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Crimson arcs decorated the far end of the hall The fire smoked with spattered blood and a hand sizzled there, forearered back frouts vo, blood jetting fro five yards above us Others still hurled themselves at Snorri and the Undoreth with deadly intent, axes swinging

The noise of it, the stink, the colour The roo to slow Tuttugu hauled his narrow axe from his eneush, the , face dark with fury, not understanding that he’d died A big red-haired u Behind me three ht, eager to wet their blades The door to the left of the great fireplace burst open, disgorging s, the first with an iron heluard beneath The man behind him raised a wide round shield, a spike on its central boss More men crowded behind

A spear sprung from a quad’s chest as he rushed the doorway The force of it took hi Blood sprayed acrossand kneas s closed on me from both sides and I watched them from behind a crimson veil My sword flickered out—

• • •

“Jal?” Faint beneath the pounding in my ears, the thunder in my chest, the harshness of each drawn breath “Jal?”

I could see the flagstones, aith blood, black points of

“Jal?” Snorri’s voice

I was standing My hand still held —some under the tables, some sprawled across them

“Jal?” Tuttugu, nervous

“Is he safe?” A twin Or perhaps just Ein now

I looked up Three Undoreth watchedtowards the doorway through which the reinforcements had come