At the sight of Lord DuPraye’s body prostrate on the ground, the Moribundians around Kaira dropped to their knees. “Please don’t kill us,” they cried. “We want to surrender! We do not want to fight!”

Kaira nodded to the manticores and they immediately lowered their scorpion tails. As they did so, the Moribundians dropped their weapons and the Luthanian soldiers, released from Mysteria’s control, surrounded them.

Mysteria glanced at her son’s body for a moment and then over at Kaira. “I would like to go and see what I can do to help the wounded now that this evil is destroyed,” she said quietly.

Kaira nodded, understanding.

Mysteria turned Straithin and rode back to the encampment, passing Shal, who was riding toward Kaira.