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Where was Adica?

The skrolin, ed blood, waited in an eerie silence, as though they would not, or could not, speak Alain sensed, then, that they were biding their ti--but for what?

Beor got to his feet, slipped on his own blood, and staggered back to stand beside Kel Adica broke free seely from out of nowhere and tury cries, thehalf-dozen skrolin That quickly, the skirrabbed for, and dropped, a spear fallen to the ground A second tiers around it and lifted it just in time to clumsily parry a blow A sword stroke hit Kel’s back as he turned in the wrong direction in confusion, but the wood fraed, sliced open by the blow, and provisions spilled out One warrior slipped on dried fish, falling hard But the rest pressed forward under White Feather’s co Adica Kel fell back, unable to hold his own, and slammed into Adica, who stumbled Half bent over, Beor set about himself, still a threat despite his wound

Where had that clarity gone, that had htly woven tapestry? It had seemed so easy before, for those brief moments drawn out like thread into an unbroken present Now Alain was barely able to block a blow thrown at Adica’s head by the white-crested warrior as the captain’s sword cut into and hung up in his oak staff Sorroas ain Claws scraped at his calves Maybe it was possible to die twice The thought struck him more with astonishment than fear

Then the world caht failed between one breath and the next, drowning theround buckled and heaved beneath him Kel shouted out in fear Sound cracked like thunder in his ears The earth splintered between his left foot and his right He grabbed for Adica and dragged her backward but felt hi forward on his knees toward a new chasm Heat blasted up froulf of e wind When he opened his ue He couldn’t hear his voice above the screarabbed hi to stop his slide Adica scrabbled for purchase A spear slid past hith brushed past his calf and then tumbled away, and away, and away--it never hit bottom It seemed an eternity he slid inexorably toward the chas hand, trying to brace against the slick stone, scraped on the edge, and he was falling forward as his spare torch slid out of his belt, buainst him because of the force of that wind, and tuht his linen tunic, then his rope belt A hundred hands swar everywhere as they hauled hi on the ground

The hands released him, all but one, which searched his torso ickedly sharp jabs Its breath, , tickled his face Those claws scrabbled up his right ar the skin so he yelped Blood welled where a claw had scraped through the skin A cool pressure twisted onto his ar hi him had vanished

"Adica?" His throat hurt, and his back ached Utter darkness he except for the wind

A la half stunned

Their enelared at them from the other side of the chas wind, which shot straight up toward the cavern’s hidden ceiling The flame trembled and steadied as the captain sheltered it with a hand Of the dozen warriors still able to fight, six had bohich they had readied and nocked with arrows during the blackness White Feather barked a command Alain threw himself over Adica’s prone body They shot

None of the arrowstheht

"Hei! Hei!" shouted Kel, a call for help

Alain ju of the wind froe of the fissure Alain dragged the wind helped him Beor had lost his torches, and his injured shoulder still bled, but he could walk Kel’s slashed pack dangled dangerously They hadn’t any weapons, but on the flat plateau between thee a few spears lay scattered Kel hurried, li the rope that bound her hands Shaking her head and wincing, she got to her feet