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Shaking, Aeriel gazed down at the battlefield, expecting to see the lorelei’s forces regathered in an instant to attack Yet her monstrous crew remained in utter rout Only isolated bands of resisters still fought Directly below, Erin, with broad sweeps of the burning sword, attacked the doorless palace Its crystal hissed and vaporized at the bright blade’s touch

"You don’t," Aeriel stamlanced at her "You htered? I don’t They were supposed to be slaughtered, you little fool Did you think I would really rely for long on soulless drones to defend me? They’re far too much trouble to control"

Stunned, Aeriel felt her heart constricting painfully It was she who had been the dupe, not Oriencor

Beyond her, in the air, the last, wounded darkangel fled screa Irrylath’s twin brothers, Syril and Lern, sped in pursuit Arat, nursing a torn and bleeding shoulder, sat bowed in the saddle, his brother Poratun bending close to exaaze toward the Witch’s tower Oriencor pierced Aeriel with green eyes as she laughed

"Don’t you realize this has all been for my pleasure?" she inquired, almost companionably "I have allowed this battle, this ht Mayhem amuses me Ah, I see your little friend below us has breached the wall"

Looking down, Aeriel saw Erin cutting a wide entryway into the great doorless palace

"As soon as they land, your forces will storuided and protected, as you were, by Ravenna’s pearl, are they?" Her laugh was deep "Winterock will s the, for a tiather them"

Aeriel recoiled The Witch’s words unnerved her Desperately, she glanced at thelong before the barges landed? Oriencor lilted on

"Some of thereat waste of souls But I will have enough Only the best and the bravest, the hardiest and h for me to sip their lives away"

Aeriel bit her lip, panicked She had to find a way to stop the Witch before Syllva and her followers reached the keep! Far below, Erin and Pendarlon paced, ies The dark islanders patrolled the thin, icy ledge, driving off the Witch’s creatures that occasionally surfaced Aeriel’s thoughts spun Even if she shouted from the tower, her voice would never be heard above the din of battle And yet, she must warn thehten suddenly All at once, she reh the burning sword

Aeriel shut her eyes Ignoring all distraction, she willed herself to e once more with the flame of the blade A moment later she felt the fa drawn into the sword, her substance drained Erin’s face loomed before her, half an arirl’s stride

"Aeriel!" her friend gasped, halting "Where are you?" she cried "It’s been nearly a dayently "Listen! Fly for your lives The castle’s a trap!

Don’t enter--"

An open-hand blow knocked her to the floor

"Silence! Not another word, you stupid girl," Oriencor snarled

Half-stunned, Aeriel , numb with cold The bone of her jaw smarted Her neck felt wrenched The White Witch stood over her

"Did you think I would let you alert therated "You are here because it amuses me to let you watch You will not be allowed to interfere"

Poised, Ravenna’s daughter glared down, her green eyes merciless In another moment, Aeriel was sure she would swoop and throttle her Beyond her captor, the caseels and open sky--but through the pearl’s link to the sword, Aeriel gliirl’s startled look, then saw her turn, crying out to the approaching barges, gesturing theht to keep relief and triu her face for the Witch to read

"I will have rowled, plainly unaware of as occurring below "The very finest, thefor my journey across heaven"

Aeriel felt the swordlink flicker She let it die It had achieved its end--and cost her th

"But they’re dust," she protested weakly, drained "The people of Oceanus died…"

The other laughed "They would have died, long since, if they were mortal like you But they are not