Chaos.

  The smell of burning wood and oil assaulted my nose. Buildings crumpled. A dozen fires crackled and burned, washing the world a violent orange. Through it all, the stone men danced, silhouetted by fire—half hidden by the smoky haze clogging the air.

  It was the mansion all over again.

  No!

  I shook my head, blinking away the salty tears blurring my vision.

  It's the smoke making me tear up. Just the smoke…

  I turned to the mass of stone men blocking the Pit’s doors.

  Six lay at the foot of the entrance, with eight more climbing the steps.

  That’s where I was needed. That’s where I could make a difference.

  The first rocky face that turned to me got the blunt end of my dagger in its eye. I willed it back into my right hand and thrust my short sword into its face. It crumpled before me.

  A second stone man turned, swinging its sword in a wide, horizontal arc.

  I ducked, wrapping my short sword behind its knees and hooking it against my dagger. I drove my shoulder into its hip, toppling it to the steps. Four more stone men turned to face me.

  "Now!" Castille said.

  Dugan went low and charged out the door. I rolled out of the way as the stone men fell over each other. Castille appeared a moment later, stabbing her sword down on their heads.

  That was one problem solved.

  A stone foot flew at my head. I hopped to my feet, turning to my enemy a moment too late. The sword swing caught me on the right shoulder. I rolled with the blow, the blade’s edge glancing off my reinforced jacket. I rolled to my feet, short sword forward and dagger close to my body.

  I charged in, catching the sword at the top of its swing with my interlaced short sword and dagger. I stepped in and kicked its chest, knocking it down in front of the steps.

  Behind me, a bow drew taut. I turned on the balls of my feet, knocking aside an arrow flying at my face. I tossed my dagger at the bow-wielding stone man, cutting the weapon’s string in two. The stone man sulked back into the loosely assembled crowd of enemies blocking the street. I willed the dagger back into my right hand.

  Around me, more stone men massed on the street’s other side. Their forward lines carried fresh-forged swords and spears. Their backlines pulled back short bows to send arrows down on our heads.

  Castille finished off the stone man I knocked to the ground. She grimaced.

  “We should fall back. We're surrounded.”

  “Why were they coming here? What made this street so important?”

  As if to answer my question, the doors of the Guildhall across the street creaked open.

  Of course, Nostrand Del hated the Sanctifiers as much as he hated his sons.

  Twenty black-clad guards marched out of the doors in two lines. They carried short, black truncheons and wooden shields. Between them, Reed swaggered out with her long, spiked club slung over her shoulder.

  "Jacob. Why am I not surprised to find you, once again, in the middle of trouble?"

  She looked to her left as a group of stone men loosed their arrows. She raised a hand, and a thin dome of golden light covered our heads. The rain of arrows bounced off it like hail beating on glass.

  I shrugged.

  "Trouble seems to follow me."

  "In this case, that’s true."

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  The rest of my party walked to us, eyeing the dome over their heads.

  "Inquisitor?” Castille said.

  “Castille?”

  The Northern woman clenched her jaw. Her mouth twitched as she struggled with her next words.

  “What’s the plan?”

  Reed smiled, sweeping her inscrutable gaze over the street.

  "Steeltown must stand. Jacob, can you do anything about the fire?”

  I looked away.

  "I can't. I didn't create the fire, so I can’t put it out."

  "A pity. Van Lagos could."

  I frowned.

  “Then go and ask him.”

  "I-I could do something," Isla said.

  Reed stared at Isla with a quirked eyebrow.

  "Then do it."

  Castille looked off into the distance.

  "Your left line is collapsing, Inquisitor, Dugan, and I will back it up.”

  Reed nodded.

  "I'll join you. Jacob-"

  WOOOOOOWEEEEEE!!!

  Our heads turned to the front doors of the Pit. Tiny Tom Harwick filled the frame, with Arwen peeking behind him, holding a broom in his hands.

  "Now, this right here is a fight!"

  He was smiling. The giant oaf was smiling. He lumbered down the stairs, almost tripping over the fallen stone men.

  Spirits below, he was drunk.

  Reed turned back to me.

  "Jacob, harass their flanks and scout their movements. I want to know their positions in Steeltown.”

  “Take Thor with you. He can help you track them down," Castille said.

  Thor raised his head, swelling with pride.

  Tom pointed.

  "I'm going with the elf!"

  "What?!" Arwen and I said in unison.

  He smiled wider.

  "C'mon, I can be sneaky. You’ve seen me sneak, uncle."

  I turned to Reed.

  She shrugged, an amused smile playing on her lips.

  "Your call."

  "Arwen?"

  He looked down, running a hand through his uncombed, thinning hair.

  "Just take care of my nephew."

  Are you serious?!

  I sighed. My short sword and dagger were heavy in my hands.

  "Fine, you better keep up."

  The large man rubbed his hands together.

  "Now, that's what I'm talking about."

  Oh, I’m going to regret this.

  I ran to the closest alley. Over my shoulder, Tom and Thor padded behind me, and Isla closed her eyes. She was preparing something big.

  Don't burn too much will.

  Who knows what else was waiting in the dark?

  # # #

  Burning buildings lighted our narrow path in the alleyway—their crackle masking our footfalls and the ash in the air stinging my eyes.

  I let Thor take the lead of our party of three. He trotted forward with confidence, taking occasional sniffs of the air.

  I wonder what stone men smell like.

  I didn’t have time to ask.

  Thor grunted, stopping just before an intersection. I raised my hand, signalling Tom to wait. He leaned with his arm against the wall, his hand over my head.

  I checked around the corner.

  "What do ya see?"

  More stone men were shambling forward down the main road to attack our collapsing left line.

  Do we attack their flank now or later?

  “Jacob?”

  I scowled.

  “So, you do know my name?”

  “Hey, I can’t help that you're an elf.”

  “Half. Elf.”

  “OK. OK. Half elf. Now tell me what ya see?”

  "More enemies. It looks like they’re all coming down the main street. We need to be care-"

  He clapped me on the shoulder.

  "Then what are we waiting for?! Let’s go!"

  The large man ran past me into the street.

  It took a few seconds to wipe the shocked look off my face. I turned to Thor, who could only shake his head.

  No wonder Arwen was balding! Tom was charging head-first into a group of enemies, outnumbered and unarmed.

  I let out a deep, long-suffering sigh.

  "C'mon, Thor, let's go save the idiot."

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