“Bad spirit in jungle.” Dado waved his hands wildly as he spoke. “Spirit very angry. Spirit not want you and your people to travel.”
Scratching his head, Felix let out an exhausted sigh. “Is it a spirit or an actual person you speak of?”
“Not know this.” Dado shook his head. “Not seen... only felt.”
“What is this bad spirit doing?”
“Making the jungle dangerous,” Bruno answered in a lower voice.
“Is this bad spirit responsible for the fire ants being in the wrong place? And for the jaguar roaming so nearby?”
“Yes.” Dado nodded. “Bad spirit wants to stop you.”
Felix rubbed the back of his neck. “Do you know why?”
Both father and son traded glances before meeting Felix’s eyes again. Dado gestured with his head toward the others. “Spirit not like the woman.”
Felix snapped his attention toward Katrina. He wanted to laugh over the Indians’ revelation. He, too, hadn’t liked Katrina when he first met her, but now things were different. Why did his warrior friends think the spirit didn’t like her? It didn’t matter. They only spoke the truth. Still, it made no sense to him.
He turned back to the father and son. “Miss Landon? What does she have to do with this?”
Bruno shrugged. “Do not know. Bad spirit does not want her in jungle. She must leave or spirit will become very angry.”
Felix blew out a frustrated sigh and fisted his hands. Thebad spiritwas probably just a person, or a group of people. But why did they want to get rid of Katrina? Was it only because she was a woman? He shook his head. That couldn’t be it. Suzette had traveled these roads with her husband several times. No, there had to be an explanation for what the Indians said. There was something he couldn’t quite put his finger on.
“The woman,” Dado said with wide eyes, “has gift from Gods. I think,” he tapped his forehead, “that makes her dangerous.”
“What do you mean?” Usually Felix could understand them, but what Dado just told him made no sense at all.
Dado frowned. “I think bad spirit feels woman’s strength. Doesn’t like it.”
Felix wanted to laugh, but he refrained. Dado obviously didn’t know Katrina very well. Felix would ignore thebad spiritand continue with his trek. He’d take his chances. They had no other choice. He’d make sure his men were extra wary of anything strange. They couldnotlet this stop them. Miss Landon needed to get to her father’s plantation and Felix needed to be the one to take her there.
His last big adventure was certainly turning out to be quite an escapade...
“I thank you for the warning, my friends,” he told them, “but I cannot turn back now. We have come too far. I pray my group will be able to reach our destination safely.”
Both father and son nodded. “We pray you can,” Dado said.
“Before you go,” Felix said as Bruno and his father began to stand, “can you tell me if you know Henry Landon? He owns a rubber tree plantation around here somewhere. He is the girl’s father and we’re taking her to him.” It worried Felix that he might not be heading in the correct direction.
Frowning, Dado gave a sharp nod. “I know him. Not good man. Cheats. Lies. Drunkard.” He took a deep breath before continuing. “Perhaps my people make him our next feast.”
Taken aback by the comment, Felix closely studied the older man’s face. The wrinkles around his eyes and mouth remained untouched, but after a few moments, the older man gave him a toothless grin. Thank goodness Dado had been kidding.
Felix chuckled. “Well, if the man is as bad as you say, his flesh is probably very tough and not tasty at all.”
Both Bruno and his father threw back their heads and chuckled loudly. Felix breathed a relieved sigh.
“You good man, Knightly.” Dado nodded. “You, we help.”
“You will tell me how to get to Mr. Landon’s place?” Felix asked.
The Indians squatted on the ground, and using a stick, Bruno drew out a map to the plantation, explaining as he drew. Felix could follow their map and knew exactly how to get there. It might take an extra day, but he’d do all he could to get Katrina there safely. He also prayed his group of men would be safe as well.
* * * *
KATRINA ASSISTED CARLOSand the other men in erecting tents. Often she glanced toward Felix and his cannibal friends, hoping what Felix said was right. Her stomach couldn’t settle until she knew these Indians wouldn’t have them for their main meal tonight. A shiver ran through her, but she shrugged it off, going back to setting up her tent.
