too late. Distressed for her welfare, his thoughts now betrayed him. Only for an instant, but he pictured where it lay hidden, tucked inside a small zippered compartment in his snowsuit. Teutates snickered, the scepter’s ivory tip bearing Evelyn’s blood poised to sever her neck while she sobbed, ostensibly resigned to her death. “Adanedi nasgi ayv!” The shadowed wraiths tore open John’s snowsuit, eager to comply with their master’s command to bring the ruby to him. “No—get your hands off me!”
