At Draynon’s orders, Sigwulf left the stronghold early the next morning to return to his office and keep an eye on any more orders about excavations of Galadon or Katrall history.     Sigwulf was dressed in his administrative uniform of royal blue tunic, black hose and black half-boots.  He thought that he was the first to arrive until he caught a flash of scarlet in his office.  Briefly wondering if he should go to the staffroom first and find a hot tea, he quickly thought better of it and walked straight to his office where he greeted the Kalash Priest, his superior, it rankling that he had to pleasantly greet the man rather than killing the blood drinking scum.“My Lord,” Sigwulf said formally, bo

“Ask quickly,” Astrid said in a strained voice.“Sir Wilson, my name is Lord Draynon.”“I know thee, friend,” the body replied in a voice that sounded as though it was far away.  “What be it thou wish of the dead.”“You have the second half of the pendant of the Katralls.  Where is it?”“Thy Princess be here?”“She is in the stronghold as we speak.  Where is the pendant?”“In mine book.  There the answer shall be found.”“Which one?”“Mine time groweth short.  I must import to thee a warning.  Beware the dark one.

Astrid squinted up at the cloudless sky for a few moments.  “No one really interests me all that much.  It’s not that none of the men are possibilities, but it’s just hard to find someone I can talk to.”She faced Draynon again.  “All the knights my age either spend all their time staring at my chest, but that’s all what most young men do to any woman anyway, or they spend the rest of their time trying to impress me.”“And are you impressed?”“Not really, no.  I can ride a horse nearly as well as most of them and I’m better with a longbow.  So far, Sigwulf is the only one who can match my skill with a dagger or bow. 

Astrid sat bolt upright with surprise and started swearing as she tried to untangled herself from her bedsheets.  She was a sound sleeper but also a very mobile one.  Astrid grabbed the yelling girl by her shoulders.  Seeing how pale Serra’s face was in the light of the moon she immediately led the trembling girl to her writing desk’s chair and lit a candle.  Astrid handed a glass of water to her trembling friend and made her calm down.“Speak slowly and quietly,” Astrid said in a firm but gentle tone after Serra was sitting and sipping the water.There was a timid knock on the door and a young girl opened it, her head peering around the corner.“I heard screaming,” the girl spoke softly.  &ld

Tiny sparks flared as the steel blade scraped the iron chains as it severed the links.He moved to the other end of the table and repeated the procedure.  Astrid immediately scrambled up and wrapped Hrodgar’s cloak tightly around her.Sigwulf stared at the blade of his sword.  “It’s going to take me a week to polish out all these nicks,” he growled.Hrodgar approached Astrid.  “Are you all right?”Astrid nodded.  “Just feeling very tired and more than a little queasy.  Excuse me.”  She leant over the back of the table and was violently sick.“Chloroform does that to people,” Hrodgar replied, sitting on the table