He spun around. One of the doorways near the stairway’s entrance had opened. A low, terrifying noise echoed in the diamond-shaped chamber. It was the same staccato, howling laughter Evin had heard the night he watched Hesiod go down in flames.

As he watched, frozen in place, a gnoll stepped out of the doorway.

The monster was tall—seven feet at least—and wore a piece of metal over its chest that appeared to have been pounded over and over with a rock. The gnoll stood on what looked like the hind legs of a dog, its shaggy, orange tail wagging slowly behind it. A panting tongue lolled out of its low-slung head. Drool dripped from its sharp teeth.

Brandishing a stained battle-axe as long as the creature was tall, the gnoll took a step forward, its sharp canine nails clacking against the stone floor. Its mocking, laughing howl grew louder and higher in pitch.

Before Evin, Jorick, or Bet could react, there came the sound of another high-pitched disturbing howl from directly behind them.

They had nowhere to run.

Chapter Thirteen

Evin pulled his daggers free and held them ready.

This was it. His first real fight. He’d practiced for so long. He had to be ready. He just had to.

“Stand back to back to back so that we all face out,” Evin commanded, willing the shakiness out of his voice.

Jorick turned toward the gnoll that had emerged near the narrow hallway. The creature listened to their frightened breaths with only one ear. The other appeared to have been bitten off. Evin and Bet stared down the orange-furred gnoll that had emerged near the stairway.

“Draw your weapons,” Evin said, his tone steady. “This is exactly what we’ve been practicing for all these years, right, Jorick?”

The gnolls both took a step forward. The orange gnoll pulled back its lips to reveal black gums and sharp teeth.

“You really think we can do this?” Jorick asked.

“We have to,” Evin said over his shoulder. “Just think of your dad. If we don’t beat these things, he loses too.”

Jorick grunted. “All right. All right.”

“You ready, Bet?” Evin asked.

Bet let out an annoyed sigh. “Of course. This is nothing.” She slipped her wand out of the folds of her robe.

Sharp toenails clacked against the muddy floor as the gnolls took another step forward.

“Well, just in case, I’ll help you with the orange one. Jorick, you go after the other one.” Evin took in a deep breath. “Go!”

Evin felt a rush of wind at his back as Jorick broke free and raced toward the one-eared gnoll. “Aaaargh!” the boy called out, a makeshift war cry.

“Seero sueee eyeex!” Bet cried at the same time, swirling her wand in a circle at a torch.