Section 7

saw the

gleam of armor all around them in the trees as Narm, his dagger in hand, reached her just in time to be

bowled over by a leaping war dog.

Shandril screamed as fangs snapped at her throat. Frantic spellfire flared as she was struck by the beast,

and the heavy, cooked dog bore her to the ground with the force of its leap. It left the stink of its

charred, headless body all over her.

Shandril screamed again, rolling free, as a hurled spear hummed past her ear.

Amid the hissing torches, the Zhentilar warcaptain watched her crawling as fast as she could for the

cover of a tree. He grinned cruelly and said to one of his officers, “Now.”

The swordmaster whistled, and the air was suddenly alive with hissing crossbow bolts.