He looked at the two priests who stood by, and they glared hungrily on him in answer.

Then his courage came back to him; at least he had his rifle and would fight for his life.

It must go hard if he could not put a bullet through one or both of them before they got a hold of him.
Meanwhile the priests below had seized the king Olfan, whose giant form they were dragging towards the stone of sacrifice.

But of a sudden, for the first time Juanna spoke, and a deep silence fell upon the temple and all within it.
"Hearken, People of the Mist," she said; and her voice falling from that great height seemed small and far away, although so clear that every word was audible in the stillness of the night.
"Hear me, People of the Mist, and ye, priests of the Snake.

Aca is come again and Jal is come again, and ye have given them back their rule after many generations, and in their hands lies the life of every one of you.