The torch’s flame whooshed upward as though Bet had doused it with oil. Just as the orange-furred gnoll reared its head back to let out another high-pitched laugh, she sliced her wand through the air, pointing from the torch to the gnoll. The flames followed her wand, flying from the torch and engulfing the gnoll.

The gnoll’s laugh turned into a scream as its body lit with fire. It dropped its battle-axe and fell to the floor, rolling to put out the flames. Its tail slapped against the floor in agony.

“Thanks for your help,” Bet said, grinning.

Evin rolled his eyes and looked back at Jorick. The one-eared gnoll slashed down with its unwieldy axe while cackling in its strange, pulsing cry. Jorick met each of the monster’s thrusts with his sword, parrying each blow as though he’d been doing it all his life. With each successful block, their blades clanged.

Jorick shouted and ducked the next blow. The one-eared gnoll lost its balance. The boy rolled out of the way as the gnoll stumbled forward, almost slipping on the muddy floor. Behind the gnoll now, Jorick cried out once more and cleaved down with his sword. The creature’s tail fell to the floor and the gnoll howled.

“Evin!”

Evin spun to find that the scorched gnoll had managed to put the flames out and was advancing on Bet, its orange fur now burned black. The girl frantically dug around inside her satchel for spell components.

“Don’t shout orders and then just stand there!” Meeting Evin’s eyes, she gestured at the gnoll. “Distract it already!”

Evin’s nostrils flared, but he nodded. He raced toward the singed gnoll, took a bracing breath, and leaped onto its back.

The beast growled and wrenched back and forth. Evin wrapped his legs around the monster’s middle. The metal edges of its breastplate bit into the undersides of his knees. His arm clung around the gnoll’s neck, choking it. With his free hand, Evin tried to stab the gnoll with one of his daggers, but the monster moved too quickly and he was unable to do more than make shallow cuts.

Bet pulled a vial of black liquid from her pack. Muttering words of magic, she uncapped the vial and flung the liquid in the singed gnoll’s direction. She waved her wand at the resulting splatter and a black puddle appeared beneath the gnoll’s feet. The creature slipped, stumbling forward onto its face and sending Evin flying to the ground.

He lay on his back, the wind knocked out of him.

“Sorry,” Bet said halfheartedly.

He had no time to respond for at that moment the singed gnoll loomed over him, battle-axe raised high. With a howling laugh, it brought the blade down.

Evin rolled out of the way just as the axe hit the stone. Sparks flew. He leaped to his feet and watched every twitch of the monster’s muscles.