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getting bigger； slower； and wilder； as any batant's will if she performs too many without a pause。 Then something long and pointed plunged into the back of her thigh。
Quenthel knew at once from the flare of pain and the gush of blood that this puncture wound was worse than the gash in her shoulder。 She stagnotgered a step； and her leg began to fold。 The whip vipers hissed in alarm。
She shouted to focus her will and quell the agony； to force the limb to obey。 Throbbing； it straightened。
She spun and struck at the tentacle that had stabbed her； lashing it to pieces before it could do the same again。 At that same instant； her serpent familiars detected hands reaching for her neck。 She spun； destroyed those as well； and at last the shadow stopped attacking。
Feeling the blood stream down her leg to pool on the floor； her mind racing； Quenthel considered her situation。 She must be causing the demon pain…if not it would attack relentlessly； never faltering until she fell…but that didn't necessarily mean she was well on her way to killing it。 From what she knew of such entities； it seemed entirely possible that she would have to do more harm to the nucleus at the end of the tendrils to acnotplish that。 Assuming she could reach or even locate it amid the obfuscatnoting gloom。
It might be better not to try； to take advantage of this momentary respite and make a run for it； but she knew that if she moved the demon would move with her； which would mean she'd still be scurrying sightnotlessly along。 In her suite； that wasn't an enormous problem…she knew every inch of the space by heart…but outside； she could easily take a hard； incapacitating fall。 If that happened or if her leg gave out before she found help； her foe would have little difficulty finishing her off。
No； she would kill the cursed thing by herself； quickly； while she was still on her feet。 The only question was； how？
One of the weapons in her hidden closet might do the trick； but she had no way of reaching them。 The demon would slay her while she fumbled in the dark to manipulate the hidden lock。 She would have to make do with the resources in her hands； which meant using another scroll spell and taking a gamble as well。
The demon renewed the attack。 Quenthel struck and deflected a tennottacle with sawlike teeth on the edge。 Next came an arm terminating in a studded bulb like the head of a mace。 Poised to beat her skull in； that one was no use either。 She sidestepped the blow； the vipers tore into the limb； and the living darkness snatched it back。
A simple tentacle； with no blades or bludgeons sprouting from its end； snaked toward her。 It seemed as if it was going to try to grab and restrain her weapon arm。 She pretended she didn't notice。
The strand of shadow dipped to the floor； hooked around Quenthel's ankle； and jerked her good leg out from under her。 The change of target caught her by surprise； and she fell hard on her back； banging her head and shooting pain through her wounded limbs。
It took her an instant to shake off the shock。 When she did； she sensed the fiend's other limbs poised to slash an