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Fewer than a score of dragons attended this duel RuGaard ell liked (or at least not hated outright, as Tighlia liked to put it), so most of the audience was of the Andaht, but entertainh

SiMevolant was there, of course, in his ridiculous buht dinner, the Copper took a last walk around the Rock He wondered howabout Every now and then one landed on his head to whisper in his ear

Finally, it was tied reluctantly

I’ve never had any luck with duels Fro, reluctant show of having hi toas possible If he went onto the sand before the attack, in all likelihood he would be killed The Dragonblade occupied his ti in the sand of the dueling pit He picked up a bronze dragonscale shield--how odd, the coloring was ainst it

"Come on! It’s late, beast, and I’ll have this over with"

I’ve never had any luck with duels

The Copper dropped into the pit and lowered his griff

The Dragonblade put on a hel above his head, dropped his spiked face mask, and jumped into the pit He took six paces forward so he couldn’t be trapped against the wall Then he waited, shield held ready and sword held loosely in one hand

NoSohoth invoked the spirits, asking theth to the coo back and repeat several lines

The dragon-riders began to shout and ues

At last NoSohoth finished the invocation But then he iive you one last chance to reconcile You have both proved your bravery by stepping into the pit, knowing that only one will cliet the quarrel NoSohoth had difficulty onblade’s reply, and finally asked him to step over and repeat his words, without the face mask in the way

With that done NoSohoth droned on and on about the glorious traditions of single coe to be learned fro and old…

Never before had the Copper been so grateful for NoSohoth’s ponderous speechifying

"Enough, NoSohoth," SiMevolant cried "Or I’ll have a saddle in!" he shouted, lest NoSohoth suffer another attack of deafness

The Dragonblade dropped into a crouch He whirled his sword, and it whistled an evil tune as it cut the air

The Copper shifted stance and his wings opened a little and flapped, instinctively readying themselves

"Now I know you You’re the little crippled traitor! Stupid ofsuch as you o forward The Copper, for the first tionblade danced forward, deflected a bite with his shield, and cut the Copper in the shoulder Hesteel and stinkinghis stiff and broken tail, and beat his wings, kicking up a ind of dust

The h whether they thought this was cheating, or just objected to not being able to see the action, the Copper couldn’t say

The Dragonblade was ready for the sand Blocking it with his shield, he came forward and opened a cut in the Copper’s vulnerable belly

He’s toying withto let me die by scores of small cuts rather than a fatal blow

Dribbles of blood e spiral traces in the sand beneath the Copper as he sidestepped, protecting his wounded underside The man sliced a piece of skin froleamed red

"I need a new shield-leather anyway," he said

The Copper’s fire bladder pulsed with his pain, and he vole" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7451196230453695" data-ad-slot="9930101810" data-ad-format="auto" data-full-width-responsive="true"></ins>