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Authors: Harry Connolly
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from below made her do as she was told.
An iron dart cracked the tile roof near the chimney. The sound startled Cazia, but she drew a spike from her jacket pocket without thinking about it and began to cast.
One of the creatures had dragged itself over the edge of the roof. The clerk had cast at it, missing, but Doctor Warpoole had begun a spell of her own.
“Great Way,” Treygar prayed, his voice tight, “protect the prince. Keep him on your path.”
Doctor Warpoole’s dart flew with surprising speed, but it struck the creature low on the back, practically on its hip. Cazia did her best to lead with her own spell, just the way she had to lead the hoops during Doctor Twofin’s lessons. She struck the beast on its high back below the neck. It sprawled on the tiles and tumbled down the steep roof slope.
Cazia started another spell right away. A second creature appeared at the top of the southernmost chimney. The clerk fired another dart, striking the brick just below the creature’s furred hind hand. At least she was getting closer.
Cazia wasn’t going to finish her spell in time, and Doctor Warpoole hadn’t even started a new one yet. Lar had a quiver of his own, of course, but his back was turned. Cazia kept her hands moving, her mind falling into the necessary state, despite the fact that she knew it was futile. The only way she could avoid this awful grief would be if the creature hesitated.
It didn’t. It leaped from the chimney at the prince. Cazia could feel tragedy flying at her like a volley of arrows.
Timush shouted and dove forward, throwing his shoulder into the monster’s leg while it was still in mid-leap. The beast fell heavily on top of Timush. It roared in frustration, almost drowning out Timu’s cry of pain, then they rolled over and slid toward the gutter. Timush kicked at the monster’s broad back, trying to put some distance between them.
Col shouted, “Lar, save the princess!” before diving down the side of the roof, sliding on his belly after his friend. Cazia finished her spell, launching her dart directly into the left side of the monster’s chest. Doctor Warpoole fired off a shot a moment later, stabbing through its forearm. Col caught hold of Timush’s collar and clutched at the roof tiles, desperately trying to stop their momentum.
The monster braced itself against the gutter below and spun suddenly, lunging awkwardly toward the two of them. Col shouted, “NO!” and threw himself across Timush’s body.
The creature bit down on Colchua’s forearm.
Cazia’s concentration broke and she felt a sudden flush of shame and anger as she started her spell again. Ciriam fired a dart, but she was so worried about hitting Col and Timush that she went low of the mark, skipping off the wall below the eaves. Timush kicked, hard, and the gutter broke away. The injured creature fell into the alley below, and the force of Timu’s kick stole most of the momentum from his slide.
Clutching the tiles at the peak of the roof, Lar reached toward Col and Timu. Treygar leaned over the rail, muttering, “Into the cart. Into the cart,” as though he could will the prince to flee, but the prince was not going to abandon his friends.
Timush struggled to get his feet under him--his face was horribly pale and his shoulder looked crooked. Col cradled his injured forearm but he was still moving quickly, helping Lar drag Timush toward the tether.
“Help the princess,” Stoneface snapped, startling Cazia out of her follow-up spell. Fire and Fury, Cazia knew she would be useless if she let every sharp word break her concentration! The princess’s hands had appeared on the railing. Bittler jumped up as though woken from a trance, took hold of the little girl, and hauled her over the edge.
The cart had floated away from the roof, too slowly to be immediately noticeable, but it was happening. Maybe Farrabell didn’t even realize he was doing it. Cazia turned toward
An iron dart cracked the tile roof near the chimney. The sound startled Cazia, but she drew a spike from her jacket pocket without thinking about it and began to cast.
One of the creatures had dragged itself over the edge of the roof. The clerk had cast at it, missing, but Doctor Warpoole had begun a spell of her own.
“Great Way,” Treygar prayed, his voice tight, “protect the prince. Keep him on your path.”
Doctor Warpoole’s dart flew with surprising speed, but it struck the creature low on the back, practically on its hip. Cazia did her best to lead with her own spell, just the way she had to lead the hoops during Doctor Twofin’s lessons. She struck the beast on its high back below the neck. It sprawled on the tiles and tumbled down the steep roof slope.
Cazia started another spell right away. A second creature appeared at the top of the southernmost chimney. The clerk fired another dart, striking the brick just below the creature’s furred hind hand. At least she was getting closer.
Cazia wasn’t going to finish her spell in time, and Doctor Warpoole hadn’t even started a new one yet. Lar had a quiver of his own, of course, but his back was turned. Cazia kept her hands moving, her mind falling into the necessary state, despite the fact that she knew it was futile. The only way she could avoid this awful grief would be if the creature hesitated.
It didn’t. It leaped from the chimney at the prince. Cazia could feel tragedy flying at her like a volley of arrows.
Timush shouted and dove forward, throwing his shoulder into the monster’s leg while it was still in mid-leap. The beast fell heavily on top of Timush. It roared in frustration, almost drowning out Timu’s cry of pain, then they rolled over and slid toward the gutter. Timush kicked at the monster’s broad back, trying to put some distance between them.
Col shouted, “Lar, save the princess!” before diving down the side of the roof, sliding on his belly after his friend. Cazia finished her spell, launching her dart directly into the left side of the monster’s chest. Doctor Warpoole fired off a shot a moment later, stabbing through its forearm. Col caught hold of Timush’s collar and clutched at the roof tiles, desperately trying to stop their momentum.
The monster braced itself against the gutter below and spun suddenly, lunging awkwardly toward the two of them. Col shouted, “NO!” and threw himself across Timush’s body.
The creature bit down on Colchua’s forearm.
Cazia’s concentration broke and she felt a sudden flush of shame and anger as she started her spell again. Ciriam fired a dart, but she was so worried about hitting Col and Timush that she went low of the mark, skipping off the wall below the eaves. Timush kicked, hard, and the gutter broke away. The injured creature fell into the alley below, and the force of Timu’s kick stole most of the momentum from his slide.
Clutching the tiles at the peak of the roof, Lar reached toward Col and Timu. Treygar leaned over the rail, muttering, “Into the cart. Into the cart,” as though he could will the prince to flee, but the prince was not going to abandon his friends.
Timush struggled to get his feet under him--his face was horribly pale and his shoulder looked crooked. Col cradled his injured forearm but he was still moving quickly, helping Lar drag Timush toward the tether.
“Help the princess,” Stoneface snapped, startling Cazia out of her follow-up spell. Fire and Fury, Cazia knew she would be useless if she let every sharp word break her concentration! The princess’s hands had appeared on the railing. Bittler jumped up as though woken from a trance, took hold of the little girl, and hauled her over the edge.
The cart had floated away from the roof, too slowly to be immediately noticeable, but it was happening. Maybe Farrabell didn’t even realize he was doing it. Cazia turned toward
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