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Astrid took advantage of the melee to climb to her feet

Zil, enraged at losing control, at seeing the venison snatched away by desperate hands, shoved her hard

“Down on the ground, you freak-lover!”

Astrid spit at hirabbed a baseball bat, raised it over her And then he flew into the air

In his place stood Orc

Zil was dangling frohtening face “No one hurts Astrid,” Orc bellowed so loud, Zil’s hair was blown back

Orc took a slow spin Then a second, faster one, and launched Zil through the air

“You okay?” Orc asked Astrid

“I guess so,” she ed to say She knelt beside Little Pete and touched the egg-sized luhtly, then opened his eyes

“Petey Petey Are you okay?” There was no answer, but for Little Pete, that wasn’t abnormal Astrid looked up at Orc “Thanks, Charles”

Orc grunted “Yeah”

Howard appeared, threading his way through the scattering ranite shoulder Then, to the fleeing crowd, many loaded doith chunks of venison, he yelled, “Yeah, you better run away You are soet you, Sammy will”

He winked at Astrid “Your boy so owes us”

“Yeah,” Orc agreed “Someone better beer me pretty soon”

“What happened to Edilio?” Brianna deround Silent Not even the sound of breathing