before touching him, then sprawled on the floor, the foul wound still seeping.

    Heads turned to see a second gronom moving toward Talli and Gilin. Stepping from the crowd, Diliani attacked it from the side, her knife blade grazing its head and neck. The creature turned to her.

    “Strike it from behind!” called Hut, too far away to do so himself. But it was too late for Diliani.

    The gronom gripped her by the torso and propelled her through the air to the edge of the platform, where she landed heavily and lay stunned among the frightened animals and birds.

    The gronom turned toward its victims. But Ruggum Chamter had learned from recent events and stepped behind the single-minded creature. “You’ve come to...

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