He looked around and once more the finisher was invisible.
Royce caught a glimpse of Wesley running across the field with his sword out in front of him, then dodged another attack. He avoided the blow but fell to the ground. Weight hit him once more. This time the claws got a better grip. Rear claws scraped along Royce’s legs, pinning him, stretching him out, holding him helpless. He felt the hot breath again.
There was a noise of impact not far away and a burst of feathers.
Suddenly Royce saw yellow eyes, bright glowing orbs, inches away from his own. Fangs drenched with spit drooled on him.
“Ad haz urba!” the creature said, gibbering.
Alverstone was still in Royce’s hand. He just needed a little movement from his wrist. He spat in the Ghazel’s eye and twisted. Like cutting through ripe fruit, the blade severed the hand of the Ghazel at the wrist. With a howl, the finisher lost support and fell forward. Royce rolled him over, using two hands to restrain his remaining claw, pinning the Ghazel with his knees. The finisher continued to snap, snarl, and rake. Royce severed the goblin’s other hand, and the beast shrieked in pain until Royce removed its head.
The Ghazel warrior staggered suddenly, though Hadrian had not touched him. Trying to keep his distance, Hadrian was a good two sword lengths away, but the warrior clearly rocked as if struck. The Ghazel paused, confidence faded from his eyes, and he hesitated.
Hadrian looked over his shoulder to the hill and spotted Grady’s body, but Wesley was gone. He looked over his opponent’s shoulder and found Wesley on the ground. At his side, the oberdaza lay with the midshipman’s cutlass buried in his chest. As Hadrian watched, the range stabbed Wesley in the back.
“Wesley! No!” he shouted.
Then Hadrian’s eyes locked sharply on the warrior before him. “I only wish you could read my thoughts now,” he said, sheathing both swords.
Confusion crossed the warrior’s face until he saw Hadrian draw forth the large spadone from his back. Seizing the chance, the warrior swung. Hadrian blocked the stroke, which made the spadone sing. He followed this with a false swing, which the Ghazel nevertheless moved to dodge, setting himself off balance. Hadrian continued to spin, carrying the stroke round in a full circle. He leveled the blade at waist height. There was nowhere for the Ghazel to go, and the great sword cut the warrior in half.
Wyatt was fighting the chief now, their swords ringing like an alarm bell as they repeatedly clashed. Blow after blow drove Wyatt farther and farther backward until Hadrian thrust the spadone through the chief’s shoulder blades.
With a roar like a violent wind, the crowd jumped to its feet, cheering and applauding.
Turning, Hadrian saw Royce kneeling beside Wesley’s prone body. The range lay beside him. Hadrian ran to them as Wyatt checked on Grady.
Royce shook his head in silent reply to Hadrian’s look.
“Grady is dead too,” Wyatt reported when he reached them.
Neither said a word.
The gates opened and Erandabon entered with a bright smile. Poe and Derning followed him. Derning stared at Grady’s body. Erandabon lifted his arms to the stands like a conquering hero as the crowd cheered even louder. He approached them, exuberant and delighted.
“Excellent! Excellent! Erandabon is very pleased!”
Hadrian strode forward. “Get us to that ship now. Give me time to think, and I swear I’ll introduce you to Uberlin myself!”
CHAPTER 20
THE TOWER
Modina watched as Arista sat within the chalk circle on the floor of her bedroom, burning the hair. Together they watched the smoke drift.
“What’s that awful smell?” Amilia said, entering and waving a hand in front of her face while Nimbus trailed behind her.
“Arista was performing a spell to locate Gaunt,” Modina explained.
“She’s doing magic—in here?” Amilia looked aghast, then added, “Did it work?”
“Sort of,” Arista said with a decidedly disappointed tone. “He’s somewhere directly northeast of here, but I can’t pinpoint the exact location. That’s always been the problem.”
Amilia stiffened, her eyes glancing at Nimbus accusingly.
“I didn’t say a word,” he told her.
Amilia asked Arista, “If you find Degan Gaunt, what are you planning to do?”
“Help him escape.”
“He’s the general of an army poised to attack us.” She turned to Modina. “I don’t see why you’re helping her—”
“I’m not trying to return him to his army,” Arista cut in. “I need him to help me find something—something only the Heir of Novron can locate.”
“So you …and Gaunt …will leave?”
“Yes,” Arista told her.
“And what if you are caught? Will you betray the empress by revealing the aid she has provided you?”
“No, of course not. I would never do anything to harm her.”