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." Dragonbait finally got one of Alias's legs free and moved up to work on the restraints about her arm, but he suspected he was fighting a losing battle.Tendrils were regrowing already, and Akabar had to slash them back, keeping him from making any progress toward liberating the swordswoman.An eye opened near Akabar's hand.He stabbed it and it shut up, tearing yellow ichor.Below him, a large branch, as thick as a boa constrictor, reached for Dragonbait.Shouting a warning, the mage launched himself over Alias's body and kicked the lizard to the ground.The tendril caught the mage's wrist and snaked up his arm.At its tip was a venomous-looking flower shaped like a great, yellow hand that groped blindly toward the mage's head.Dragonbait watched in shocked horror.Akabar shouted, "Run, damn you, run!" before the foul blossom curled over his face.Akabar was dragged into the heart of the pulsing mass.Tendrils grew over Alias's body.Dragonbait fled toward the city wall.The heaving monstrosity shambled after him, swords and half-eaten bodies stuck out at all angles from the boundaries of its oozing flesh.There was no sign of the mage.The light Akabar had cast was fading, and only the hot blue glow from the warrior woman's buried arm revealed her position.Diving through a hole in the city wall, the lizard curled himself into a tight ball and rolled down the slope of the mound with reckless speed.A shower of brownish vines and tendrils shot out after him but fell short of their mark.Shouts came from the far side of the wall—more mercenaries alerted to the Abomination's presence.The whine of missiles, ordinary and magical, reached Dragonbait's ears.The lizard stood up and dashed down the mound.At the bottom, he turned to check on the monster.The city wall, already weakened from vears of abuse, began to give under the pressure of the god's bulk.Part of its body oozed over the wall, crushing beneath what it could not push aside.Dragonbait turned again and ran toward their camp, chased by the shrieks of the soldiers dying in the city.He did not weep for Akabar; all his tears had been spent on Alias, and he had no time to make more.*****Olive Ruskettle turned in her sleep and moaned softly.A shadow passed through her usual dreams of wealth and fame and food and wine.Phalse's face appeared briefly, his head split by that unhalfling-like grin, followed by a recurring nightmare—her abduction by Mist.Panicked horses neighed over the rushing sound of the dragon's wings.The dream was so real that Olive's sleeping form curled into a tight ball and pulled the covers over her head.Then something poked at her, a swift, sharp shove.Alias, Olive guessed, demanding that I take my turn at watch."Go 'way" Olive grumbled, clutching the covers more tightly about her."It's the lizard's turn.Let me have five more minutes.Tops.""Five more minutes," an agreeable voice rumbled."Then I will fry you where you sleep."Olive's eyes shot open.Very slowly, she turned over to find herself looking square in the steaming face of the not-so-honorable Mistinarperadnacles."Boogers," the halfling whispered.She scanned the campsite for the others.There was no sign of them.They were gone—all three of them.Dead already? Olive puzzled.Without a fight?The tethers of the horses had been pulled up, but the twisted, half-eaten form of the purebred chestnut, Lady Killer, lay not far away.The dragon followed her gaze."Yes," Mist purred, "I had a wee bit to nosh before waking you.I get so crabby trying to talk to people on an empty stomach.The temptation to eat them wears on my nerves, you see." Steam poured from the creature's nostrils, engulfing the halfling.Olive coughed back a breath of the noxious vapor."Now," the she-dragon demanded, "where is the lawyer?""Lawyer?" Olive squeaked, trying to gain her mental footing.How could the others leave me like this, unguarded, in so much danger? Of all the inconsiderate behavior!"The woman who knows the old ways," said the dragon."The warrior.I understand she travels with a pet mage and a lizard-creature."Olive's heart leaped.They were still alive! Somewhere.They can rescue me! Aloud she said, "Gee, they were here a little while ago.Maybe they—" Her hand fell on Akabar's parchment map.Squinting in the moonlight, she could just make out writing on the back, but not what it said.Cautiously, explaining her every move to Mist in detail to avoid any sudden incinerations, the halfling drew out and lit a candle from her pack.She read the message to herself."A clue?" Mist asked hopefully."Yes," the halfling nodded."See?" She held the map up to the dragon's left eye."And what does it say?" Mist inquired
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