They raced down the streets sticking to wide lanes to avoid people. Most of the city still seemed at peace with groups of people looking to the west and pointing at the rising smoke.

Tavis held his hat down and led the way aiming for the east wall and hopefully a gate out into the countryside. Thus far, they had kept a good pace, and he felt his luck was riding high until they turned a corner.

Crowds of people ran across a large courtyard screaming as men in mail armor with long spears marched in a line the other way. They wore the black and gold of the city guard and hurried to meet the attack.

“The way is blocked,” he called back as people ran passed them.

“Maybe we can double back and use a side street,” Ayawa suggested.

“I have been to this city several times,” Gedris said. “There are only two gates near us, and we need to cross the courtyard to reach either.” She paused and took a deep breath. “The only other gates are behind us.”

“Fool woman and her questions,” Ayawa grumbled. “We would be well beyond this if she hadn’t stalled us.”

Tavis sat up in his saddle and surveyed the scene as more people fled from alleyways and smaller side lanes. Then they heard the lupine howls, and people screamed even louder as they fled.

“Those monsters are coming this way!” Gedris cried.

“Keep your wits!” Ayawa scolded.

“We have to try and cross the yard,” Tavis said, urging his horse out slowly.

Immediately people ran in his path buffeting his horse. Ayawa and Gedris tried to follow, but fleeing people ran between them pressing them apart.

They made slow progress as the swarms of people ran by. Several of them collided with the horses in their panic, and the horses themselves became nervous as the howls grew louder.

Tavis looked around to keep them in view. Ayawa was struggling to stay near Gedris, who was trailing behind and being pushed to one side. Her horse was the most nervous of the bunch, and she was struggling to move it forward. He saw Ayawa grab at her reigns and try to lead the animal only to have more people push them apart.

By the time he was halfway across the courtyard, they were thirty paces behind him. He looked to the street the guardsmen had marched down and saw them in the distance, or what was left of them. Maybe eight men still stood as a twenty bandersooks raced around them. A few brave guardsmen were rushing in to join their comrades, but it was going to be too little too late. However, the crowds were thinning as the sea of people finally passed, and he waited nervously for Ayawa and Gedris to reach him. As they did, he took one last look down the street to see the last three guardsmen being overrun.

“Quickly!” he cried, urging his horse on. They ran down one of the wide lanes with towering houses on each side. They rode hard for nearly a minute before they rounded a corner into a new problem. They stalled in a sea of people that seemed unable to move any further.

“What is happening?” Ayawa asked.

“I have no idea, but we have to find a way to keep moving,” Tavis said.

Ayawa stood on her saddle and looked down the lane to try and see what the problem was. She could see the wall and the tall wooden gates from where she stood. She could also see the gates were closed.

“The gate is shut,” she said. “Nobody can get out.”

“Why would they be shut?” Gedris asked.

“They might have shut it when the bells rang out,” Tavis said. “The guard probably heard the alarm but has no idea what has happened. They may have shut the gates assuming the city is under attack from the outside.”

Ayawa scanned the far walls and put a hand over her brow to block out the sun.

“I don’t see any guards.”

“There have to be guards,” he said.

Ayawa shook her head and stumbled when a panicked woman bumped her horse. She sat down in her saddle cursing and looked at Tavis. “There isn’t a man on that wall.”

Tavis turned to study the mass of people before him struggling to move forward. He glanced to the far wall and realized they would never reach it this way.

“Get your packs and gear!” he shouted as he climbed down.

“What are you planning?” Ayawa asked.

“Were abandoning the horses and going over the roofs. Most of these houses are three stories tall; we should be able to get up on the wall from one.”

Ayawa nodded and ordered Gedris down as she got down herself. They quickly gathered their gear, and Tavis pulled them into an alley. The buildings here were oak and stone with plenty of handholds to use to climb.

“I can pick us a path up and drop a rope to guide you both,” Ayawa said as she studied a wall with a series of windows and a low balcony.

Tavis nodded and handed her his rope before starting to weave. He began with Ayawa and then moved to Gedris before finally casting the weave on himself. By the time he was done with his weaves, Ayawa was already pulling herself onto the roof. She quickly lowered the rope, and Tavis turned to Gedris.

“We have to climb?” Gedris asked.

“I made you lighter, you will find it much easier,” Tavis said as howls were heard and the people in the street screamed.

“Those people are going to be slaughtered!” Gedris said.

“We are going to open the gates,” Tavis yelled back. “We three can’t fight that many. Their only hope is the gate.”

Gedris nodded, and Tavis helped her step up to a ledge as Ayawa pulled her up. They climbed to a balcony and then to a low wall before finally reaching a slate roof. From here they were able to move quickly across the rooftops. They paused when they reached a jump, and Gedris shook her head. Tavis went first showing her how easy it was to jump while so light, but Ayawa ended up practically throwing her across to him.

