"The sky gods visit us!" He shook his staff, letting its charms jingle. "Brothers and sisters, great blessed beings of the sky come to—"

The sphinxes shrieked, swooped, and blew blasts of foul smoke.

Laira winced. "Don't breath it, Maev!"

The smoke blasted across the valley, fetid and gray, full of specks—demonic grubs with human faces. Laira screwed her mouth shut and closed her eyes. She felt the tiny creatures land upon her, and she shook her head wildly, struggling to dislodge them. The smoke seared her skin, and her eyes—even when closed—watered and burned. Sickness rose in her throat. She struggled not to gag, and the stew churned in her belly. She felt the tiny demons patter across her, squirm along her skin, her lips, her eyelids, seeking a way into her body. Their voices chattered, calling to her, calling her name. She kept shaking her head wildly, knocking them off like a wolf shaking off droplets of water.

When finally she no longer felt the demons, and the heat wafted away, she opened her eyes and gulped down air.

Several druids lay dead in the valley, their faces bloated, their eyes and mouths leaking blood—victims of the unholy miasma. As Laira thrashed in her bonds, she watched the sphinxes land upon three living druids, drive down their claws, and tear the men apart. Blood spilled across the grass.

"Auberon!" Laira cried. "Free us!"

The old druid stood among the carnage, staring at the dead, lips twitching. Around him, druids raced forward with spears and bows—weapons used for hunting. They thrust the flint-tipped spears at the sphinxes. They fired their arrows of pointed wood. The beasts laughed as they swatted at the druids, knocking them down, tearing them open.

"Auberon, damn your hide, release us and we'll fight!" Maev shouted.

The old druid stared at them, then back at the sphinxes, seeming torn. The seven creatures were now racing between the burrows, tearing them down and biting the women and children they found within. Blood stained the beasts' jaws.

"I . . . I prayed to them," Auberon whispered.

"Free us!" Laira cried, knowing that as soon as the sphinxes were done slaying the druids, they'd turn toward her and Maev.

Auberon trembled, cheeks pale. A sphinx landed before him, opened its jaw wide, and shrieked, blowing back Auberon's hair.

The druid thrust his staff, hitting the creature's eye. Wood shoved through the eyeball, and the sphinx yowled. Several other druids leaped forth, spears jabbing at the sphinx. The beast screeched and turned toward them, snapping its teeth.

"Auberon," Laira said softly. "Auberon, you know what to do."

As blood spilled across the valley, Auberon met her gaze, raised his chin, and ran toward her. He drew a curved dagger from his belt and sliced at her bonds.