Relief washed over Felix. He relaxed and lowered his machete. It wasn't a jaguar after all. Although, the jungle cat was still out there somewhere, so he should still be on guard. Why else would they have heard it?

Katrina whimpered as she buried her face in the middle of his back. The Turri Indians appeared fearsome, but these two warriors who had shown themselves from out of the bushes, were his friends. Felix couldn't pronounce their real names, so he called them—Bruno and Dado. Bruno was the bigger man. Not only was he taller, but he also had more muscles. Dado was Bruno's frail father.

"Greetings, my friends," Felix called out in their language. He took a step toward them, but Katrina held on to his shirt to keep him from moving. He glanced over his shoulder at her. Tremors shook her body. "Miss Landon, what is wrong?"

"Don't go with them," she answered with a tight voice. "They will blow a poisonous dart at you and eat you."

Although he tried not to laugh, his mouth twitched in a grin. He shouldn't make light of her terror. After all, the Turri Indians were known for their cannibalism. Yet that was years and years ago. Felix doubted the newer generation feasted on humans. But why did she think they'd shoot a poisonous dart at him? How odd...

"Not to worry, my dear. These men are my friends."

She lifted her head and looked at him. Her face was pale and her eyes were wide. "Your friends?"

"Yes."

"But—but they tried to eat Alexio. He has the scars on his arm to prove it."

This time, Felix couldn't hold back the chuckle bubbling up from his throat. "No, my dear. A crocodile took a bite out of his arm. Why did you think..." He swung his gaze to Alexio who stood with a few other men. All of them covered their mouths as they tried to hide their laughs. Felix threw them a glare before quickly looking back at her. "My dear Miss Landon, Alexio was not honest with you. The Turri Indians are our friends. They will certainly not eat us, I assure you."

Katrina straightened and took deep breaths. Felix could literally see anger rising inside of her because it showed on her face as the color seeped back into her skin. She turned her scowl onto Alexio, marched right up to him, and slugged him hard in the arm.

"Do not lie to me again. Is that clear?" she snapped.

Alexio's laughter stopped as he rubbed his arm. "Uh, yes, Miss Landon."

For a brief moment, Felix was taken aback with her actions. A well-bred lady wouldn't have struck a man in such a way, whether she was spitting mad or not. And to think she struck Alexio hard enough that the man was still rubbing the sore spot. How very interesting...

Felix turned his focus back to his Indian friends. They didn't understand English very well, so Felix was certain they wouldn't have known what Katrina was worried about.

Smiling once again, he walked forward and greeted Bruno and Dado. The tribe had a different way of greeting their friends other than a handshake, and although Felix didn't like putting his arms around other men, he allowed Bruno and Dado to give him a hug. To refuse would have been an insult to them.

"What brings you out this way so far from your home?" Felix asked in their native tongue.

"We hear things that are not good," Bruno said. "Come sit with us. We will explain. Too dangerous here for you and your people."

Felix stiffened. He didn't like the sound of that. Perhaps Mr. Faro back at the tavern had been speaking the truth. Was the jungle really cursed with an evil magic?

He glanced at Carlos. "We'll stop here for a little while. This is a clear spot, let us make camp for the night."

Giving a nod to Bruno and Dado, Felix led them away from the group so they could talk in private. Whatever was going on in the jungle, he didn't want to frighten his men, or Katrina, if he could help it.

The three of them sat on the ground in a circle. This was how their Turri ancestors conducted meetings. Usually they had a peace-pipe, but right now Felix was relieved they didn't offer it to him. He needed a clear head for this particular subject.

"Tell me what you know," he began.

"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."

"So 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. The bad spirit was 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 the bad spirit and 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 could not let 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."

"So 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.