They now stood right beside the wall, and a quick climb up revealed why there were no guards.

“They're dead,” Ayawa said as they arrived on the wall.

Tavis knelt over a body and turned him over.

“His throat is slit,” Tavis said.

“These two here have arrows in them,” Ayawa added.

Tavis heard the screams below and tipped his hat as he raced for the gatehouse.

“Who killed these men?” Gedris asked.

“We don’t have time to find out, we have to get those gates open,” he cried as he ran past her.

They followed him across the wall stepping over a dozen dead men before they reached the doorway to the gatehouse and the crankshaft for the gate.

Inside were four more dead men, but the room was clear of danger, and he raced to a large wheel with handles every foot around its diameter. He grabbed hold and pulled it determined to make it move.

“What is this for?” Gedris asked.

“It raises and lowers the crossbeam that bars the gate,” he grunted as Ayawa ran to assist him. “help us turn it!”

Gedris came to their aid, and they pushed with all their might slowly turning the wheel.

“They usually have six good men to turn something like this,” Ayawa groaned.

Tavis felt his arms starting to ache, as they had barely moved the beam an inch. He realized they didn't have the strength they needed to move it.

“Let it go!” he cried, and they all stepped back as it jerked wildly back into place from the weight of the beam.

“We can’t move it,” Ayawa gasped with her hands on her knees.

“Surely there is a counterweight?” Gedris said as she panted.”Even six strong men would struggle to turn that.”

Tavis looked around and saw a thick rope running along a wall from a hole above. He ran to it and grabbed the rope to discover it had been cut and the weight dropped down a hole in the floor.

“This is a well-planned attack,” he said, casting the rope aside. He thought feverishly for some way to move that crossbeam. He looked at the rope and realized there was only one way.

“Get to the windows,” he said, pointing. “Use your bow and see if you can slow them down.”

“What are you going to do?” Ayawa asked.

“I am going to make that beam lighter!” Tavis said as he ran back out the door.

Gedris looked at Ayawa with panic in her eyes, and Ayawa cursed again. She went to the windows and looked down the street at the mass of screaming people below. She took her arrows and leaned them on the lip of the window, and then readied one, testing the string with her fingers. She narrowed her eyes as she watched the distant lane, praying they weren't making a huge mistake.

Tavis climbed up on the lip of the wall and looked down at the gate beside him. He could see the cross beam resting in six metal arms, three on each gate. The people beat on the gates in their panic and cried for salvation. He quickly took a rope and tied it to a metal ring in the wall then tied the other end around his waist. With a silent prayer, he jumped in the direction of the beam, trusting that he was light enough that the impact would be slight.

He missed the jump but caught the beam with his hand and jerked around as he tried desperately to hold on. He hung precariously over the crowd of people some ten paces below as they cried out for help.

More howls were heard as he struggled to pull himself up and get a leg on the beam. He had no idea how close the beasts were until he heard the unmistakable sound of an arrow from overhead as Ayawa let loose.

He pulled himself onto the beam and began his weave while trying to balance in the narrow space. He quickly touched it and felt the spell complete.

“Gedris try and turn the wheel!” he shouted as he grabbed hold of his rope and stepped off the beam. He swung to the side and began to climb up as more arrows flew. As he pulled himself on to the wall, he heard the beam moving, and ran into the gatehouse to see Gedris struggling to turn the wheel.

“I’m here!” he shouted as he came to help her.

“Hurry up!” Ayawa shouted. “There are dozens of them coming!”

Tavis threw his back into it and found it was much easier to move. Just the two of them were making far more progress, and in moments they heard a loud thunk. It was followed by a groaning noise and the sound of screaming people started to pass underneath them.

“The gates must be open!” he sighed. He looked around and saw a rope with a loop in it behind Gedris.

“Grab that and put it over a handle!” he shouted.

She did as she was told and when they stepped back the wheel held firm.

“There are far more than sixty!” Ayawa shouted. “There must have been other groups landed elsewhere!”

Tavis came to the window to see the distant street clogged with monsters bearing down on the people still pressing to get out the gates. They were thirty seconds away from the people at the rear of the pack.

“They are never going to make it,” Gedris said as she came up behind them.

“We did all we could,” Ayawa replied.

Tavis tipped his hat up and weighed the odds. With a dancing weave, he let out a shrill tone and reached out one hand while the other danced above his head.

“Tavis!” Ayawa shouted, but he was to far gone.

His eyes started to glow with a red light, and he snapped his hand in an arc in the air before him. A roaring sound filled their ears, and Gedris stood amazed as a line of fire raced across the sky over the heads of the fleeing people and into the advancing horde of Bandersooks.

Gedris gasped as the front waves of them burst into flames and formed a burning wall barring the path of the rest. Horrifying howls erupted from the monsters as they burned alive and flailed in the street.

