Awe and fear rose in Twelve. She’d become so familiar with Dog that she’d almost forgotten why he was so big, why his teeth were so sharp. He’d been created to fight and never had that been more evident than now. His hackles stood up in ridges and his lips were drawn back in a vicious snarl. Twelve wasn’t sure she’d ever seen anything so magnificent or so terrifying. The goblins were at a loss: their weapons just bounced off him. In a single bound, he was by her side and suddenly, unbelievably, Six’s hands were pulling her onto his back while Five grabbed Seven.

“Where are the Hunters?” Dog snarled.

Twelve’s brain whirred. Victory had said she hadn’t killed them, that they were locked up. But where? Not down in the dungeons, that was for sure. In that dripping silence, you could hear rats scurrying. It was impossible that there could be hundreds of Hunters trapped down there without her hearing even a scuffle. “The huntling dormitories,” she gasped. “It must be—they’re the only rooms with locks on the outside!”

“Then that is where we go!” Dog roared, springing forward and barging through a crowd of goblins trying to block him at the door. He sent them flying as he sped through. Victory’s and Morgren’s screamed orders mingled behind them as they emerged into the cold night air.

“Aim for the boys,” Twelve heard Victory shriek. “The Guardian we can only subdue!”

Hatred bubbled through Twelve at the Hunter’s words and her hands tightened around her axes. She had never been so happy to feel their familiar weight.

“How did you get in?” she cried, glancing back at Six and feeling her heart swell.

“We found your axes. Saw the goblin fire,” Dog snarled, bounding across the training ground toward the resthouse, plowing through more goblins. “It was clear what had happened.”

“We got lucky with the tunnel,” Five called. “The mage hadn’t erased the footprints at the entrance. We were almost in the training ground when the goblins tried to collapse it.”

Behind her Six shivered. “We were nearly buried alive. Dog dug us out.”

Ahead of them, the door to the resthouse loomed. Just in time, Twelve realized Dog had no intention of stopping to open it. They crashed through and shards of wood flew past as Twelve buried her face in her arms, clinging on to Dog with her legs.

Inside, it was obvious that Twelve had been right. Muffled yells and banging came from each of the dormitories: the sound of hundreds of Hunters trying to force their way out.

“Quickly!” Dog barked. “Set them free. I will guard the door.” As he spoke, several arrows pinged uselessly off him. He nudged the damaged doors closed and leaned his weight against them. There were gaps where they’d splintered, but they offered some protection.