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Heboric stared at the High Mage for a long tieful, insane goddess

‘There are two Felisins,’ L’oric then ht Touch’

‘One day, L’oric,’ Heboric growled, ‘I will discover who you truly are’

The High Mage smiled ‘You will find this si my father’s stride That alone, in time, will explain all you need know of me Go, Destriant Guard her well’

Ghosts pivoted, ar limped past At least these ones, he reflected dully, weren’t shackled in chains

The blood trail had led him into a maze of ruins, an unused section of the city notorious for its cellars and pitfalls and precariously leaning walls He could smell the beast It was close and, he suspected, cornered

Or, more likely, it had decided to make a stand, in a place perfectly suited for an ambush

If only the slow, steady patter of dripping blood had not given away its hiding place

Karsa kept his gaze averted from that alleyway of inky shadows five paces ahead and to his right He made his steps uncertain, uneven with pain and hesitation, not all of it feigned The blood between his hands and the sword’s grip had grown sticky, but still threatened to betray his grasp on the weapon

Shadoere shredding the darkness, as if the two ele driven back Dawn, Karsa realized, was approaching

He caed

Karsa leapt forward, twisting inan arc into his wake

The tip slashed hide, but the beast’s attack had already carried it past It landed on one foreleg, which skidded out froht over

Karsa scrambled back to his feet to face it

The beast crouched, preparing to charge once again

The horse that burst out of a side alley caught both hound and Toblakai by surprise That the panicked ani blind was made obvious as it collided with the hound