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Mychael oblin ripped away the still-loose leather bindings and crossed the distance to us

Mychael took two steps toward the boy, and the Khrynsani te his fangs at a new option that’d just appeared on the menu

He’d seen me

"It appears I’m in your debt, Paladin Eiliesor You take one prize away and bring me another"

Mychael stepped protectively in front of uard called over his shoulder

A figure stepped out of a darkened doorearing a black robe lined in silver A Khrynsani shaman

Oh hell

I could see others in the shadows behind hi only one entrance to the courtyard

The guard laughed softly "Before the paladin so gallantly shielded his fair lady, did you see her?"

"Yes, I did She is the one Take her"

So I was on the Khrynsani’s dance card this evening

I heard a pair of thumps, and suddenly there were ter Khrynsani A crossbow bolt had taken one in the chest, another in the back

Teris looked wildly behind him The shot had cooblins, they were heavily armed--and best of all, they weren’t Khrynsani

The Khrynsani scattered like roaches in torchlight Apparently there were other exits from the courtyard into the street and the Khrynsani took full advantage Within seconds the te to surround us

Crossbow bolts weren’t the only things flying through the air as the Guardians, Khrynsani, and our oblin allies launched spells, counterspells, and enough nasty crossfire to fry anything left standing I wasn’t standing I’d hit the cobbles during the first volley In a serious fight, es launched spells at an opponent’s torso or head for a quick kill Anything below the knees didn’t warrant attention The saet, especially ankles A little focused will and a quick yank would jerk a ht out from underneath hi a fine job now as another Khrynsani landed on his back in the street Thatthemselves unconscious when their heads hit the cobblestones was just an added bonus

A spell ricocheted off so fried and ended up facedown in a gutter--and face-to-face with the kid Eyes of the clearest aquahteen years ago, a goblin had ventured way out of his or her family tree Another explosion made us both cover our heads

"Looks like someone doesn’t like you, either," he said

There was a , and the kid started scrarabbed his arm and pulled hi"

I felt cold air down the front of my shirt I looked down My jerkin laces had come undone I frantically felt down the front of my jerkin and shirt The kid’s eyes followed my everyabout ten feet away against the curb A Khrynsani shaman spotted it at the same time His eyes ide and he dove for the book and snatched it up I scraet far I tackled hi ensued The shaht to beat the crap out of anyone who took soethands jerked ed ot there first Only two men knehere I kept it Phaelan was one The other was the tall goblin wearing rough leathers whose entire body had ainst the alley wall His hair fell in a dark, silken curtain around us both He had my switchblade, but I had his wrist

Ta heavily and so was he I’d just wrestled a Khrynsani shaman I didn’t knohat Ta here

I drew breath to ask, then held it when a Khrynsani shaman ducked around the corner into the alley His back was to us, his hands glowing red with an unreleased spell Tam clapped his other hand overto nized me Neither one of us moved, but the shaman must have sensed that he wasn’t alone in the alley He turned, and when he saw the two of us, he slow faded frolad to see you’ve come to your senses You arrived just in tiain?

Darshan wantedwith his past

The Khrynsani held a so

His s into view "Do you require this, or do you wish to subdue her yourself?"