Page 91 (1/2)

Then the vickrants stopped swooping but this was because the toilroys had surrounded us, closing in fro me to the rock face as Noc and Tor moved around the horse, Tor at his head, Noc at his flank and they kept fighting They did this without word and I was cut off from the action

“Let me help!” I shouted over the horse as I watched them battle on

“Stay safe!” Tor shouted back

“Tor! I can help!”

“Safe!” he bellowed

The toilroys pressed closer, blue sparks flew, dancing around, lighting the surface of the rock but where one evaporated, three hty swing that took out four toilroys but four more were instantly in their place

“God da two toilroys with an axe but three surged in to fill their emptied space

I watched the advance over Salem’s back as my man, his horse and his tere forced to close ranks as the toilroys relentlessly pressed in

We were losing Losing

Shit!

I closed lossy fur, he pressed closer, pushing my back into the rock and I whispered, “Please, please, please, please, please”

I heard Tor grunt and then I heard Noc growl

Then I heard an alhty shriek pierce the air or, I should say, what sounded like about thousands of siers so I could coversound,open and I saw a pink wave of light washing toward us, blue sparks blazing in its path, soeverything all around us, saturating it with color so bright, I winced

Then, suddenly, all went dark and there was nothing No vickrants, no toilroys, no nothing but the sounds of the sea washing on the shore and our heavy breathing

“By the Gods,” Tor ht to catch my breath as the darkness and silence permeated my consciousness

Then I ducked under Salem’s neck and cautiously approached Tor As I did, his body went alert (or, ht me at the waist and he yanked me behind him

“Who’s there?” he called into the darkness

For several seconds, there was no answer

“Show yourself!” Tor commanded

I put e frame

Then my body froze as Tor’s froze under o still when a soft, pink light illulowing orb that hung suspended over a woman’s upturned hand