plains of the Grim Marches.
A portal.
That was what the Malrags' magic had summoned. Somehow they had conjured a gateway to the Grim Marches, covering hundreds of miles in a single step. Romaria had heard legends of spells like that, but she had never seen one. Whatever Corvad had done to those Malrag shamans, it had given them the power to conjure that portal.
Romaria watched as the Malrags marched through the portal to the Grim Marches.
WhateverCorvad wanted, whatever he planned, this fight wasn't over.
###
The Malrags carrying Lucan walked through the mistgate, and a single step carried them two hundred miles to the north. Much as Molly loathed Corvad's pet Malrags, she had to admit the mistgates were useful. Her power to walk the shadows could carry her no more than a few hundred yards at a time, and travelling long distances was draining.
“Come, sister,” said Corvad. “We have the first piece. But there is more work to do.”
He strode through the mistgate, followed by the Malrag warlocks. Without their combined power to hold the gate open, it began to collapse. It would last no more than another minute.
Molly returned her sword to its scabbard and followed.
Then she stopped.
She felt eyes on her back.
Molly turned, and saw the great black wolf watching her.
###
The woman in black turned, gray eyes widening as she saw Romaria.
Romaria released the power. One moment she was the great black wolf. The next she was a human woman again, clad in leather in wool, her bow in hand.
Along with an arrow.
In one smooth motion, Romaria drew back the string and released.
###
Romaria Greenshield moved faster than Molly thought possible. Molly reached for the dark power and walked the shadows, moving six feet to the left, and Romaria's arrow whistled past her ear. Romaria brought up another arrow, and Molly jumped back through the mistgate.
She saw Romaria draw the arrow, and the mistgate collapsed an instant later.
Corvad laughed. “Cutting it close, sister.”
Molly stood on the rolling plains of the Grim Marches, the landscape dotted with the occasional tree and boulder. In the distance rose the massive stone wall of the Great Mountains, tall and grim. The Malrags, infused and otherwise, waited for Corvad's orders.
“Yes,” murmured Molly. “Close.”
She suspected Romaria would prove a dangerous opponent. The sort of woman who would fight to the death to protect Mazael.
Well, Molly would just have to kill her, too.
###
Romaria released the arrow, and the strange portal vanished. Her arrow sped through the empty air and slammed into the trunk of a tree. She lowered her bow, looking around. The Malrags were gone. Romaria sniffed at the air. She smelled nothing, save for trees and plants and animals around her.
Corvad and his Malrags had gone to the Grim Marches.
Mazael had to know about this.
She hurried back to the ruined castle.
###
“My lord,” said one of the archers. “Lady Romaria returns.”
Mazael nodded and walked to the gate, trying to keep his relief hidden. Men looked to their lord for purpose and resolution. It would not do to let them see him running to Romaria's side. He reached the gate just as Romaria climbed over the barricade, bow in hand, expression grim.
Gerald and Circan joined Mazael.
“The Malrags are returning?” said Gerald.
Romaria shook her head. “They're gone.”
“Gone?” said Mazael. “So Corvad's fled?”
“No. They're gone,” said Romaria. “Corvad had Malrag shamans with him. But...deformed, with crimson veins, like his Malrag warriors. The shamans conjured up a...portal, a doorway, out of gray mist. He went through it, along with his sister and Malrags, and then the portal vanished.”
“Lucan?” said Mazael.
“Corvad took him,” said Romaria.
“A mistgate,” said Circan, voice awed.
Romaria blinked. “You know what that portal was?”
“Aye,” said Circan. “Great
A portal.
That was what the Malrags' magic had summoned. Somehow they had conjured a gateway to the Grim Marches, covering hundreds of miles in a single step. Romaria had heard legends of spells like that, but she had never seen one. Whatever Corvad had done to those Malrag shamans, it had given them the power to conjure that portal.
Romaria watched as the Malrags marched through the portal to the Grim Marches.
WhateverCorvad wanted, whatever he planned, this fight wasn't over.
###
The Malrags carrying Lucan walked through the mistgate, and a single step carried them two hundred miles to the north. Much as Molly loathed Corvad's pet Malrags, she had to admit the mistgates were useful. Her power to walk the shadows could carry her no more than a few hundred yards at a time, and travelling long distances was draining.
“Come, sister,” said Corvad. “We have the first piece. But there is more work to do.”
He strode through the mistgate, followed by the Malrag warlocks. Without their combined power to hold the gate open, it began to collapse. It would last no more than another minute.
Molly returned her sword to its scabbard and followed.
Then she stopped.
She felt eyes on her back.
Molly turned, and saw the great black wolf watching her.
###
The woman in black turned, gray eyes widening as she saw Romaria.
Romaria released the power. One moment she was the great black wolf. The next she was a human woman again, clad in leather in wool, her bow in hand.
Along with an arrow.
In one smooth motion, Romaria drew back the string and released.
###
Romaria Greenshield moved faster than Molly thought possible. Molly reached for the dark power and walked the shadows, moving six feet to the left, and Romaria's arrow whistled past her ear. Romaria brought up another arrow, and Molly jumped back through the mistgate.
She saw Romaria draw the arrow, and the mistgate collapsed an instant later.
Corvad laughed. “Cutting it close, sister.”
Molly stood on the rolling plains of the Grim Marches, the landscape dotted with the occasional tree and boulder. In the distance rose the massive stone wall of the Great Mountains, tall and grim. The Malrags, infused and otherwise, waited for Corvad's orders.
“Yes,” murmured Molly. “Close.”
She suspected Romaria would prove a dangerous opponent. The sort of woman who would fight to the death to protect Mazael.
Well, Molly would just have to kill her, too.
###
Romaria released the arrow, and the strange portal vanished. Her arrow sped through the empty air and slammed into the trunk of a tree. She lowered her bow, looking around. The Malrags were gone. Romaria sniffed at the air. She smelled nothing, save for trees and plants and animals around her.
Corvad and his Malrags had gone to the Grim Marches.
Mazael had to know about this.
She hurried back to the ruined castle.
###
“My lord,” said one of the archers. “Lady Romaria returns.”
Mazael nodded and walked to the gate, trying to keep his relief hidden. Men looked to their lord for purpose and resolution. It would not do to let them see him running to Romaria's side. He reached the gate just as Romaria climbed over the barricade, bow in hand, expression grim.
Gerald and Circan joined Mazael.
“The Malrags are returning?” said Gerald.
Romaria shook her head. “They're gone.”
“Gone?” said Mazael. “So Corvad's fled?”
“No. They're gone,” said Romaria. “Corvad had Malrag shamans with him. But...deformed, with crimson veins, like his Malrag warriors. The shamans conjured up a...portal, a doorway, out of gray mist. He went through it, along with his sister and Malrags, and then the portal vanished.”
“Lucan?” said Mazael.
“Corvad took him,” said Romaria.
“A mistgate,” said Circan, voice awed.
Romaria blinked. “You know what that portal was?”
“Aye,” said Circan. “Great
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