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“Are you sure?” Dervish asks uneasily “Juni was your apprentice She knows all about you Maybe you have a weak spot which she plans to exploit”

Beranabus shrugs “I love a challenge”

“I really do not think we should—” Sharins

“We’ve no choice,” Beranabus snaps “She’s our only link to the Shadow It’s a ga I don’t think you understand the stakes This is the end game We don’t have the luxury of caution If we don’t risk all and find out who the Shadow is and what its plans are, the world will fall” He waves at the corpses around us “A world of this, Sharmila Is that what you want?”

“Of course not,” she mutters

“Then trustone trap toonow”

“You truly believe matters are that advanced?” Sharmila asks

“Aye” Beranabus’s eyes glitter “The Disciples have exercised caution over the years because there have always been other battles to fight But this could be the final battle Ever Better to risk all on a desperate gamble than play it safe and hand victory to the Shadow Aye?”

Sharmila hesitates, then smiles shakily “Aye If we fail, at least I will have the pleasure of saying, ‘I told you so’”

“That’s the spirit,” Beranabus boon of fear he leads us down into the bowels of the ship in search of the vile viper, Juni Swan

HER MASTER’S VOICE

We progress in single file, Beranabus leading, Shar up the rear As we start down the first set of steps, Kirilli whispers, “Care to let ht some of it but I’m in the dark on a lot of issues”

“There’s a powerful new demon called the Shadow,” I explain “We need to find out more about it Juni—the mutant you saw—possesses information”

“And all that talk of a trap…?”

“We think Juni or Lord Lossto trap us This could all be a set-up”