Rucrius staggered backward, stunned that she had struck him. A splotch of red appeared on his lip and dribbled down his chin. He touched it, confused, then saw the blood on his fingertip. His dark eyebrows knitted with fury, and he came at her fast and hard, spinning the staff over his head and knocking ravens out of the way as he whirled and struck at her. Again and again. Trynne ducked, dived, and rolled, trying to keep away from the staff. She was immune to its Fountain-enhanced power, but a blow to her skull would still knock her unconscious.

From the corner of her eye, she saw the ravens had started to drop from the air, their bodies suddenly gray and stiff as stone. The Wizrs had overcome their shock and were fighting back.

“Eliac!” one of the Wizrs shouted, a word of power Trynne didn’t know, and a flash of blinding light exploded in the hall.

Trynne couldn’t see.

Rucrius struck his staff against the floor and the entire castle shuddered. The floor heaved and buckled, and chips of rock and stone began to fall from overhead.

“Must I bring this entire palace down to convince you?” Rucrius shouted. “Must innocents perish for your stubbornness, waif? I command you, yield!” The staff struck Trynne’s ribs and she bent double. She hadn’t seen it coming because of the spots dancing in her eyes. “Grab her!” he ordered.

One of the Wizrs seized her from behind, pinning her arms to her sides, making the sword useless. She arched her head back and smashed it into his nose. Pushing her arms out to loosen his grip, she dropped low and elbowed him in the groin. The Wizr collapsed in a heap on the floor, writhing in pain.

“You fool!” Rucrius barked in frustration. He swung the staff down at her and she twisted, feeling the wellspring come to her aid. Rucrius’s staff hit the fallen Wizr, exploding with power and knocking him unconscious.

There were two left.

Trynne lunged at Rucrius, arcing her blade toward his greatest vulnerability, his throat. His eyes widened with fear as he jerked backward, then countered with the staff and caught her on the shoulder with it. He was incredibly quick and skilled. She’d never faced someone who could meet her reflexes. The blow sent her spinning, and she had to roll to prevent the staff from striking her again. As it hit the tiles, they cracked apart. She swept her leg out to trip him and he deftly evaded her before twirling the staff around and bringing it down at her again.