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"What happened to the demon?" Shanvah asked, when it was over

"We killed it," Renna said

"You’re sure?" Shanvah pressed, leaning forward to grip her arm

"Cut its head offas defeated as Renna had ever seen her, and she had beaten the woman unconscious just weeks earlier

"Thank you," Shanvah said

Renna nodded, deciding it was best not to ht Enkido when they firstArlen led the the chamber

In the darkness beneath the sands, Anoch Sun was a place of strong ic, ancient and deep It was embedded in every speck of dust, leached from the Core with powerful wards over thousands of years Arlen reached tendrils of his own ic to join with it, and immediately felt the city come to life, like an extension of his own body It huth for the trials to come

Jardir led a prayer to Everah to bow his head and be polite He could see the honest belief in the auras of the Krasians, and the strength it gave them

Even Renna shone with belief, in spite of all that had been done to her in the naht, wish I could share it The others in the rooreat plan Arlen alone understood they were h," he said at last, when it seeo on forever and he could stand it noTake your places, and no more noise"

Jardir looked at him with irritation The sun had not yet set Still, he nodded This was no time for discord "The Par’chin speaks wisely"

Shanjat and Shanvah had made an ambush pocket off to one side, cut froe The ould appear unbroken to deht about herself and went to stand ready to one side of the small doorway into the to hi princes sense his presence

The next hour, silent and still, was the longest of his life As the o back to prayers

Night fell, but attack did not coht away Arlen kneas a risk, but after an hour he could not stand it, and opened hi out his senses for sign of the eneht, there were thousands of them

The mind demons had been in his head They knew the layout of the city, and exactly where the tomb of Kaji lay

But they were in no hurry They had three days to desecrate and destroy the city, and obviously an to tear down the city

All night Arlen and the others waited, silent and still, the deep, boos’ assault their only company But in the end, the de Kaji for last

Dawn ca sore ly at Arlen

"You prorowled "Here! To this very spot! You swore on your honor Instead I insult Kaji by hiding in--"

"They will!" Arlen insisted "Didn’t you feel it? Tonight was just the opening act"