He went to make a second gesture as a cruel smile came to his face, but Ayawa tackled him.

“No more!” she shouted at him as she pinned him to the ground. “You can’t control it!”

Tavis seemed to snap out of a trance and looked up into Ayawa’s eyes and nodded silently.

Ayawa closed her eyes and took a staggering breath before getting off him and pulling him up. He stepped back from her slowly and took a second to steady himself.

“I’m. I’m sorry,” he started.

Ayawa held up a hand to silence him. “Not now!” she growled. “We have to get out of here!”

He nodded his agreement and picked up his hat. “Grab your stuff, we need to flee this city,” he said as if he was out of breath. He turned for the doorway and went back to the wall.

Gedris saw the worried look on Ayawa's face as she followed him.

“Our weaves still hold,” he said, breathing heavy. “We can use my rope and drop down the wall.”

“We won’t have horses anymore,” Gedris said.

“We have no choice,” Ayawa snapped. “Maybe we can arrange some elsewhere.”

Tavis tied off his rope to a crenelation on the wall and quickly dropped to the ground. Ayawa had to help Gedris over, but soon, both women were on the ground and ready to move. They ran down a rocky slope and into a fenced field of cabbages making for a distant treeline.

They ran for nearly an hour before Ayawa chose a densely wooded spot near a creek to stop. When they did, she turned on Tavis and grabbed him by his shirt.

“No more!” she yelled at him. “You promised me!”

He looked back at her with pleading eyes.

“Twice now, you have taken the risk!” she cried.

“They were going to be overrun,” he said. “I could buy them more time.”

“At what cost?” Ayawa cried. “You can’t control it, and you can’t pay for it! For all you know half the city will burn from your fires now!”

“Why are you so upset about this all of a sudden?” he asked. “You know I can manage the simple weaves.”

Ayawa's eyes filled with tears, and she pulled him in and wrapped him with a hug.

“I know you can,” she cried. “But once you start, you push farther and farther. That's when you lose control.”

Tavis sighed and put his arms around her.

“I couldn't stand to see those people slaughtered. I sometimes feel that I have to help because I can.”

“I know, that's part of why I love you. But I can't bear the thought of what you will do if you lose control.”

He looked away from her, and she squeezed him tighter.

“Were done with all this. When we find Gersius, we are delivering our reports, and then we are leaving. I won't risk losing you to this war.”

Tavis pushed her off of him and looked into her eyes. “Ayawa what has come over you? First Gedris and now this? Why are you so emotional suddenly?”

“We can't spend our lives crawling through the brush scouting for armies,” she said. “I am ready to settle down to a quieter life.”

“Gersius needs us now more than he ever has,” Tavis said.

Ayawa looked away; her eyes fell on Gedris. The woman stood silently by not sure what to say, and Ayawa could see the concern on her face.

“I'm sorry,” Ayawa said, turning to face him. “I can't bear the thought of losing you. You like to play your games and pretend you're still chasing the women, but I know in your heart you’re mine. You're a good man who cares about people, but I don’t want to lose you because you were trying to rescue some stranger. I’m sorry, but I want you for myself, even if that means we can’t always help others.”

He shook his head at her, but she continued.

“I know you. You will die to save innocent people. It's why I chased after you and made you mine. Your soul is strong and giving, but please, don't give yourself away and leave me nothing.”

Tavis pulled her back in and hugged her firmly.

“When this is over you, and I are finding a place to settle down,” he said. “We have had enough of war and conflict.”

Ayawa ran a hand up the back of his head and looked into his eyes.

“No more,” she whispered. “Please, you promised me.”

Tavis nodded his head. “No more.”

They kissed briefly, and Ayawa stepped away, wiping at her eyes.

Tavis sighed and turned to Gedris, who was still standing by silently.

“Your love is very strong,” she said. “The light you two share is powerful.”

Tavis smiled and nodded his head. “You think our love is strong, wait until you see Gersius and Lilly.”

She smiled and rolled her hands nervously. “So what do we do now?”

“We go north,” Ayawa said while drying her eyes. “We have to reach the meeting with Twocrows.”

“What if they can't hold the temple?” Tavis asked as he looked into the distance. They couldn't see the city walls, but there was smoke way off.

“Then our problems will multiply,” Ayawa said. “They did have quite a few women there.”

“Those are the best soldiers Ulustrah has to offer. Many of those women have fought in wars before,” Gedris said. “And the second company has over sixty women in it. If anybody can hold the temple, they can.”

“At least they weren’t taken by surprise,” he said as he turned away.

“Gersius needs to know how they are moving men,” Ayawa said. “We have to get to the meeting point, and then to Gams. Maybe we can get horses and ride north from there to find him.”

Tavis nodded. “Let’s move on then. I will carry your pack so you can scout ahead.”

