"And the demons aren't too fond of him." Tanin winced to see one of the creatures scuttle by, dripping rot. The procession was moving directly ahead now; the demons fled like water from the prow of an advancing ship.

Maev seemed unusually subdued. She spoke softly. "These demons are hunting dragons. You heard them. There might be many more Vir Requis in this city, not just the prince. I think these demons are Eteer's bloodhounds; hunters." She shook her head. "By the stars, Tanin. What have we found here?"

He squared his jaw, watching the last priest move by, his cloud of incense lingering like a wake. "A place I want to leave. Now let's race to that tower, free your paramour, and go home."

Gripping his sword, he was about to step out onto the boulevard when several voices rose in the alley behind him.

"Weredragons . . ."

Tanin spun around and felt himself pale.

"Bloody stars," Maev muttered and drew her sword. The doubled-edged blade—as wide and long as her forearm—gleamed in the sunlight.

A demon lurked in the alleyway, a creature of many human heads strung together like a string of beads. The unholy strand rose like a cobra about to strike, taller than Tanin. Each of the heads leered, full of sharp teeth. They all spoke together.

"We smell weredragons. Comrades! Comrades, come to feast!"

A dozen demons appeared upon the surrounding roofs—great winged insects, hooks and blades growing from their bodies. When Tanin heard a wet slush behind him, he turned to see a towering blob, dripping and sprouting hair, crawl forward to block the alley's exit. Tanin could see mice, two cats, and a dog trapped within the translucent jelly, still alive and writhing.

"Weredragons!" the creatures cried.

Tanin sliced the air with his dagger. "Don't shift," he told his sister. "We'll fight them off with blades. If we blow fire, the entire city will see."

She snarled and raised her own blade. "I don't need to shift to kill these buggers." She spat toward the string of heads. "Come to me, darling, and taste my blade."

The ring of demons tightened around them. They leaped from the roofs, landing before them. Trapped in a circle of rot, the siblings swung their blades, prepared to kill or die.

A high voice rose, piercing the alleyway, pure and strong.

Light flowed.

The demons hissed and cowered.

The voice rose higher. Tanin could not see its source, nor could he understand the words. The voice spoke in the tongue of Eteer; Tanin understood only the word "Taal" repeated twice.

The demons wailed. The creature with many heads retreated, coiling into a doorway. The winged beasts fluttered off, vanishing over the roofs. The blob slithered away, leaving a trail of slime. The pure, white light filled the alleyway, blinding them. Tanin and Maev shielded their eyes with their palms, blinking and trying to see.