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tory； staggered into his path。 Houndaer shouted in frustranottion and cut the drider down。
When the hybrid fell； the noble could see what was happening behind him。 Ryld had reached Tsabrak's fallen sword。 Heedless of the venom drying on the blade； the teacher slipped his toe under the weapon； flipped it into the air； and caught it neatly by the hilt。 His expression as unfathnotomable as ever； he came on guard and advanced。
I can still kill him； Houndaer thought； I still have the reach on him。
Aloud； he shouted； 〃Here！ I've got one of the masters here！〃
Ryld stepped to the verge of the distance； then hovered there。 Confident in his ability to defend； he wanted Houndaer to strike at him。 A fencer couldn't attack without opening himself up。
At first； the noble declined to oblige。 He intended to wait his opponent out。 Ryld beat his blade。
The clanging impact startled a response out of him； but at least it was a posed attack。 Feint to the chest； feint to the flank； cut low and hack the opponent's legs out from underneath him。
Even as he flowed into the final count； he remembered Ryld teaching him the sequence； and sure enough； the instructor wasn't fooled。 He parnotried the genuine low…line attack； then riposted to Houndaer's wrist。 The broadsword bit through his gauntlet and into the flesh beneath。
Ryld pulled his weapon free in a spatter of gore。 He drove deeper； cutting at Houndaer's torso。 The Tuin'Tarl floundered backward out of the distance； meanwhile heaving the greatsword back into a threatening position。
His bloody wrist throbbed； and the huge blade trembled。 It was brutally hard to hold it up； its enchantments notwithstanding。 He choked up on it； his weakened hand clutching the ricasso； but that only helped a little。 He listened for the sound of another party of rogues rushing to his aid。 He didn't hear it。
〃Well done； Master Argith！〃 Houndaer declared。 〃I declare myself beaten。 I yield。〃
Ryld stalked forward； broadsword at the ready。
〃Please！〃 said the Tuin'Tarl。 〃We always got along； didn't we？ I was one of your most dutiful students； and I can help you get out of here。〃
The teacher kept ing； and Houndaer saw that his face wasn't empty or expressionless after all。 It might be devoid of emotion； but it revealed a preternatural； almost demonic concentration； focused entirely on slaughter。
Houndaer saw his own inescapable death there； and； suffused with a strange calm； he lowered the greatsword。 Ryid's blade sheared into his chest an instant later。
The echoing metallic crash startled Quenthel。 It was well that she'd spent a lifetime learning self control； for otherwise； she might have cried out in dismay。
She and her squad were patrolling the temple。 After the events of the past four nights it would have been mad to relax their vigilance； but as the hours had crept uneventfully by； her troops began to speculate that the siege was over。 After all； it was supposed to be。 The bone wand had supnotposedly turned the malignancy of the past night's sending back on she who cast the curse。
Yet Quenthel had found she wasn't quite ready to share in the gen