Ayawa handed him her pack and gave him a quick kiss before taking her bow and running off.

Tavis gestured to Gedris to follow, and they set off after her heading vaguely north across a muddy field. Above them, the sky was turning gray as clouds rolled in. Already the air smelled like rain, and a breeze was picking up. The three ran into the coming storm and hoped the rain would wash away the doubt that plagued their minds.

The tent was dark and humid in the still of the night. Only a single oil lamp burned giving scant Illumination to a table at the tent's center. She leaned over the table, studying the map when he walked in.

“My lady, our scouts say they saw Tavis, Ayawa, and an unknown woman flee Mordholm during the attack.”

Zahdain looked up and produced a broad, curled smile.

“So they were in the city,” she said as she stood straight and tossed her dark hair. She turned to a man standing in a dark corner of the tent. “Your suspicions were correct.”

“It is the only explanation,” he said. “They must have warned the priestesses.”

Zahdain nodded as her smile spread. She turned to the man who had entered and looked him square in the eyes.

“Where are they now?”

He trembled a little and spoke. “They are heading north across the backcountry. We are following them at a distance to avoid being spotted.”

“Any more news from the city?” Zahdain asked.

The man nodded. “The attack failed, the temple still stands, and the city watch has found our sabotage at the gates.”

“We know the attack failed,” she scolded. “Did they find any of the men that were sent?”

“Yes, My Lady. Several of them were killed in the attack on the temple. The city believes it was the Doan.”

She let her smile go and gestured to the door. “You may go.”

“My Lady, do you wish us to try and capture them?” the messenger asked.

She paused and turned the man in the dark corner.

“I will bring them back,” he said. “The warrior maiden at least. She is the one most likely to know where Gersius is hidden.”

Zahdain glanced back to the man at the door. “You will keep them in sight, but do not engage them, my champion will take care of it.”

The man nodded and backed out of the tent.

“Do you think they will fall for this ruse?” the shadowy man asked.

Zahdain had to ponder it a moment. It was a clever tactic to use bandersooks to attack the city and weaken the guard. It was even more clever to have her men cripple the gates, opening one for the attackers, and trapping the people inside with the others. The plan was going so perfectly, but somehow the women of Ulustrah were on full alert, and one of the gates had opened. Still, it was a well thought out plan that showed a great deal of skill on the part of the planner.

She began to respect the old man who led the order of Astikar. Sending in men dressed as Doan heavy infantry along with bandersooks was brilliant. The carnage they had hoped to create had been greatly diminished, but it would still have the desired effect. Word would spread that the war was spilling out of the empire into the Commonlands. He even had a small force attack his own temple to cover his tracks. It never had any hope of winning, but it did the job it was meant to do. It gave the Father Abbot an excuse to say he was not behind the bloodshed in the event the attack on the temple of Ulustrah failed. Of course, had it succeeded he would have had his priests occupy the temple for “Safekeeping.”

Now he was spreading rumors that incursions like these were happening all over. He had gone to great lengths to make the lands think these breakthroughs were Gersius's fault and that his order would seal them. He would come out the hero while damming Gersius further. The Father Abbot shrewdly sent letters of warning to all the kings. He wanted them to know that so long as Gersius was sabotaging their efforts, these attacks would likely continue. All the petty rulers of the Commonlands would be hunting for his head. Gersius would find no rest or allies here.

She shook her head as the layers of intrigue piled up. The ruse was perfect except for one fatal flaw, Gersius wasn’t in the Commonlands. Somehow the prize had escaped the net, and now those who aided him were making trouble for the old man.

The price on Gersius's head had been doubled, and she now had agents scouring the lands for him. She sent them far to the east and deep into the north. Where ever he had hidden himself, he would soon be found.

They originally wanted Gersius alive, but now they wanted him dead at all costs. The dragon was to be killed as well, as fear of what she might mean began to spread.

This turn of phrase had puzzled her. In her last meeting, they had quite literally said they feared what she might mean. Zahdain had spent hours trying to puzzle that out but gave up when it proved futile.

Now the heads of this secret order wanted them both dead and were throwing everything they could spare into the effort. Even the order of Astikar's seekers were after him now. She had reports that Jessivel was on Ayawa's trail, following the path like a good hound. Zahdain would find them first, of course. She refused to see her prize snatched away by the orders hunters. She would catch Ayawa and Tavis and whoever this third woman was. They would tell her where Gersius was hiding, and she would claim the prize that was hers.

She turned back to the man in the shadows and glared with stern eyes. “They have already fallen for the ruse. Soon the chaos will spread, and we will reap the reward. Go, I want you to take personal charge of this situation. Find them, run them down, and bring them to me.”

She saw his smile from deep in the shadows, and he nodded before he left the tent.

She watched him go and then went back to her map.

“Soon I will know where your hiding, Gersius. Soon you and your dragon will be mine.”