ground like a missile, hurtling through the night to slam into
the war shrike. It sounded like rocks crunching, a sharp grat-
ing. Both birds cried out and then broke apart, talons raking
the air.
Then one of the riders fell, dislodged by the impact. Arms
and legs flailing the air, shrieking in horror, he plummeted
earthward. He fell like a stone, unable to help himself, and
struck with an audible thud. Overhead, the struggle continued,
the Roc and war shrike battling on across the skies as if the
loss of a rider made no difference. Wren could not tell who
had fallen. She ran across the flats, her heart pumping wildly,
her throat closing in fear. She ran for a long time without see-
ing anything. Then all at once there was a crumpled heap in
front of her, a bloodied, ragged form trying to rise off the
ground, somehow still alive.
She slowed her rush, and a shattered, broken visage turned
toward her. She shuddered as the eyes met her own. It was Tib
Ame. He tried to speak, a thick gurgle that would not let the
words form, and she could hear his hatred of her in the sound.
He was a boy still beneath the leaking wounds, but it was the
Shadowen that broke free finally, rising like black smoke to
come at her. She brought up the Elfstones instantly, and the
blue fire tore through the dark thing and consumed it.
When she looked again, Tib Ame’s blue eyes were staring
up at her sightlessly.
She heard a shriek from overhead then, either war shrike or
Roc, and looked up just in time to see Gloon descending with
Spirit in pursuit. The shrike had abandoned his sky battle and
was coining for her. She crouched beneath its shadow, no place
to hide now, the wash too far away to reach. She brought up
the Elfstones, but her movements were leaden, and she knew
she didn’t have enough time to save herself.
And then Spirit gave a final surge and caught Gloon from
340 The Talismans of Shannai ‘
behind, hammering into the war shrike, knocking it off balanc–
and away. Gloon whipped about, tearing at the Roc, and in tha*
instant Wren unleashed the magic of the Elfstones a final time
It caught Gloon full on, enfolded the shrike, and began to bum
it apart, eating at it even as it tried to escape. Gloon shrieked
in rage, twisted wildly, and tried to fly. But the Elven rnagu
had set the bird afire, and. the flames were everywhere. Ii
rolled and straightened, wings beating. Wren struck it again,
the blue fire turning white hot. Down went the war shrike,
flames trailing from its body. It struck the earth, shud-
dered, and went still.
In seconds, the fire had turned it to ash.
In the hush that followed. Spirit made a silent descent to the
grasslands. Tiger Ty climbed down and came over to Wren,
walking in that shuffling, bowlegged gait, leathery face
streaked with sweat. She reached out her hands to clasp his.
“Are you all right, girl? ” he asked quietly, and she could
see the deep concern in his sharp eyes.
She smiled. “Thanks to you. That’s twice in one day I’ve
been saved by friends I’d thought I’d lost.” And she told him
of Morgan Leah and the Shadowen at Southwatch.
“I found the free-bom in the Dragon’s Teeth yesterday
morning.” The gnarled hands would not release her, holding on
as if afraid she might fade away. “Their leader told me he
didn’t send the boy, that he’d sent someone else. I knew what
had happened. I left them to follow when they could and came
back for you. Too late, I thought. You were already missing
We searched for you all day. Found Rift and Grayl, but ther’^
was no sign of you. I knew the boy had taken you. But I knew
as well that if there was a way, you’d escape. I took Spirit out
alone after the others gave it up for the night and kept look-
ing.” He gave her a hard look. “Good thing I did.”
“Good thing,” she agreed.